Memorable Manitobans: Percy Massey Pearson (1882-1952)

Ship captain.

Born at Selkirk, Manitoba on 15 August 1882, son of George Pearson and Henrietta Massey, he worked on several Lake Winnipeg boats until receiving his master’s papers in 1922. He subsequently captained such boats as Wolverine, Grand Rapids, Keenora, Granite Rock, and Bradbury. He also worked for a time in the butcher business in Saskatchewan. From 1935 to 1940, he worked for the fishery inspection branch of the Manitoba government. For 12 years prior to his death, he was captain of the dredge Red River operating at the mouth of the Red River on Lake Winnipeg. He retired in March 1952 but continued to work, dying on 5 June 1952 while captaining the fish freighter M. S. Luana III. He was buried in the St. Clements Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Lake boat captain P. M. Pearson dies”, Winnipeg Tribune, 6 June 1952. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10]

“Lake captain dies in sleep in ship cabin”, Winnipeg Free Press, 6 June 1952, page 7.

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 23 October 2012

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