Beginnings

by Cleadie B. Barnett

Miles Edgar Agar
Saint John City / Conservative / 1925 / MLA / Roman Catholic

    Miles Edgar Agar was b. 13 June 1858 aboard ship/ from England to Saint John, NB; d. 25 May 1944, aged 87 yrs, Saint John, NB; bur. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Cem., Saint John. He was the s/o John Agar, English / Sailor & Mary Lewis, Irish
    He was educated in Saint John Schools & the School of Christian Brothers, Liverpool, England, and was employed by a Liverpool firm, and then returned to Saint John, where he was employed by Levin and Allingham, Hardware Merchants, in 1874.
    Became Pres. of the New Freeman Publishing Co.; a Director of the NB Petroleum Co.; Pres. of the Board of Hospital Commissioners; Member of the Saint john School Board; Alderman on Saint John City Council, 1912; Member of the Canada Club & Knights of Columbus.
    He was defeated at GE 28 Feb 1903 as he contested for a seat in the House of Assembly for Saint John Co., and again in a by-election held 30 Dec 1904, to fill a vacancy when Hon. A.T. Dunn resigned.
    First elected to House of Assembly as a member for Saint John City at GE 10 Aug 1925, and was re-elected at the GE 19 June 1930, and sat until 1934 when he resigned his seat.
    In 1934 he was appointed a Member of the NB Liquor Control Board, and held that position until 31 Oct 1935, when he resigned & returned to private business.
    Miles Edgar m. 13 June 1883, Margaret Allen; d. 20 Apr 1952; She was the d/o John Allan, Esq., Halifax, NS & Mary Lewis, Irish. They had 2 sons, 4 daus.

01: Alice, d. 1 July 1948, unmarried, stenographer
02: Winnifred; m. Michael Raymond, Loch Lomond, NB
03: Augusta; unmarried, Saint John, NB / stenographer
04: Gertrude; unmarried Saint John, NB / stenographer
05: Charles Joseph, Hardware Merchant / St. John; d. 1952
06: Allen Edgar, Telephone Employee / St. John; d. 1943

Ref: - see source list for more proper citation names

01: Graves Papers VII, II, p. 1
02: Who's Who In Canada 1945/46, p. 676
     Wholesale Hardware Merchant, 51-53 Union St., St. John, NB (father went to England 1857, returned to NB 1874). Miles was with S. Hayward & Co. 1877-86. Travelled for Henry E. Laeroix, Montreal 1885-93; established present business, succeeding Alex Yates & Sons, 1893.
    Elected to a seat in Council when City adopted the commission form of government, 1912.
03: Legislative Library file card
     He was among those who, more than 30 yrs ago, helped to found "The New Freeman." He became a director & for many years had been president of the New Freeman Publishing Co. Ltd.
04: Telegraph Journal, Saint John, 26 May 1844

Background from Wallpaper World   /   Bars from Hee Yun's Graphic Collection
Mounted on RootsWeb: 11 Oct 2001
This page was last Modified:Tuesday, 23-Sep-2003 12:09:24 MDT