John Muirhead Explained

John Muirhead (July 11, 1877  - 1954) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1922 to 1936.[1]

Muirhead was born in Clinton, Ontario and was educated at public schools. He worked as a farmer, and served as a school trustee and municipal assessor. In 1906, Muirhead married Lucy E. Dunfield.[2]

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1922 provincial election as a candidate of the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), defeating Conservative incumbent Reuben Waugh[1] by 137 votes in the Norfolk constituency. The UFM unexpectedly won a majority of seats in this election, and formed government as the Progressive Party. Muirhead served as a backbench supporter of John Bracken's government throughout his time in the legislature.

He was returned in the 1927 election, defeating Waugh[1] by thirty-four votes in a rematch from the 1922 contest. He defeated Waugh a third time in the 1932 election,[1] by 236 votes.

He was defeated in the 1936 election, losing to Conservative John Lawrie[1] by eighty-two votes. He sought a return to the legislature in the 1941 election, but lost to Lawrie[1] by forty-four votes.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MLA Biographies - Deceased . Legislative Assembly of Manitoba . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140330155427/http://www.gov.mb.ca/hansard/members/mla_bio_deceased.html . 2014-03-30 .
  2. Web site: John Muirhead (1877-1954) . Memorable Manitobans . Manitoba Historical Society . 2013-02-01.