Isaac Newton Edmeston was born in Huron County, Ontario in 1866 and as a young man travelled west to Neepawa, Manitoba where he lived for 13 years working as a millwright. He came to the Lakehead in either 1901 or 1904 to work on constructing grain elevators. Edmeston also spent some years during WWI constructing ships and railway cars at the Canadian Car & Foundry Company plant in Fort William.
Edmeston was elected as Mayor in 1922 in a closely-contested race. In the early 1920s Edmeston was heavily involved in plans for hydro-electric development. His arguments to the Royal Commission persuaded them to set fixed prices for electricity from the Nipigon Power project. During his mayoralty, Edmeston also saw the opening of Chippewa Park, the lowering of the mill rate, and the creation of a long distance telephone connection to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Edmeston was a member of the Fort William Conservative Association for much of his life and was named Sheriff of the Thunder Bay District in 1926. He held this position for nearly 10 years, retiring in 1936.
Born: May 29, 1866 in Drumbo, Blenheim Township, Oxford County, Ontario
Died: October 16, 1942 in Toronto, Ontario at the age of 76
Councillor: 1918-1921
Councillor Candidate: 1939
Mayor: 1922-1925
Mayoral Candidate: 1926
Previous Mayor: Mayor Albert Hugh Dennis
Next Mayor: Mayor Joseph Edmund Crawford
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