James Robert Wilson, (September 16, 1866 – April 3, 1941) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

politician. Born in Almonte,

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...

, he moved to

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Moose Jaw is the List of cities in Saskatchewan, fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina, Saskatchewan, Re ...

in 1884 and was employed at a grocery and hardware store. During the 1885

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Government of Canada, Canadian government. Important events i ...

he led the first medical corps to

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

. After the rebellion he worked as a farmer, before opening a general store in Saskatoon in 1896. In January 1903 he was elected overseer over the village of Saskatoon, and when on July 1 of that year the village was incorporated as a town, he became its first mayor. He served until 1904, and again later as mayor of the by now city of Saskatoon from 1907 to 1908. He also sat on the city council from 1914 to 1919. In his times as mayor he personally guaranteed a bank loan that allowed for the completion of sewer, water and electrical works, and it was also whilst he was mayor that Saskatoon's City Park was purchased. Wilson also tried his hand at national politics, standing unsuccessfully as a federal candidate for the

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

in 1908, before managing to be elected in 1917. He served for four years, including a spell as a cabinet minister, before being defeated in 1921. His brother Russell also served as mayor of Saskatoon. Wilson Crescent, which runs through Saskatoon's

Avalon Avalon () is an island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appeared in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 ''Historia Regum Britanniae'' as a place of magic where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was made and later where Arthur was taken to recove ...

, Adelaide/Churchill and Nutana Park neighbourhoods, is named in James Wilson's honour.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, James Robert 1866 births 1941 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Saskatchewan Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Saskatchewan Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada Mayors of Saskatoon People from Almonte, Ontario 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada