Joseph Alexander Gillies

Joseph Alexander Gillies (September 17, 1849 – July 7, 1921) was a Canadian politician.^[1]

Joseph Alexander Gillies
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Richmond
In office 1891–1900
Preceded by	Edmund Power Flynn
Succeeded by	Joseph Matheson
Personal details
Born	(1849-09-17)September 17, 1849 Irish Cove, Nova Scotia
Died	July 7, 1921(1921-07-07) (aged 71)
Political party	Conservative

Born in Irish Cove, Nova Scotia, the son of John Gillies and Mary McLean, Gillies was educated at St. Francis Xavier University graduating in April 1871. He was called to the Nova Scotia bar in 1875 and practised law in Sydney.^[2] He was the registrar of probate for the County of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia from August 1872 until he resigned when he ran unsuccessfully for the riding of Cape Breton in the 1887 federal election. He was clerk of the Peace for Cape Breton county from December 1875 until January 1880 when the county was incorporated, and then he was appointed Municipal clerk, which he held until January 1883 when he became solicitor of the municipality (Sydney).

In 1883, he married Josephine Eulalie Bertrand. Gillies was named Queen's Counsel in 1895. In 1901, he purchased the Sydney Post.^[2]

He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Richmond in the 1891 election but unseated upon petition and at the by-election held in January 1892 was re-elected. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1896. He was defeated in 1900 and again in 1904 and 1911.^[1]

Gillies died in Sydney at the age of 71.^[2]

Electoral record

v t e 1891 Canadian federal election: Richmond
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	857
	Conservative	Henry Nicholas Paint	755
	Liberal	Edmund Power Flynn	670

By-election on 21 January 1892 On Mr. Gillies being unseated, 21 December 1891
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	acclaimed

v t e 1896 Canadian federal election: Richmond
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	1,078
	Liberal	Edm. V. Flynn	1,056

v t e 1900 Canadian federal election: Richmond
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Joseph Matheson	1,092
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	840

v t e 1904 Canadian federal election: Richmond
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Duncan Finlayson	1,270
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	868
	Conservative	Henry Nicholas Paint	20

v t e 1911 Canadian federal election: Richmond
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	George William Kyte	1,268
	Conservative	Joseph Alexander Gillies	983

References

1. Joseph Alexander Gillies – Parliament of Canada biography
2. Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967. Public Archives of Canada.

This article incorporates text from The Canadian album: men of Canada, Vol. 3, a publication now in the public domain.