Alexander Bethune was a merchant and building contractor.
He was a Vancouver city alderman from 1894 to 1897, as well as in 1902, 1903, 1905, and 1906. He was the mayor of Vancouver in 1907-1908. (See Vancouver’s elected representatives, by Wayne D. Madden, 2003; https://archive.org/details/PAM200372.)
Family Background
Alexander Bethune was born in Peterborough, Ontario on January 31, 1852. His parents were William Bethune (1816–1864) and Catherine Dingwall (1817–1868).
Early Life
Alexander went to school in Ontario.
Marriage to Mary Catherine McIntosh
In 1878, in Paisley, Ontario, Alexander married Mary Catherine McIntosh (who was often known as Catherine).
To Manitoba
From 1887 to about 1891, Alexander operated a hardware and lumber business in Manitou, Manitoba.
To Vancouver
Alexander and Catherine arrived in Vancouver about 1891.
Alexander appeared at the following addresses in Vancouver.
| 1894 to 1898 | 11th Avenue and Quebec Street. Listed as 102 West 11th Avenue in 1894 and 72 East 11th Avenue in 1896. |
| 1899 | 1135 Pendrell Street |
| 1900-1901 to 1901 | 1173 Pendrell Street |
| 1902 to 1909 | 1346 Pendrell Street |
| 1910 to 1911 | 3109 Point Grey Road |
| 1912 to 1913 | Not listed under Vancouver names |
| 1914 to 1919 | 3109 Point Grey Road (sometimes listed as 3019) |
| 1920 to 1921 | Not listed under Vancouver names |
By 1892, Alexander was in the boot and shoe business with Richard Mills.
In the late 1890s, he became a contractor and builder. He built five houses at in the 1100 Block of Pendrell Street (numbers 1157, 1159, 1163, 1169 and 1173).
Politics
Alexander was a Vancouver city alderman from about 1900 to 1907.
He was the mayor of Vancouver in 1907-1908, during a controversial period of ethnic unrest and riots in the city.
To Point Grey Road
By 1910, the Bethune family had moved to a new house on Point Grey Road. (For many years the address was 3109 Point Grey Road, but it later became 3019 Point Grey Road.)
The original building permit for the house was in the name of R.A. McCullough.
| District: | Vancouver |
| Permit: | |
| Owner: | McCullough, R. A. (A. Bethune) |
| Architect: | Grant & Henderson |
| Builder: | McCullough, R. A. |
| Legal Address: | DL: 192 Block: 24 Sub: Resub: Lot: E 60-ft of 3 & W 67-ft of 4 |
| Date (Y-M-D): | 1909-03-10 |
| Street Number: | 3109 [now 3019] |
| Street Name: | Point Grey Road |
| Value: | $6,000.00 |
| Remarks: | Frame dwelling house; |
| Reference ID: | VN-3012-3012-76 |
[Note: this house does not appear in the list of projects for Grant and Henderson in GRANT, George William (1852-1925); Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950; http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1596.%5D
World Travel
In 1912, Alexander and Catherine went on a year-long trip around the world, along with their nieces, Kate and Alice.
A series of notes in the Vancouver society pages described their journey, as they went from San Francisco to Japan, the Phillipines, India, Egypt, Italy, and France.
In 1913, the Bethune family resumed their social life in Vancouver.
Later Life
Alexander appeared in the 1916 edition of Northern Who’s Who; a Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women.
To California
In 1919, the Bethunes sold the contents of their home as they prepared to move to California.
Alexander and Catherine later lived in California
Catherine died in Los Angeles on August 9, 1925.
Alexander died in Los Angeles on June 10, 1947.
Sources
William Bethune (father of Alexander Bethune)
William Bethune (1816–1864); Birth: 11 SEP 1816, Fodderty, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland; Death: 28 NOVEMBER 1864, Stayner, Ontario, Canada (ancestry.ca).
William Bethune (1816 – 28 November 1864); https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7MK-49K.
“Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQJ-FN5 : 11 February 2020), William Bethune, 1846.
“Ontario Census, 1861,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQQR-75M : 9 March 2018), William Bethune, Nottawasaga, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; citing p. 24, line 21; Library and Archives Canada film number C-1073, Public Archives, Toronto; FHL microfilm 349,321.
“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGH-P1BC : 3 July 2020), William Bethune, 1864; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121930616/_: “William Bethune; Birth: 1816, Scotland; Death: 28 Nov 1864 (aged 47–48), Ontario, Canada; Burial: West Nottawasaga Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Nottawasaga, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada; Memorial ID: 121930616.”
Catherine Dingwall (mother of Alexander Bethune)
Catherine Dingwall (1817–1868); Birth: 1817, Alness, Ross-shire, Scotland; Death: 08 SEPTEMBER 1868, Stayner, Ontario, Canada (ancestry.ca).
Catherine Dingwall (1819 – 8 September 1868); https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/G7MK-XPC.
“Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQJ-FNP : 11 February 2020), Catherine Dingwall in entry for William Bethune, 1846.
