Memorable Manitobans: Edgerton Wellington “Ed” Byers (1882-1978)

Educator.

Born at Bailieboro, Ontario on 11 July 1882, son of William Byers, he took teacher training at Millbrook, Ontario and graduated from the Port Hope Model School before moving to Saskatchewan. He obtaining a First Class Teachers’ Certificate from Regina Normal School and taught school, including Principal of Rouleau School (11 years) and King Edward School at Moose Jaw (2 years).

His work in the classroom was interrupted by the First World War, seeing military service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He enlisted in February 1916 and served with the 229th Battalion where he obtained the rank of Captain. Struck off strength in May 1917, he returned to Saskatchewan. In 1921, he was working as a general merchant living at Moreland, Saskatchewan (12-9-20W2) in the Rural Municipality of Norton.

He came to Brandon around late 1922 as Principal of David Livingstone School (1923-1929), beginning in January 1923. Upon his resignation in late April 1929, a group of 600 people, including colleagues and pupils, attended a celebratory party. He left Manitoba to become Principal of the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School at Kenora, Ontario. He married Emma Alberta Reichert (?-1963) and had a son, Caryl William Byers (1912-?).

He died at Kenora, Ontario on 1 October 1978 and was buried in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

1921 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.

Ontario marriage registration, Ancestry.

Birth registration [Caryl William Byers], Saskatchewan Vital Statistics.

Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

“Around town [School Principal],” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 January 1923, page 5.

“City news,” Brandon Daily Sun, 9 January 1929, page 5.

“Winning teams in schools get cups and shields,” Brandon Daily Sun, 24 April 1929, page 4.

“Appreciation of Principal Byers,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 May 1929, page 5.

“Looking backward,” Brandon Daily Sun, 10 March 1949, page 5.

Obituary [Mrs. E. W. Byers], Winnipeg Free Press, 27 March 1963, page 28.

“Happy birthday,” Brandon Sun, 31 August 1972, page 3.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 7 July 2021

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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