Memorable Manitobans: Johann “John” Schwab (1864-1931)

Architect.

Born in Austria on 12 February 1864, he came to Winnipeg in 1898 and became a Canadian citizen in 1903. He worked as an architect until at least 1916. Schwab died at the Winnipeg General Hospital on 12 January 1931 and was buried in the Old Kildonan Cemetery. He was survived by widow Sabina “Sofia” Strobel (1867-1938), a daughter, and seven sons.

Some of his architectural works in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Edmonton Duplex	368 Edmonton Street, Winnipeg	1901
Brown Block	323-327 Garry Street, Winnipeg	1903	Demolished (?)
Hoover and Town Manufacturing Building [four-storey brick structure]	James Avenue (at Louise Street), Winnipeg	1903	Collapsed (1905)
Trick Block	972½ Main Street, Winnipeg	1903	Demolished (?)
Zimmerman Block / Hoffman Block	671-673 Main Street, Winnipeg	1903	Demolished (1987)
Havana Cigar Syndicate Block	187 Sutherland Avenue, Winnipeg	1903
German Society Building	61 Heaton Avenue, Winnipeg	1904
House of Jacob Synagogue	45 Schultz Street, Winnipeg	1904	Demolished (?)
Pulford Block	398.5 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg	1904	Demolished (?)
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church	390 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg	1905	Demolished (?)
Lauzon Block	339 William Avenue, Winnipeg	1905
Central Block	333 William Avenue, Winnipeg	1906
Chlopan Block	580-590 Burrows Avenue, Winnipeg	1907
Missler Terrace	247-251 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg	1909
German Lutheran Church	779 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg	1910	Demolished (?)

Sources:

“Tragic horror wrought by storm at midnight,” Manitoba Free Press, 15 July 1905, page 1.

“Was it wind or lightning,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 July 1905, page 8.

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Deaths and funerals,” Winnipeg Tribune, 14 January 1931, page 4.

“Mrs. Sabina Schwab,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 March 1938, page 5.

Some Old Winnipeg Buildings by Randy R. Rostecki, MHS Transactions, Series 3, Number 29, 1972-73 Season.

Winnipeg Buildings Index.

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 October 2022

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