Memorable Manitobans: Andrew Knox Dysart (1875-1952)

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Andrew Knox Dysart
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Lawyer, judge.

Born at Cocagne, New Brunswick on 15 November 1875, one of six sons of Andrew Knox Dysart and Henriette Miriam Cutler, brother of Arthur L. Dysart and Harrison Dysart, he was educated at local public schools and at St. Joseph’s College (St. Joseph, NB, BA Arts 1900; MA honoris causa, 1935). He worked as a journalist for the Roman Catholic weekly newspaper New Freeman, at St. Joseph. Early in 1901 he entered the Boston University Law School and, the next year, transferred to Harvard University from which he graduated with a law degree in 1904. He then spent a year at Oxford University, returning to New Brunswick in 1905.

He moved to Winnipeg in 1905 and was called to the Manitoba Bar. Initially, he had his own law practice but, in March 1907, he went into partnership with G. A. S. Potts. In 1909, after practicing with D. Newton and Wamyss for a short time, he started the firm of Dysart and Dysart, which continued to his death. He was appointed to the Court of King’s Bench in October 1921. Among the more famous cases he tried was the murder charges against Earle “The Strangler” Nelson. He was elevated to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in 1947. He also served on several Royal Commissions, as Chairman of the Board of the University of Manitoba (1934-1944), and also its Chancellor (1944-1952). He was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1944.

On 25 September 1908, he married Claire Helen Forrester (1887-1918, daughter of Charles Henry Forrester) at Winnipeg. They had three children: Andrew Knox Dysart (1909-?), Cecelia Margaret Dysart (1912-?), and Forrester Dysart (1916-?).

He died suddenly at Moncton, New Brunswick on 24 July 1952. He is commemorated by Dysart Road in Winnipeg.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Birth registrations [Andrew Knox Dysart, Cecelia Margaret Dysart, Forrester Dysart], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Death registration [Claire Helen Dysart], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

“Justice Dysart dies suddenly in 77th year,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 July 1952, page 1.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 30 April 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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