George S. Armstrong Politician
George Seale Armstrong (May 16, 1867 – June 9, 1947) was a Canadian businessman and politician. He served on the Edmonton City Council from 1907 to 1910 and as Mayor of Edmonton from 1910 to 1912.Armstrong was born in what would soon become the province of Ontario in 1867. After briefly teaching school, he entered the business industry, as a druggist. After dabbling into politics briefly on the council of Eastnor Township, he would relocate west, to the city of Edmonton, Alberta. In Edmonton he would establish his pharmaceutical business once again, and work briefly with his brother on real estate and construction projects. The next year, in 1907, he ran for election to the Edmonton City Council and was elected to a two year term. His name being circulated for a possible mayoral candidate as early as 1909, Armstrong decided to run for the mayoralty in the 1910 municipal election, resigning his term as alderman to stand in the mayoral vote. Uncontested as only nominated candidate come election day, Armstrong would be acclaimed to the mayor's chair for the coming year of 1911. During the term, he several issues were brought up to council's attention, including the city's need of a new civic building and the possibility of two new gas plants for the city.His first term as mayor also saw the issue of possible amalgamation of the "twin cities" of Edmonton and Strathcona, an issue that had been spoken of as a possibility in the previous few years. Approved by councils of both cities, a plebiscite was scheduled in September 1911 for the opinions of citizens of both cities on the issue. After both cities voted in favour of amalgamation, bylaws permitting the merge were passed and Edmonton's annex of Strathcona came into effect in February of 1912. Since the agreement between the two cities had called for an election upon the joining of the cities, Armstrong put his name up once again in that election, defeated his rival candidate, thus becoming the first post-amalgamation mayor of the city of Edmonton, referred to as "Greater Edmonton" at the time. He would serve out the term, introducing a new hospital, improvements to the street rail system, and commissioning a report on the expansion of the city. Another election was held later that December, when he did not choose to stand for re-election.Armstrong later gained employment with the Edmonton post office after leaving the office of mayor, in which he would late rise to the position of postmaster, which he served in for 14 years. Armstrong also operated his drug store once again. He would remain at the post office until his retirement in 1937, and died ten years later in Edmonton at the age of 80.
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