Memorable Manitobans: Frederick Thomas “Fred” Axford (1859-1935)

Municipal official, civil servant.

Born in Peel County, Ontario on 30 September 1859, son of William and Elizabeth Axford, of the City of Toronto, he was educated at Bowmanville, Ontario (High School). He came to Winnipeg around 1882 and worked for a time as a baggage handler before moving on to Millford, later helping to found the town of Glenboro where, in 1886, he established a mercantile business.

He served as Clerk of the County Court of Cypress (1887-1900), Reeve of the Rural Municipality of South Cypress (1901-1902), Homestead Inspector for the Dominion Government (1907-1910), Assistant Dominion Lands Agent (1911-1916), Inspector of Legal Offices for the Manitoba Government (1916-1919), and Clerk of the Executive Council of Manitoba (1919-1933). In 1925, he lived at 180 Niagara Street, Winnipeg.

On 15 December 1886, he married Florence Elizabeth Cook (1856-1939) of Drummondville, Quebec, at Glenboro. They had five children: Florence Frederica Axford (1888-1982, wife of John J. Keelan), Maud Lillian Axford (1890-1981), May Violet Axford (1890-1987), Margarite Irene Axford (1893-?), and William Beaven Axford (1896-1977).

In November 1933, in poor health, he retired in to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he died on 16 December 1935. He was buried in the Vancouver Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

“F. Axford, former member of civil service here, dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 December 1935, page 3.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

“Fred Axford to be buried at coast,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 December 1935, page 17.

Obituary [Florence Axford], Winnipeg Tribune, 31 July 1939, page 5.

Obituary [William Bevan Axford], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 June 1977, page 62.

Obituary [Florence Keelan], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 August 1982, page 38.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 1 June 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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