Matthew Mc Cauley (politician)

Matthew Mc Cauley (politician)

Matthew "Matt" McCauley (July 11, 1850 – October 25, 1930) was the first mayor of the city of Edmonton, and a member of the legislative assemblies of both the Northwest Territories and Alberta.

McCauley was born into a farming family at what later became the province of Ontario to an Irish father and Canadian mother. His restless nature and desire for adventure led him to travel west to Manitoba. In Manitoba, he established a livery business, which he ran until he set off for Edmonton in 1879. He farmed for two years in Fort Saskatchewan before finally moving to Edmonton, where he established the settlement's first livery and cartage business.

Along with a couple prominent Edmonton citizens, he formed an association aimed to restore order in the area, settling many disputes, including during the 1885 Riel Rebellion as its captain. He soon established a school board, recognizing the need for a school, which he served as president and trustee for 18 years. Shortly before Edmonton was incorporated as a town in 1892, he formed the Board of Trade. Upon the incorporation, he was acclaimed the town's first mayor in 1892, and the next two following years. He did not run for re-election at the end of his third term, opting to run for the seat representing Edmonton on the Territorial Legislature, which he served for six years. Following his defeat moved to Tofield, Alberta farm until 1905, when he returned to Edmonton and was elected to the new Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The following year, he resigned his seat to serve as the first warden of the province's first penitentiary. After five years as warden, he moved to British Columbia to fruit farm, but he moved back to Sexsmith, Alberta 13 years later to farm, where he died in 1930.