D. W. Clendenan

Daniel Webster Clendenan, better known as D. W. Clendenan, was an American-born Canadian politician, lawyer and newspaper publisher associated with the early history of what is now the part of Toronto known as The Junction.

Clendenan was born in the mid-Nineteenth century into a family of travelling evangelical preachers. After acquiring a law degree in West Virginia he settled in southern Ontario and in 1880 began acquiring land just west of the City of Toronto. The majority of this land was the Keele Estate, lands which extended from what is now Annette Street to Bloor Street, and from Keele Street west to where Evelyn Avenue is today. The property included the Carlton Race Course, host to the inaugural Queen's Plate.

Anticipating that the area's proximity to both Toronto and the railway tracks would prompt the area to grow in popularity, Clendenan had the land surveyed and streets laid out, the majority of which remain today. To help encourage growth, Clendenan remained the owner of several properties as a landlord, and pushed for a modern water supply. To this end, he was instrumental in getting the area incorporated as a village in 1887 and as the Town of Toronto Junction in 1889.

In 1890, Clendenan ran as a Conservative candidate against Liberal-incumbent John Taylor Gilmour. As Gilmour also owned the only Junction-newspaper (the York Tribune), Clendenan imported his own newspaper, the Junction Comet and in the style of the time, used it as a means to promote his platform. This proved his undoing, however, as it gave Gilmour ample opportunity to prepare counter-arguments against Clendenan, which he did at a public debate. These arguments included ridiculing Clendenan for running on a temperance platform despite maintaining ownership of a local tavern.

Following this election defeat, Clendenan returned briefly as the Junction mayor, but was obliged to leave politics after getting involved in a libel trial which ultimately ruined his local reputation. The trial also uncovered and made public allegations of adultery which caused his wife and children to leave and go to Guelph, Clendenan eventually crossing the border and relocating to Nebraska. The last decade of his life was spent practising law there, until his death from uremic poisoning.

Legacy

D.W.'s cousin George became mayor of the Junction several years after Clendenan's departure. A local street, Clendenan Avenue, continues to honour both their memories; it runs north-south from the Canadian Pacific tracks to Bloor Street, ending at the northwest corner of High Park. In addition, D.W. Clendenan's house still stands on High Park Avenue and is a frequent stop on local walking tours.

References

West Toronto Junction Revisited, Third Edition: Excerpts from the writings of A.B. Rice.. Joan Miles, ed. West Toronto Junction Historical Society: Guelph, 1992.