Merchant.
Born in Ireland on 26 February 1856, he emigrated to Canada and, in 1879, arrived at the Red River Settlement where he loaded up some supplies in a wagon and headed west, intending to open a general store. Passing “Tanner’s Crossing” (forerunner of the town of Minnedosa), he opened a store next to the Land Titles office near the new town of Odanah. In 1883, as the railway was set to arrive in the vicinity, he went into partnership with H. G. Henderson. He later built stores at Clanwilliam and Franklin.
He helped to form the Minnedosa Power Company to generate electricity for sale to Minnedosa businesses. It built a dam and spillway to the north of town and, when the area behind the dam filled in early 1912, Minnedosa Lake was formed. He eventually sold the company in 1920. He served as a councillor and Mayor of Minnedosa (1896-1897).
He died unmarried at Minnedosa on 26 September 1938 and was buried in the Minnedosa Cemetery.
See also:
Early Days of Minnedosa by E. J. Brown
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1964-65 SeasonOdanah by Florence M. Brown
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 5, Number 2, January 1960
Commemorative plaque in the Town of Minnedosa.
1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Death registration [P. J. McDermott], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 28 May 2022
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