Memorable Manitobans: William Henry Ellis Evanson (1866-1941)

Municipal official.

Born at Prescott, Grenville County, Ontario on 31 January 1866, son of Samuel Henry Evanson and Susan Kilpatrick, he was educated at Prescott. For several years, he was employed in railroading, first with the St. Louis & Ontario Railway at Prescott and later with the Canadian Pacific Railway at Sault Ste. Marie. He came to Winnipeg in 1903 where he was appointed Comptroller for the City of Winnipeg in 1915, holding the position until 1929.

On 10 May 1888, he married Emily Blenkinsop Lawson at Montreal, with whom he had a son and three daughters. He served as Treasurer of the Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition, and held offices in the Union of Canadian Municipalities. He was a member of the Manitoba Fishing and Hunting Club, the Assiniboine Curling Club, the IOOF, and the Masons.

He died at Winnipeg 29 January 1941 and is commemorated by Evanson Street.

Sources:

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

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

Western Municipal News, February 1941, page 40.

“Former city official dies”, Winnipeg Tribune, 29 January 1941. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B9, page 101]

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 27 November 2011

A collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Send corrections and additions to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Suggest a Memorable Manitoban  |  Sources  |  Acknowledgements Support the MHS and