Educator, merchant, farmer.
Born at Wellington, Ontario on 8 May 1870, son of William Henry Heasman (1827-1914) and Catherine McKenzie (1835-1903), he graduated from the local collegiate in 1889 and attended teacher training at Brandon Normal School. By 1891, he moved with his family to Manitoba and worked in the classroom.
In 1901, he received a first-class teaching certificate and taught at Hamiota School (1899-1900, Principal), Holmfield School (1902-1903) and was Principal of Miami School (1903-1905), Wawanesa School (1905-1907), and Birds Hill School (1924-1933). In 1908, he had moved to Saskatchewan, eventually taking up residence at Wawota. There, he worked as a hardware merchant and, for a brief time, was a partner of William Edward King, and after with Mr. Rowbotham (operating as Heasman and Rowbotham). In 1924, he sold his share of the business and returned to Manitoba, settled at Birds Hill, and resumed his career in education until again moving to Saskatchewan in 1933, farming near Wawota.
He married twice, first on 24 June 1903 to Edith Mabel Mackay (1879-1905) at Hamiota. They had a daughter, Edith Armstrong Heasman (1905-1905). On 24 December 1906, he married Elizabeth “Bessie” Cummings (1876-?) of Hamilton, Ontario at the St. John’s Methodist Church parsonage, 51 Cathedral Avenue, in Winnipeg. They had one son, Jack McKenzie Heasman (1918-2010), and an adopted son (nephew), Howard Reid Heasman (1907-1972).
He died at his son's Killarney residence on 19 May 1955 and was buried in the Fernley Cemetery at Wawota, Saskatchewan.
1891, 1916, 1921, and 1926 Canada censuses, Library and Archives Canada.
1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.
Birth [Jack McKenzie Heasman], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registration [Howard Reid Heasman], Saskatchewan Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Henry Gledhill Heasman, Edith Mabel Mackay], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Henry Gledhill Heasman, Elizabeth Cummings], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [Henry Gledhill Heasman], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Successful candidates,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 1 August 1901, page 5.
“Hamiota,” Shoal Lake Star, 3 September 1903, page 1.
“Oak River budget,” Rapid City Reporter, 21 July 1904, page 5.
“Oak River budget,” Rapid City Reporter, 4 August 1904, page 4.
“Hamiota gold medal contest,” Manitoba Free Press 5 September 1905, page 11.
“Heasman - Cummings,” Manitoba Free Press 28 December 1906, page 3.
“Heasman - Cummings,” Winnipeg Tribune, 28 December 1906, page 3.
“Birds Hill standard club has big fair,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 September 1927, page 37.
“Ottawa announces,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 August 1942, page 6.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
Lumsden Cemetery burial transcriptions [Howard R. Heasman], FindAGrave.
Hamiota Cemetery burial transcriptions [E. Mabel Heasman], FindAGrave.
Nickerson family tree, Ancestry.
Harding/Graham family tree, Ancestry.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 23 December 2025
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