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A leading and esteemed
citizen of Strathmore is G. Frank Butler, mayor, and manager of the
Strathmore Trading Company. He was born in King township, Ontario, on
the 26th of July, 1880, a son of John and Sarah (Davis) Butler, the
former a native of Yorkshire, England, and the latter of Ontario. The
paternal grandfather, Joseph Butler, was born in Yorkshire and came to
Canada at an early day. He located in Ontario and was one of the pioneer
settlers of the district in which he made his home. His demise occurred
in Toronto. Clayton Davis, the grandfather on the maternal side, was
born in Scotland, and he was one of the pioneers of Ontario, engaging in
farming there for many years, and also worked at his trade as a
blacksmith. He was hidden during the Rebellion.
His death occurred on the
old home place. John Butler passed his third birthday on the ocean, as
he was at that time on his way to Canada with his parents. He received
his education in the common schools of King township, Ontario, and
subsequently engaged in farming. Later he conducted a mercantile
business at Ternperanceville, Ontario, where he remained for three
years. For some time he was in the real estate business in Toronto and
later entered the employ of Brown Brothers of Toronto. His demise
occurred in 1915, at the age of sixty-one years. His widow is making her
home in Toronto. To their union four children were born: Charles A., who
is a Ford dealer in Penticton, British Columbia; G. Frank, whose name
introduces this review; Lillian Louise Gertrude, who is the wife of M.
M. Downey, a government inspector of Edmonton; and T. E. C., who is a
successful dentist in Toronto.
In the acquirement of his
education G. Frank Butler attended the common schools of his birthplace
and the Palmerston School, the Huron Street school and the Harvard
Street Collegiate School, all of Toronto. Upon the completion of his
education he entered the printing business in that city for six months,
at the termination of which time he became associated with the John
McDonald Company, a wholesale dry goods concern, and remained with that
company for five years. When nineteen years of age he was sent by this
company to Winnipeg, as its representative under William Ruff, and made
an assorting trip between Winnipeg and Edmonton, carrying with him
twenty-two trunks of merchandise. Later he returned to Toronto on a
special trip to acquire dress goods. After resigning his position with
the McDonald company, Mr. Butler became associated with the R. J.
Whitlaw Company, traveling for them for about five years—.throughout the
west on the main railroad lines but on coming to Edmonton he drove from
Edmonton to Fort Saskatchewan, there being no railroads here at that
day. In 1908 he assisted in the formation of the Penngally-Askitt,
Limited, a jewelry business located on Eighth avenue, Calgary. In
February, 1910, he came to Strathmore and organized the Strathmore
Trading Company, of which he is manager. The company was organized with
a capital of six thousand dollars, which has increased to twenty
thousand dollars. It carries a general and high grade line of
merchandise and is one of the leading business enterprises in
Strathmore. Mr. Butler is not only the manager of the company but he
owns the building and has erected his own lighting plant. In the
development of his business he has met with the success won by well
organized methods, intelligently and capably executed, and he fully
merits the esteem and respect accorded him by his fellow townsmen, as
his career has been pursued in an honorable and upright manner. Mr.
Butler has always been active in public life and he was a member of the
city council from 1913 to 1918. In 1920 he was elected mayor of
Strathmore and he is satisfactorily discharging the many duties
devolving upon him.
On the 18th of December,
1907, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Butler and Miss Eva May
Metcalfe, who was born in Burford, Ontario. To their union four children
have been horn: Marguerite Gwendolyn; Edna May Francis; John Frederick
Metcalfe and Gloria Vivian Rhea.
Fraternally Mr. Butler is
identified with the Masons and since 1914 he has been a member of Cyprus
Lodge, No. 33, of Calgary, and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is
past master of Strathmore Lodge, No. 53, and past district deputy of the
Grand Lodge of Alberta. He was one of the organizers of the Strathmore
Chapter, No. 21, Royal Arch Masons and was first sitting principal. He
is likewise past grand registrar of the Grand Chapter of Alberta, Mr.
Butler is past Noble Grand and past district deputy grand master of the
Independent. Order of Odd Fellows and past district deputy grand master
of the Rebekahs of Alberta at Strathmore. He is a member of the
executive committee of the Board of Trade, and socially is identified
with the Strathmore Golf Club and he was one of the promoters of the
Curling Club. He is an outdoor man and is skilled in many sports, being
particularly fond of baseball and golf. Mr. Butler is a dog fancier,
specializing in Airedales and English brindle bulldogs. He is an expert
rifleman and does all kinds of fancy shooting. He is a self-made man in
the truest sense of the word. A man of well balanced capacities and
powers, he occupies a central place on the stage of action, for out of
the struggle with small opportunities he has conic into a field of broad
and active influence and usefulness. |
