John Smith Stewart

John Smith Stewart, CMG, DSO (May 18, 1878 – August 14, 1970) was a Canadian politician and Brigadier-General from Alberta.

John Smith Stewart CMG DSO
Member of the Canada Parliament for Lethbridge
In office July 28, 1930 – October 13, 1935
Preceded by	Lincoln Henry Jelliff
Succeeded by	John Horne Blackmore
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Lethbridge Lethbridge City (1911-1921)
In office October 31, 1911 – January 1, 1925
Preceded by	William Ashbury Buchanan
Succeeded by	Andrew Smeaton
Personal details
Born	18 May 1878 Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Died	14 August 1970 (aged 92)
Political party	Conservative
Profession	Dentist, teacher
Military service
Allegiance	Canada
Branch/service	Canadian Army
Years of service	1899-1918
Rank	Brigadier-General

Early life

John Smith Stewart was born May 16, 1878 in the Brampton, Ontario to John Stewart and Mary Armstrong. Stewart would move to Edmonton at the age of 19 in 1896.[1] Stewart would later study dentistry at University of Toronto, completing his studies in 1903, moving to Lethbridge and would marry Jean McClure on September 25, 1907, she would later die in 1914.[2][3] Stewart was appointed to the Board of the newly established University of Alberta in 1909.[3]

Military career

Stewarts's military career would begin as a Private in Strathcona's Horse during the Second Boer War.[2] During this time he would serve under Lieutenant-Colonel Sam Steele, and earned the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps.[3] Stewart would receive his commission, completing his studies at the Royal Military College of Canada in February 1908 to form the 25th Artillery Battery.[3] On the outbreak of the First World War, Stewart would be asked to command the 20th Artillery Battery from Lethbridge, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel before going overseas on August 9, 1915.[3] He would eventually be promoted to Brigadier-General on July 7, 1917, and later transferred to the 3rd Canadian Division from December 1917 to demobilization.[2] Stewart would be twice wounded and twice mentioned in dispatches. He would be awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).[2] Stewart returned to Alberta on January 19, 1919 in time for sitting in the legislature.[3]

Political career

Stewart was first elected to the 2nd Alberta Legislature as a member of the Alberta Conservative Party in a by-election held in the Lethbridge City electoral district on October 31, 1911. Stewart defeated his Liberal opponent S. J. Shepherd by 183 votes.[4] The by-election came as a result of the resignation of William Ashbury Buchanan, who would be elected in the 1911 Canadian federal election. Stewart would subsequently be re-elected in 1913 and acclaimed in 1917[5] by an Act of the Legislature which provided members serving oversees in the First World War would be acclaimed. The Lethbridge City electoral district would be dissolved prior to the 1921 Alberta general election, which saw Stewart defeat his Labour opponent John Marsh by 978 votes. While Stewart ran as an independent, he would be the only former Conservative member to be returned to the Legislature in 1921.[6]

Stewart would contest the 1925 Canadian federal election in the Lethbridge riding, representing the Conservative Party of Canada. He would be defeated by incumbent Progressive candidate Lincoln Henry Jelliff by 743 votes. Stewart would not contest the quickly called 1926 federal election, but would contest the 1930 election defeating Progressive candidate Thomas Owen King by 987 votes, earning a seat in House of Commons of Canada. Stewart would be unable to hold his seat in the 1935 election, being defeated by federal Social Credit candidate John Horne Blackmore by a wide margin of over 3,600 votes. Stewart would try again and fail to unseat Blackmore again in 1940.[7]

As a Member of Parliament Stewart took an interest in Waterton Lakes National Park, leading the Canadian negotiations for the establishment of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park with American Congressman from Montana Scott Leavitt.[8]

Later life

Stewart continued his dental practice for over 58 years until retiring in 1960 at the age of 83.[3] The General Stewart School, an elementary school in Lethbridge was named for him in 1957, and the same year he was awarded an honourary law degree from the University of Alberta.[3] Stewart would return to Belgium for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Mons in 1968, receiving the Citoyen d’Honneur.[3]

Stewart died on August 14, 1970 at the age of 93.[3]

References

1. Robertson, Dylan (25 July 2014). "John Smith Stewart survived two wars". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
2. Normandin, A. L., ed. (1935). The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. Ottawa: Mortimer Company Ltd. p. 226. ISSN 0315-6168. OCLC 893686591. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
3. Lampard, J. Robert (March–April 2018). "The impressive story of Alberta's highest ranking WWI health care officer". Alberta Doctors' Digest. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
4. "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
5. "Election results for Lethbridge City". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
6. "Election results for Lethbridge". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
7. "Lethbridge, Alberta (1917-10-06 - 1979-03-25)". Parlinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
8. MacDonald, Graham A. (1992). Where the Mountains Meet the Prairies: A History of Waterton Lakes National Park (PDF). Environment Canada. ISBN 978-1552380147. Retrieved 24 August 2020.

External links

• John Smith Stewart – Parliament of Canada biography
• Peel Digital Library - From Brock to Currie : the military development and exploits of Canadians in general and of the men of Peel in particular, 1791 to 1930
• John Smith Stewart fonds, Library and Archives Canada