Memorable Manitobans: George Paterson [Patterson] (1857-1923)

Lawyer, publisher, judge.

Born at Shakespeare, Perth County, Ontario on 3 December 1857, son of William Paterson, he worked on the family farm until the age of 19. He was attended the University of Toronto at the time of the 1885 North West Rebellion and he volunteered for service, joining the Queen’s Own Rifles. Returning to Manitoba, he taught school in the Belmont district for nine months then moved to Portage la Prairie where he worked in the law office of Cooper and McDonald, coming to Winnipeg in 1889.

He was admitted to the Manitoba Bar in 1892 and set up a law practice at Deloraine, later becoming proprietor and editor of the Deloraine Times (1910-1911). He ran for a seat in the Manitoba Legislature in 1903 and the federal parliament in 1904, but was defeated both times.

In 1911, he was appointed County Court Judge for the Eastern Judicial District and returned to Winnipeg. In 1917, he investigated claims of widespread fraud in the expenditure of public funds for road construction in rural areas of Manitoba and a damning report laid blame on MLAs Frederic Young Newton and David Henry McFadden, along with Robert Mills Simpson.

In 1892, he married Mary Livingstone (1858-1936) of Duntroon, Ontario. Their only child, Lamont Livingstone Paterson (1893-1918) was killed during the First World War. He was a member of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Granite Curling Club, and Knox Presbyterian Church. He served as President of the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg (1917-1918).

He died at his Winnipeg home, Apartment 9 Cycel Court (195 Furby Street), on 9 August 1923 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth registration [Lamont Livingstone Paterson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“The editors of the provincial liberal press,” Manitoba Free Press, 13 December 1901, page 10.

Death registrations [George Paterson, Mary Paterson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Winnipeg loses two prominent citizens,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 August 1923, page 1.

“Judge Paterson of County Court dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 10 August 1923, page 5. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B7]

“Mrs. M. L. Paterson,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 August 1936, page 4.

We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 February 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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