“Ontario Census, 1861,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQQR-WRR : 9 March 2018), Catharine Bethune, Nottawasaga, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; citing p. 24, line 22; Library and Archives Canada film number C-1073, Public Archives, Toronto; FHL microfilm 349,321.
“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGR-3DW6 : 17 July 2020), Catherine Dingwall Bethune, 1868; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130410798/_: “Catherine Dingwall Bethune; Birth: 1819, Scotland; Death: 8 Sep 1868 (aged 48–49), Ontario, Canada; Burial: West Nottawasaga Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Nottawasaga, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada; Memorial ID: 130410798.”
Alexander Bethune
Alexander Bethune (1852–1947); Birth 31 JAN 1852, Stayner, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; Death: 10 JUNE 1947, Los Angeles, California, USA (ancestry.ca).
“Ontario Census, 1861,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQQR-WTS : 9 March 2018), Alex Er Bethune, Nottawasaga, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; citing p. 24, line 23; Library and Archives Canada film number C-1073, Public Archives, Toronto; FHL microfilm 349,321.
“Canada Census, 1871,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4QC-DJV : 24 October 2018), Alexander Beathune in household of Ann Coleman, Nottawasaga, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; citing 1871; citing National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
“Canada Census, 1881,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVD1-4B1 : 20 May 2019), Aleaxandre Bethune, Marquette, Woodlands, Manitoba, Canada; from “1881 Canadian Census.” Database with images. Ancestry. (www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing Aleaxandre Bethune, citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
“Canada Census, 1891,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWKH-F46 : 3 August 2016), Alexander Bethune, Dufferin South, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148097.
B.C. VOTERS LIST 1898 – Be to Bn; http://sites.rootsweb.com/~canbc/vote1898/votebe.htm: “Bethune, Alexander, 11th Ave, cor Quebec St, Merchant, Van.”
Alexander Bethune: The Vancouver Mayor who built five houses at Mole Hill; https://www.mole-hill.ca/the-people/: “Between 1898 and 1990 [sic: 1900], Alexander Bethune (1852-1947) built five houses at 1157, 1159, 1163, 1169 & 1173 Pendrell Street.”
“Canada Census, 1901,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHVN-GWZ : 16 December 2019), Alexander Bethune, Burrard, British Columbia, Canada; citing p. 17, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
“Student digs up new info on city’s race riot,” by Charlie Smith, Georgia Straight, May 30, 2007; https://www.straight.com/article-93196/student-digs-up-new-info-on-citys-race-riot.
White Supremacy, Political Violence, and Community: The Questions We Ask, from 1907 to 2017; by Laura Ishiguro and Laura Madokoro, September 7, 2017; https://activehistory.ca/2017/09/white-supremacy-political-violence-and-community/.
“Recensement du Canada de 1911,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27X1-912 : 16 March 2018), Alexander Bathune, 1911; citing Census, Vancouver Sub-Districts 19-50, British Columbia, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,417,662.
Bethune family world trip. Vancouver newspaper selected references: Province, March 12, 1912, page 8, column 2: Japan: Yokohama, Kobe, Nikko; Province, March 20, 1912, page 8, column 3: Japan: Kobe; Province, March 21, 1912, page 8, column 3: Japan: Nagasaki; Province, March 28, 1912, page 8, column 3: Phillipines: Manila; Province, May 9, 1912, page 8, column 2: India: Calcutta; Province, May 13, 1912, page 8, column 2: Egypt: Suez; Province, May 21, 1912, page 8, column 4: Italy: Naples; Province, July 16, 1912, page 8, column 2: England: London; Province, November 12, 1912, page 8, column 1: France: Paris; Egypt: Alexandria and Cairo; Province, February 28, 1913, page 8, column 3: Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice; World, December 30, 1913, page 5, column 5: Vancouver.
“United States Census, 1920,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH7W-K1Q : accessed 20 November 2020), Alexander Bethune, Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing ED 453, sheet 1B, line 64, family 15, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 115; FHL microfilm 1,820,115.
“United States Census, 1940,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9CD-2HC : 27 July 2019), Alexander Bethune in household of W A Howard Anderson, Councilmanic District 2, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60-120, sheet 12A, line 4, family 238, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 398.
Mary Catherine McIntosh (wife of Alexander Bethune)
“Canada Census, 1891,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWKH-F4X : 3 August 2016), Catherine Bethune, Dufferin South, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148097.
“Canada Census, 1901,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHVN-GW8 : 16 December 2019), Mary Bethune in household of Alexander Bethune, Burrard, British Columbia, Canada; citing p. 17, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
“United States Census, 1920,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH7W-K17 : accessed 20 November 2020), Mary C Bethune in household of Alexander Bethune, Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing ED 453, sheet 1B, line 65, family 15, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 115; FHL microfilm 1,820,115.
“California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPMH-8K1Q : 26 September 2019), Mary Catherine Bethune, 1925.
“California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1P-YXBN : 22 October 2019), Mary C Bethune, 1925.
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