Memorable Manitobans: John Samuel Douglas (1857-1933)

Furrier.

Born at Montreal, Quebec on 24 August 1857, he came to Winnipeg in 1883 and organized Douglas and Company to process raw furs and to manufacture and sell fur goods. In January 1896, he was arrested at Montreal, on suspicion of having defrauded a company there. Brought back to Winnipeg for trial, he was found guilty and fined. He continued in the fur business and retired from it in 1932.

He and wife Anna Wright (1864-1945) had five children: Margaret Douglas (1887-1919), Ben Douglas (1889-?), John W. Douglas (1891-1965), James Douglas (1892-?), and Mary Elizabeth “Libbie” Douglas (1894-1971, wife of Chester Clark Baker). He was a member of the Masons and St. Stephen's Broadway United Church. He died at his Winnipeg home, 67 Donald Street, on 8 March 1933 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Douglas Building (52 Adelaide Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

“Reportorial round,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 January 1896, page 8.

“Marquette & Macdonald,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 December 1896, page 1.

“Winnipeg and Portage assizes,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 March 1897, page 1.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth registration [Mary Elizabeth Douglas], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Margaret Douglas], Winnipeg Tribune, 3 October 1919, page 5.

Death registrations [John Samuel Douglas, Anna Douglas], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“John S. Douglas, furrier in city 50 years, dead,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 March 1933, page 13.

“John Samuel Douglas, pioneer furrier, buried,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 March 1933, page 5.

Obituary [Mary Elizabeth Baker], Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1971, page 41.

Obituary [Chester Clark Baker], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 February 1972, page 29.

Douglas & Company Building, 52 Adelaide Street by Murray Peterson, Winnipeg Historical Buildings & Resources Committee, May 2019.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 December 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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