Joseph Edmund Crawford

Joseph Edmund Crawford (December 2, 1877 – October 9, 1964) was an Ontario chartered accountant and political figure. He represented Fort William in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1934 to 1937 as a Liberal member.

Joseph Edmund Crawford
Crawford circa 1926
Ontario MPP
In office
1934–1937
Preceded byFranklin Harford Spence
Succeeded byFranklin Harford Spence
ConstituencyFort William
Mayor of Fort William, Ontario
In office
1926–1928
Preceded byIssac Newton Edmeston
Succeeded byNathaniel Bascome Darrell
Personal details
Born(1877-12-02)December 2, 1877
Invermay, Bruce County, Ontario
DiedOctober 9, 1964(1964-10-09) (aged 86)
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)
Jessie C. Baker
​
(m. 1909)​
OccupationBusinessman

Early life

He was born in Invermay, Bruce County, Ontario, the son of Robert Crawford. In 1909, he married Jessie C. Baker. After moving to Fort William, he lived for many years at 136 North Franklin Street in Fort William, nearby his sister Martha at 191 East Francis.[1]

Political career

He served on Fort William city council and was mayor from 1926 to 1928. Crawford was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the provincial assembly in 1929, but took 41% of the vote. He served on the Board of Education and was director of the local YMCA. He was president of the local Chamber of Commerce and vice-president of the Fort William Red Cross Society.

First elected in the Hepburn sweep of June 1934, he easily defeated Conservative Franklin Harford Spence 9190 votes to 5375, but when he opposed Hepburn's separate school legislation, he was challenged for the Liberal nomination by Roman Catholic Harry Murphy who ran in the October 1937 election as the official Liberal candidate. Crawford ran as an Independent Liberal, such that the Liberal vote split, permitting Frank Spence to retake the riding for the Conservatives.

References
  1. "City Man Since '88, J.W. Thompson Dies". Fort William Daily Times Journal. Fort William, ON. 1957-12-23. p. 1. Surviving..is brother in law J. E. Crawford
  • Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1937, AL Normandin
  • F. Brent Scollie, Thunder Bay Mayors & Councillors 1873-1945 (Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, 2000), 170-171.
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