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Mr. J. W. Fleming was the Son of Dr. Alexander Fleming, and was born on a farm near Stanley, New Brunswick on February 25th 1868. He and his family moved to Sackville, New Brunswick where he attended the Wesleyan Seminary for his primary education, and later attended Mount Allison University to become a Pharmacist.  
 
In 1881, Brandon was a tent city, when he moved to Bandon with his parents and as a youth he had his father’s gift for practical usefulness. He earned pocket money by delivering Baggage to different parts of Brandon with his toboggan, often making two or three trips to carry his charges from the C.P.R. Station to the little cabin homes or boarding tents on the hillside.  
 
He was also among the several boys employed for one and a half dollars per day by Mr. J. A. Brock, Homesteader and first photographer, to gather maple seeds from along the River Bank. Mr. Brock grew the first Maple trees that still adorn the city’s streets today, and no other cities in western Canada are so adorned.  
 
At this early age he began his life long career as a real estate operator with the proceeds of his jobs by buying his first city Lot.  
 
On 6th September 1892, he married Annie Elizabeth Matheson who was born at Woodstock Ontario on 1st July 1871. She died in Brandon at age 75 years. They lived at 338 Victoria Avenue, Brandon.  
 
He graduated from University as a Pharmacist and managed his father’s first Brandon Drug Store until 1903 when he took over the whole business.  
 
J. A. Fleming served the city of Brandon as councillor for ward 1 during the years 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, and 1899 during which times he chaired several committees.  
 
In 1903, a large majority elected him mayor. He was re-elected in 1905. In 1909 he was a founding member of the Manitoba Association of Optometrists.  
 
From 1915 to 1917 he served as Clerk of the Manitoba Legislature and in 1918 he became a member of the Civil Service Commission of Manitoba. He was an organizing member, and first President of the Union of Manitoba Municipalities, later to be appointed its Honorary President.  
 
He was a member of the Brandon Club, Brandon Golf Club, Polo and Lacrosse Clubs, and Canadian Club.  
 
He died at Brandon on 10 November 1928, and is interned with his wife in the Brandon Cemetery  
 
Source: A Horseman and the West. Trotter.  
 
http://gis.brandon.ca/arcgis/flex/images/large/14E28sub1.jpg  
 
http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/fleming_jw.shtml