Memorable Manitobans: Thomas Norquay (1843-1892)

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Thomas Norquay
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Farmer, educator, MLA (1890-1892).

Born at St. Andrews on 26 January 1843, son of John Norquay and Isabella Truthwaite, younger brother to John Norquay, he was educated at the local parish school and St. John’s College. For nine years he farmed and taught school.

He served as a councillor and was Reeve of the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews. At a by-election in February 1890, he was elected to the Manitoba Legislature called after his brother’s death.

In 1866, he married Elizabeth Miller (1846-1918, daughter of Robert Miller of Caithness, Scotland) and they had at least eleven children: Isabelle Norquay (1867-1905, wife of Malcolm McRae), Sara Norquay (1868-?), John R. Norquay (1869-?), Andrew Norquay (1873-?), Charles Norquay (1874-?), Rosa M. Norquay (1877-?), Alice Norquay (1879-?), William A. Norquay (1879-1960), Jacob Truthwaite Norquay, Lawrence Percival Norquay (1886-?), and John Norquay (1889-?).

He died at Winnipeg on 9 June 1892, as a result of a railway accident shortly before the 1892 provincial general election, and was buried in the St. Matthew’s Anglican Cemetery.

Sources:

1870 and 1891 Canada censuses, Library and Archives Canada.

Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“T. Norquay badly hurt,” Manitoba Free Press, 9 June 1892, page 8.

“Death of T. Norquay, M.P.P.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 June 1892, page 5.

“Mr. Norquay killed,” Manitoba Free Press, 10 June 1892, page 2.

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 14 April 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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