John William Mitchell

Who was John William Mitchell?

John William Mitchell was the 17th mayor of Calgary, Alberta.

Born in Cambridgeshire, England in 1872, Mitchell arrived in Calgary in 1891. He had a job with a dry goods business then later with the lumber firm of W. Stuart and Company.

In 1905, Mitchell was elected to Calgary City Council. He served as alderman for five years before successfully running for mayor. He held the mayoral seat from January 2, 1911 to January 2, 1913. In June 1911, Calgary City Hall was opened by then leader of the opposition Robert Borden. As an alderman, Mitchell spent time as Chairman of both the Fire and Finance Committees.

Mitchell was a member of the Central Methodist Church. As a longtime member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, he was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. Mitchell died in 1952 in Vancouver, British Columbia at the age of 80.