27) Arthur James Joseph Brennan: Elected mayor for the City of Welland in 1919

Vital statistics

Birth: June 29th, 1878, at St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Death: December 1, 1938 at Welland, Ontario, Canada (age 60)

Burial place: Doan's Ridge Cemetery (Find a Grave )

Parents: Luke / Mary Jane (née Whitten)

Spouses: Anna Adella (née Misener) / Vivian Hannah (née Hambleton)

Children: Arthur J.J. / Louis J.

Occupations: Pharmacist / Real estate

Religion: Presbyterian

Community affiliations: Pastmaster of Merritt Lodge / Oddfellow / Orangeman / Rameses Temple Shriner / Chairman of High School Board

Profile

Arthur James Joseph Brennan was born June 29th, 1878, in St. Catharines to Luke and Mary Jane (née Whitten) Brennan. His family ancestry was Irish, and his father was born and raised on a farm near Kingston, becoming a bookbinder in St. Catharines and Welland. It was when our subject Arthur was two years old that his father moved the family from St. Catharines to Welland. Arthur was educated at the Public and High Schools in Welland, graduating from Welland High in 1895. He graduated from the Ontario College of Pharmacy and the Toronto University in 1903 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.

He started his own drug business in 1906 in Welland, buying out the store of a retiring druggist, J. Hamilton Burgar. He also worked in real estate and wholesaling tobacco. Brennan’s Drug Store was located at 7 East Main Street in the city block known as the Medical Hall. It was in its time one of the best known and popular pharmacies in Welland. It was “stocked with the choicest and purest drugs and chemicals, all the standard patent and proprietary medicines, toilet articles and requisites for bath and sick room, rubber goods and druggists supplies. A specialty is made of the compounding of physicians’ prescriptions, in which the best materials are used and the most skilled clerks employed.”

In public service Arthur was first involved with the High School Board, becoming its chairman in 1912. Then he ran for councillor in 1918 and was elected. He must have made a favourable impression while in council because he ran the be the mayor of Welland the next year and won that election handily, defeating John J. Patterson 930 to 346.

At the end of his term in 1919 he announced he would not run again, and the paper printed a long and detailed speech he gave regarding the mayoralty, which would be appropriate to repost mostly in full here:

“One year ago, I was retiring from all business for a year's rest and conceived the idea that this year would be an opportune time for me to give my entire time and services to the city of Welland, which has always been good to me, and to which I felt deeply indebted. As you know, I announced myself early and spared no time or energy in making my election safe. This year has been one of the heaviest and busiest years with which any Welland council has ever had to deal… I have given my entire time and services faithfully this city and am pleased to know the results of the work of this council are gratifying. We have the best roads the city ever had; our extensions of sidewalks sewers have been great. The river bridge, which was unsafe for traffic for some years, was rebuilt. We have a new fire hall well under construction, that would do credit to any city. Our council succeeded in procuring a Labor Bureau for Welland which has fully assisted us in our labor troubles, as well as repatriation work. We have also adopted the Government Housing Scheme and have successfully built twenty workmen's houses of high quality and which every owner is satisfied. The Repatriation work has been a credit to the city, and I believe our returned men have been honored with banquets and a Field Day second to none in the province. Lastly, I am particularly proud of having succeeded in procuring for the City of Welland, after many sessions with the County Council, a satisfactory and amicable settlement between the city and county, which had been hanging fire since July, 1917. In accomplishing all this work the city has had an enormous extra expense, such as paying to the county two years back taxes, river bridge job, high salaried officials, etc., but notwithstanding all this, I believe our auditors will show a very satisfactory report of our finances at the end of the year.

Now I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the courtesy and backing I have received from the people of Welland during my term of office. I appreciate this very much and believe there are several men who have served the city as Aldermen in the past who are capable doing justice to the mayor's chair, and who are willing to apply themselves if elected and as I have undertaken business obligations for 1920, I could not possibly devote my entire time this year, nor as much of my time as I would deem necessary for success. I have been telling the boys for several months that I would not be out again for honors next year. I feel in duty bound that I should announce myself now, and give the boys a chance of a month's campaign for the mayoralty for 1920.

I wish to say right here that I have had the backing and support of one of the best councils Welland has ever had, and only on a few exceptional occasions have we differed in opinion. It was by the united efforts and co-operation of the members of this council that the year's business has been a creditable one, and I trust many of them will be returned in January.

Once again I wish to thank the good people of Welland for the confidence you have placed in me, and for the honor you have bestowed upon me. I can only say I have I done my best, independently and fearlessly, have relied solely upon my own judgment in all decisions and am still satisfied with every decision I have made. Although I am retiring from municipal work, I trust you will always find me a willing worker and a booster for the city of Welland.”

Arthur died at his home at 54 Merritt St. on December 1, 1938 at the young age of 60. He had been ill several weeks and died of a liver complaint.

Sources

“A.J.J. Brennan.” The Telegraph Special Industrial Number, 1907.
“A.J.J. Brennan Passes Away.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, December 1, 1938.
Coombs, Albert Ernest, “The History of the Niagara Peninsula” (1930), 285.
“Mayor Leaves Chair.” The People’s Press, December 9, 1919.