Memorable Manitobans: John Wemyss (1861-1926)

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John Wemyss
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Lawyer.

Born at Glasgow, Scotland on 18 August 1861, son of Robert Wemyss and Catherine K. Wemyss, he was educated at Larchfield Academy, Helensburgh, and Glasgow Academy. He visited Canada and the USA in 1877 then returned to Scotland to enter Glasgow University, from which he graduated in 1882. Several months later, he immigrated to Canada and settled at Winnipeg to work in the law office of Bain, Blanchard and Mulock. In April 1887, he established his own law office at Neepawa. On 13 September 1893, he married Margaret H. “Maggie” Harrison (1871-?), daughter of David Howard Harrison, at Neepawa and they had three children: Robert Harrison Wemyss (1894-1935, father of Margaret Laurence), John Notman “Jack” Wemyss (1897-1955), and Norma Margaret Wemyss (1902-?). He was a member of the IOOF (holding the position of Grand Master of Manitoba in 1911), AF & AM (also Grand Master of Manitoba). He died at Neepawa on 16 August 1926 and was buried in the Neepawa Cemetery.

Sources:

The Canadian Album: Men of Canada or Success by Example, Vol. III, Bradley, Garretson & Co., Brantford, Ontario, 1894.

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

“John Wemyss, widely known Odd Fellow and Mason, dies,” undated newspaper clipping [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]

“Widely known Manitoba Mason dies suddenly,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 August 1926, page 6.

John “Jack” Notman Wemyss, Canada’s Great War Album.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Brian Rountree for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 September 2020

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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