William Anderson Black

William Anderson Black, PC (October 9, 1847 – September 1, 1934) was a Canadian politician. He is the oldest person ever elected to the House of Commons of Canada, 76 years, 1 month, 26 days when he was first elected.[1] He was 83 when he last won election and he died in office.

The Hon.
William Anderson Black
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Halifax
In office
December 5, 1923 – September 1, 1934
Personal details
Born(1847-10-09)October 9, 1847
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedSeptember 1, 1934(1934-09-01) (aged 86)
Political partyConservative

He was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, the son of Samuel Gay Black and Sophia Wright.[2] In 1875, with Robert Pickford, Black founded Pickford and Black, a company that supplied ship's provisions. The company expanded into shipping passengers and freight as well as trading in the West Indies. He represented Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1894 to 1897. In 1922, he was a co-founder of the Maritime Life Assurance Company.[3] Black was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Halifax in a 1923 by-election. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1925, 1926, and 1930. In 1926, he was the Minister of Marine and Fisheries (Acting) and Minister of Railways and Canals in the short lived cabinet of Arthur Meighen.

Black also served as president of Eastern Canada Savings and Loan and was a director for the Royal Bank. He married Annie Bell and had five children. In 1924, he established a chair of commerce at Dalhousie University.[3]

Electoral record
1930 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes%Elected
ConservativeWilliam Anderson Black21,61126.51Green tickY
ConservativeFelix Patrick Quinn21,28026.11Green tickY
LiberalPeter R. Jack19,43923.85 
LiberalEdward Joseph Cragg19,18523.54 
Total valid votes 81,515 100.00
1926 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes%Elected
ConservativeWilliam Anderson Black17,91128.33Green tickY
ConservativeFelix Patrick Quinn17,17127.16Green tickY
LiberalJames Layton Ralston14,13922.36 
LiberalJohn Murphy14,00722.15 
Total valid votes 63,228 100.00
1925 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes%Elected
ConservativeWilliam Anderson Black18,79632.29Green tickY
ConservativeFelix Patrick Quinn17,99630.91Green tickY
LiberalGordon Ross Marshall10,81518.58 
LiberalRobert Emmett Finn10,60918.22 
Total valid votes 58,216 100.00

References
  1. Eldest at Time of Appointment or First Election
  2. Eaton, Arthur WH The History of King's County (1910) Archived 2020-03-25 at the Wayback Machine p. 489
  3. ""Honourable William A. Black to be Inducted Posthumously, Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
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