Peter MacArthur [McArthur] (1841-1936)

Steamboat captain, entrepreneur.

Born in Nairn, Scotland on 14 October 1841, brother of Duncan MacArthur and Alexander MacArthur, he came to Red River in 1869 to work on the Snow road, which was being constructed by the federal government. He was listed in 1872 as a cabinetmaker. He was one of the group who were in John Schultz’s house when they surrendered to Louis Riel in December 1869. He escaped from Lower Fort Garry on 10 January 1870, but was soon recaptured. When released he travelled with A. W. Graham and J. Latimer from Winnipeg to Minnesota on snowshoes in mid-March 1870. He later became a timberman and steamboat builder in Winnipeg. He built the first steamboat in Manitoba in 1872.

Father of Mary Agnes Medd.

He died on 28 August 1936, at Winnipegosis, Manitoba where he is buried.

Some of his letters are published in MacArthur Family Letters, edited by Valdene Mae Medd and Edna Alexandra Medd (1992). There are papers at the Archives of Manitoba.

More information:

My Father's Steamboats by Mary Agnes Medd
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 17, Number 1, Autumn 1971

The Red River Rebellion by Peter MacArthur
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 18, Number 3, Spring 1973

The MacArthurs - A Pioneer Family by Irene M. Saunders
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 19, Number 1, Autumn 1973

Rescuing the Schultzes - 1870 by Peter MacArthur
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 19, Number 1, Autumn 1973

Peter McArthur, Manitobans Who Made A Difference, Manitoba Historic Resources

Source:

Profile revised: 15 June 2009

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