Memorable Manitobans: Edward Francis Gigot (1847-1928)

Edward Francis Gigot Click to enlarge

Merchant, MLA (1883-1886).

Born at Mayence, Germany on 30 May 1847, son of Nicholas and Josephine von Kirckesh Gigot, he immigrated to Canada in 1864. He did railway construction work until 1873 when he came to the Red River Settlement. He became employed with the Hudson’s Bay Company in June 1873, working for three years as a clerk on the White Horse Plains before being posted to the company’s stores at Portage la Prairie where, in 1880, he purchased a watch taken from a soldier killed at the Little Big Horn battle four years earlier.

He quit the HBC in 1882, took up residence at St. Francois Xavier, and was elected to the Manitoba Legislature in the 1883 general election, serving a single term. He rejoined the HBC in 1885 and was put in charge of the company posts at Manitou and Morden. In 1886 he established a post at Macleod, North West Territories [now Alberta] which he managed until 1900, when he moved to Nelson, British Columbia to take a similar position there.

In 1876, he married Rosina “Rose” Ness (1857-1921) at St. Charles and they had seven children: Charles Anthony Gigot (c1878-?), Josephine Mary Gigot (1879-?, wife of Francis Joseph Patrick Crean), Gertrude Anne Gigot (1881-1966, wife of Charles Clarkson Rhodes), Rosina Elizabeth Gigot (1885-1954, wife of Arthur Ernest Pickford), Francis Edward Gigot (1883-1976), Albert William Gigot (1888-?), and Helen M. Gigot (1890-?, wife of Ludger Hormisdas Choquette). He was a member of the Nelson Club, IOOF, Conservative party, and Roman Catholic church.

He retired in 1915 and died at Nelson, British Columbia on 3 December 1928.

Sources:

Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Custer’s last fight,” Manitoba Free Press, 5 September 1890, page 4.

1891 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.

“City and general,” Manitoba Free Press, 11 February 1901, page 10.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“Veteran Hudson Bay man retires,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 March 1915, page 7.

“Northern Who’s Who; A Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women” by Dr. C. W. Parker, 1916.

Marriage and death registrations, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Edward Francis Gigot, Hudson’s Bay Company Biographical Sheets, Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Archives of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Oliver Bernuetz.

Page revised: 7 January 2021

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. 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 Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!