Memorable Manitobans: James Fisher (1840-1927)

Lawyer, MLA (1888-1892), MLA (1892-1895), MLA (1896-1899).

Born at Breadalbane, Scotland on 6 November 1840, son of John and Ann Fisher, he came to Canada as a boy and was educated at Stratford, Ontario and the University of Toronto. He commenced a law practise at Stratford in 1866. He came to Winnipeg in 1883 and was solicitor to the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railways. He served as a Bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba from 1888 to 1889. While sitting as an MLA, his was one of the loudest voices calling for the construction of the Hudson Bay Railway to Churchill.

He was married twice, in 1871 to Fannie G. Macpherson of Stratford, who died 1890, leaving him with a son and two daughters. In 1894, he married Gertrude Adams of New York state. He was a founding member, in 1905, of the St. Charles Country Club.

In 1909, he built, along with John D. McArthur, the Breadalbane Block (now the Ambassador Block) in Winnipeg, named for his birthplace.

He died at Whitby, Ontario on 8 March 1927.

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 Leading Financial, Business & Professional Men of Winnipeg, published by Edwin McCormick, Photographs by T. J. Leatherdale, Compiled and printed by Stone Limited, c1913. [copy available at the Archives of Manitoba]

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by J. M. Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

Obituary. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8, page 90]

“Pioneer resident is called by death” Newspaper clipping dated 10 March 1927 [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 17 April 2011

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