William Bredin

Who was William Bredin?

William Fletcher Bredin was a Canadian politician and pioneer. Born in Stormont County, Ontario, he came west to Red Deer Crossing in 1883, where he took over a claim from Esias Myers. He subsequently moved to Calgary, where he opened a store with R. Steen, engaged in freighting between Calgary and Edmonton, and was active with the Oddfellows. He also established the Climax coal mine, 22 miles southwest of Calgary. He later moved to Edmonton and then further north, establishing the Buffalo Lakes Trading Post in the area later known as Lamerton in 1892, when there were only seven settlers in the area. He sold the post to Joe Edminson in 1895. Around 1897, he travelled by boat down the Athabasca River to the Mackenzie River.

He eventually settled in the Peace River Country, where he opened a series of fur trading posts with James Cornwall; they sold these to the Revillon Frères in 1906. By 1907 he claimed to have lived "all over the Northwest pretty well".

He ran in 1905 Alberta provincial election as a Liberal in Athabasca, and was the only candidate acclaimed during that election. In office, he advocated for a railway to be built into the northeast corner of the province.