Manitoba Communities: Assiniboia (Unincorporated Rural Municipality)

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This municipality is named for the Assiniboine River that flows beside it.

On 17 June 1920, six honour rolls listing the men and women of the municipality who served in the First World War were unveiled by Reeve Charles Leonard Richardson at the Great War Veterans’ clubrooms at 200 King Edward Street. A separate brass plate containing the names of those who were killed in the war was also unveiled. The six honour rolls are currently located at the St. James Royal Canadian Legion Branch #4. The location of the brass plate is currently unknown.

Present Status	City of Winnipeg (1 January 1972)
Incorporation History	Rural Municipality of Assiniboia (1886) Divided into Rural Municipality of Assiniboia, Rural Municipality of St. James (1921), Rural Municipality of Brooklands (1922) Amalgamation of Assiniboia, Brooklands, Charleswood, East Kildonan, Fort Garry, North Kildonan, Old Kildonan, St. Boniface, St. James, St. Vital, Transcona, Tuxedo, West Kildonan, and Winnipeg (1 January 1972)
Land Area (square km)	?

Population

Year	Total
1871	307
1881	400
1891	300
1896	811
1901	357
1911	681
1921	1024
1931	1675
1941	1968
1951	2663
1956	3577
1961	6088
1966	19389

Reeves

Term	Reeve
1886-1888	James Green (c1847-1892)
1888-1889	John William Tait
1890	John Taylor (1834-1925)
1891	?
1892-1900	Alexander Murray
1901-1903	Charles George Caron (c1851-1912)
1904	William Bourke (1863-1943)
1905	Alexander Murray
1906	G. G. Caron
1907-1909	Samuel Jacob Thompson (1845-1909)
1909-1911	George Thomas Chapman (1861-1940)
1912	Joseph J. McMillan
1913	William Mactavish Bannatyne (1864-1931)
1914	D. Shelmerdine
1915-1916	D. C. McColl
1917	Charles Holden
1918-1920	Charles Leonard Richardson (1884-1939)
1921-1922	James H. Black
1923-1924	John Lawson McBride (1879-1959)
1925-1932	John Bunting
1933-1939	John Salmon Lamont (1885-1964)
1940-1941	John B. Johnson
1942-1943	Eric D. Bullock
1944-1945	John B. Johnson
1946-1947	B. Findlay
1948-1959	Joseph Henry Sansome (1907-1983)
1960-1961	W. H. “Harry” Morgan (c1899-1961)
1962-1967	John Harold Belows (1914-2003)
1968	W. J. Turner
1969	Merged with St. James into St. James-Assiniboia

Secretary-Treasurers

Term	Secretary-Treasurer
1886-1934	Frank Ness (1860-1934)

