by Dan McCaffery for the Sarnia Observer
(2003) There were statesmen and scoundrels, war veterans, a noted investor and even a football hero. In fact, included among the 63 men who have sat in the mayor’s chair during Sarnia’s history have been some of the most colourful characters ever to set foot in the community.
Joshua Adams became the first chief magistrate to be thrown out of office by voters after he became involved in an 1863 road-building scandal. Specifically, there were accusations he was attempting to have some streets planked in order to benefit a small number of rich people. The Observer accused him of “illegal” conduct after he ignored council’s instructions about who to appoint to a roads committee, deciding instead to select his own people.
Edward Blake was accused of trying to muzzle the press with “Nazi” tactics. It happened in 1934 when council voted to ban reporters from a meeting unless they allowed council to edit their stories prior to publication. Needless to say, The Observer refused to go along with the scheme and council backed down.
Joshua Bell got into hot water when he called Sarnia’s first-ever closed door meeting in 1913. “The people will get a full report if they come to the next meeting of council and hear the minutes read,” he said. The Observer took him to task editorially and, quoting unnamed sources, provided readers with a blow-by-blow account of what went on behind closed doors.
One of the most unusual chief magistrates was William Proctor, who served three terms without ever campaigning for the job. Proctor wouldn’t give speeches, kiss babies, distribute pamphlets or do any advertising. Amazingly, he was elected in 1894, 1895 and 1917.
Some were best known for their exploits outside of politics. Norm Perry was elected in 1939 after leading the Sarnia Imperials to the Grey Cup. And Thomas Doherty won in 1916 after building a reputation as an investor.
There were mayors in every branch of the armed forces. Henry Ross drove a tank in the First World War. George Andrew spent the same conflict in the Royal Flying Corps and Paul Blundy served in the navy during the Second World War.
There were statesmen, too, including James Barr, who talked council into establishing Canatara Park in the middle of the Great Depression. For a time, the purchase was known as “Barr’s folly.”
Another highly successful mayor was T.G. Johnston, who lured Imperial Oil to town in the 1890s by giving the company a five-year tax exemption. The move transformed a sleepy little 19th century market town into a booming 20th century metropolis.
In a 1997 editorial, The Observer named Johnston the city’s greatest mayor of all time.