Thomas Edward Simpson

Thomas Edward Simpson
Member of Parliament for Algoma West
In office December 17, 1917 – October 13, 1935
Preceded by	Arthur Cyril Boyce
Succeeded by	Henry Sidney Hamilton
Parliamentary group	Unionist (1917-1921) Conservative (1921-1935)
Constituency	Algoma West
Chief Government Whip
In office 1930–1935
Preceded by	Ross Wilfred Gray
Succeeded by	Pierre-François Casgrain
2nd Mayor of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
In office January 1913 – January 1915
Preceded by	William H. Munro
Succeeded by	J. A. McPhail
Personal details
Born	(1873-08-10)10 August 1873 Dufferin County, Ontario, Canada
Died	16 July 1951(1951-07-16) (aged 77) Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Spouse	Minnie Maxwell
Children	2 daughters (Helen, Gertrude)

Thomas Edward Simpson (August 10, 1873 – July 16, 1951) was a Canadian politician.

Simpson was born on a farm in Dufferin County, Ontario on August 10, 1873. In the 1890s he moved to Sault Ste. Marie and started a furniture business.[1]

He became involved in municipal politics, being elected a town councillor in 1908, and then town mayor in 1909 and 1910.[2]

In April 1912, Sault Ste. Marie became incorporated as a city. Simpson became the city's second mayor and the first elected to the role. (Under the terms of incorporation, William H. Munro the town mayor in 1912 was made the first city mayor following incorporation until the end of his term.) Simpson was re-elected as mayor of the city in 1914.[3]

He represented the electoral district of Algoma West in the House of Commons of Canada from 1917 to 1935. He was a member of Robert Borden's Unionist Party caucus from 1917 to 1921, and of the Conservative Party caucus after 1921.[4]

He served as Chief Government Whip from 1930 to 1935. He served in parliament for nearly 18 years until announcing his retirement from politics in April 1935 due to his health. He completed his final term in parliament in October 1935.[5]

He was husband to the former Minnie Maxwell. The couple had two daughters, Helen and Gertrude.[6] Simpson operated a furniture store in Sault Ste. Marie and he, along with his brother Albert operated a funeral home at Queen and Elgin streets.[7]

He was a charter member of the city's Rotary Club, and a volunteer with the Children's Aid Board, the Plummer Memorial Hospital Board and the public school board.[8]

References

1. Sault Star staff. (16 July 1951). "Member of parliament 18 years, past mayor Thomas Simpson dies". The Sault Daily Star.
2. Sault Star staff. (17 December 1919). "Sault's mayor's councils, clerks since 1887". The Sault Daily Star.
3. Sault Star staff (18 July 1951). "Sincere moving tribute paid late T.E. Simpson". The Sault Daily Star.
4. Library of Parliament. "Thomas Edward Simpson, M.P." ParlInfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
5. Sault Star staff. (16 July 1951). "Member of parliament 18 years, past mayor Thomas Simpson dies". The Sault Daily Star.
6. Sault Star staff. (15 July 1976). "In other years: 1951". The Sault Star.
7. Sault Star staff (11 September 1939). "T.E. Simpson long in public service". The Sault Daily Star.
8. Sault Star staff (18 July 1951). "Sincere moving tribute paid late T.E. Simpson". The Sault Daily Star.