First World War Casualties

Assiniboia Honour Roll A-C (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Assiniboia Honour Roll C-F (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Assiniboia Honour Roll F-H (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Assiniboia Honour Roll H-M (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Assiniboia Honour Roll M-R (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Assiniboia Honour Roll R-Y (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Edward Ford Abell	Chauffeur	3rd Division Supply Column, Canadian Army Service Corps	Private	10 February 1895	3 June 1916
Joseph Ainsworth [Next of Kin, Grain Exchange]	Grain Inspector	52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 April 1890	24 May 1917
John Robert Almond	Porter (CNR)	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	14 July 1897	29 August 1918
Walter Atha	Bread Salesman	203rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 January 1878	12 May 1918
William Atkinson [Next of Kin]	Steam Fitter	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	2 September 1883	18 April 1916
John Ballentyne	Plumbing	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	23 January 1896	25 April 1915
Arthur John Barnes [Eatons, Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]	Nightwatchman	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	2 May 1886	30 December 1916
George Osborne Bethell [St. James Methodist]	Student	203rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	26 July 1897	21 August 1916
Edwin Brown [Next of Kin]	Teamster	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	20 December 1889	15 August 1917
George Brown [Next of Kin]	Painter	10th Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment	Private	17 February 1890	29 October 1918
William John Brown DCM [Next of Kin]	Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	22 June 1886	26 September 1916
George Albert Bruce	Printer	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	31 July 1888	15 August 1917
Rae Cameron [Next of Kin, Roland, Eatons]	Clerk	43rd Battalion Canadian Infantry	Private	28 January 1888	08 October 1916
Sweeton Fraser Campbell	Laborer	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 May 1883	12 March 1916
Henry Clifford [Canada Bread, Next of Kin]	Baker's Helper	4th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps	Private	4 July 1894	23 November 1918
Peter Wesley Convery [Next of Kin, St. James Methodist]	Carpenter	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	12 November 1875	16 August 1916
Thomas Howard Corregan [Next of Kin, Whitemouth]	Conductor, C.P.R.	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Bombardier	9 October 1886	24 May 1915
Alfred John Coupland [Next of Kin, Grain Exchange]	Bookkeeper (Imperial Elevator & Lumber Co.)	1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps	Private	6 December 1897	19 November 1918
William Roy Davey [Next of Kin]	Driver	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	2 January 1888	15 October 1918
Robert Davidson [Next of Kin, St. James Presbyterian]	Shipper	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	1 October 1878	07 March 1918
Jules Benjamin Alfred Desaleux [Eatons, Next of Kin]	Packer	76th Battery Reserve Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Gunner	21 October 1887	25 May 1917
John Thomas Gilholm [Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge, St. Matthew's Anglican]	Bank Messenger	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	8 January 1882	3 February 1917
William John Griffith [Norwood Presbyterian]	Teamster	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	18 June 1892	10 October 1916
Thomas Harrison [Next of Kin]	Teamster	7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	8 April 1881	9 September 1916
John Houston	Warehouse Shipper	15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 February 1895	31 July 1915
James Dennison How	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 July 1888	11 September 1917
Walter Herbert Hughes [Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]	Waiter	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	26 November 1884	6 June 1916
Harry Ranken Hunter [St. James Presbyterian, Gladstone, Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge]	Carpenter	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	23 May 1888	10 April 1917
George Cecil Irwin	Teamster	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	11 December 1898	2 September 1918
Joseph H. Jones	Health Inspector	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	6 March 1887	25 April 1915
John Arthur Kelly [Next of Kin]	App. Printer	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	23 July 1897	10 April 1917
Philip Thornton Laird [Next of Kin]	Book-keeper	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 March 1888	10 November 1917
Fred Lamb	Farmer	5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Gunner	10 December 1895	21 July 1916
Frederick Percy Lane	Clerk	43rd Battalion Canadian Infantry	Corporal	28 April 1894	24 December 1918
John McNiven Leckie [Next of Kin]	Clerk	1st Field Company, Canadian Engineers	Sapper	15 January 1898	28 January 1919
John George Lightfoot [Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]	Salesman	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	14 September 1884	18 June 1917
Alexander Browning MacColl	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	6 March 1885	21 September 1916
William John Maitland [Prince Rupert Lodge, Next of Kin, Grain Exchange]	Bookkeeper	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	23 September 1889	24 April 1915
George Mann [McCreary, Next of Kin, St. James Anglican]	Labourer	3rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 October 1886	8 October 1916
Peter McBeth [Electric Railway, Next of Kin]	Street Car Conductor	12th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps	Private	7 February 1882	3 September 1918
Arthur William Meyer [Next of Kin]	Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	11 August 1892	25 April 1915
Ernest Samuel Meyer [Next of Kin, Swift Canadian]	Credit Manager	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	24 April 1886	9 August 1918
Arthur Miller [Electric Railway]	Conductor Street Car	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	14 April 1880	9 August 1918
Alexander Scott Murdoch [Next of Kin]	Cleaner [?]	Canadian Army Service Corps	Sergeant	10 November 1880	7 January 1919
Alexander Murray	Clerk	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	28 February 1889	4 September 1916
Francis Joseph Neary	Stenographer	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1 June 1896	11 August 1918
Garnett Valentine Ness [Next of Kin]	Bookkeeper	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	7 February 1891	24 April 1915
James Park [Next of Kin, Grain Exchange]	Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 September 1897	15 August 1917
Richard Carey Parsons [Next of Kin]	Machinist	3rd Division Ammunition Column, Canadian Field Artillery	Gunner	9 June 1873	19 March 1917
Andrew Pascoe	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	18 May 1893	15 August 1918
Thomas Phizacklea [Hamiota]	Farmer	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	9 June 1881	15 September 1916
Joseph Ernest Pilkington MM	Laborer	2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	23 February 1897	29 September 1918
Adam Reid [Next of Kin]	Tea Packer	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	16 January 1897	10 August 1918
George Reid [St. James Presbyterian]	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	21 September 1893	26 July 1917
Frederick Gordon Robertson [Next of Kin]	Clerk	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	13 January 1885	9 October 1916
Christopher Edgar Wyon Rogers [Next of Kin, Osler Hammond and Nanton, St. James Anglican]	Clerk	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	5 January 1896	8 October 1916
William George Rogers [Next of Kin, Osler Hammond and Nanton, St. James Anglican)	Clerk	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 January 1897	9 October 1916
Harry Russell [Next of Kin]	Musician	10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	23 September 1882	1 May 1917
James Russell	Accountant	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	24 September 1889	18 August 1916
Daniel Sephton	Waiter	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Lance Corporal	10 November 1895	23 April 1917
D. Gordon Shelmerdine [Osler Hammond and Nanton, St. James Anglican]	Clerk	5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Driver	1 April 1896	9 May 1917
Frederick Israel Smallacombe [Crystal City]	Mechanic	3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Canadian Engineers	Sapper	28 September 1886	17 October 1918
John Thomas Smith	Grocer Man	2nd Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps	Private	30 March 1889	3 November 1917
Harry Taylor [Next of Kin]	Railroad Brakeman	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	17 November 1883	2 September 1918
Ernest Sedgwick Tye [Next of Kin]	Printer	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1 January 1896	6 September 1918
James Tyrie [Eatons]	Mail Packer	24th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	6 November 1898	11 November 1916
John Vosper [Next of Kin]	Dairyman	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 April 1888	6 June 1916
William John Weaver [Next of Kin]	Carpenter	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	24 October 1896	30 December 1916
Walter Albert Webb [St. James Anglican, Next of Kin]	Plasterer	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	29 July 1881	28 April 1917
James Weir [Next of Kin]	Teamster	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	25 July 1882	2 September 1916
Harry Williams	Laborer	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	29 November 1871	4 April 1916
John Wright MM & Bar [Next of Kin]	Laborer	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	13 November 1881	31 December 1918

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. James Legion War Memorial (1755 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources

Geographic Names of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation, 2000.

“Assiniboia,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 December 1911, page 14.

“To unveil tablet in Assiniboia for men, women’s war service,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 June 1920, page 7.

“Unveils tablet in St. James,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 June 1920, page 3.

“Looking backwards,” Manitoba Free Press, 5 January 1921, page 11.

“Assiniboia Mayor dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 September 1961, page 5.

We thank Jill Paskewitz and Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 10 December 2023