Memorable Manitobans: Alfred Henry Bears (1857-1936)

Alfred Henry Bears Click to enlarge

Building contractor.

Born at North River, Queens, Prince Edward Island on 13 January 1857, he moved to Winnipeg in 1883. He was employed constructing bridges and building by the Canadian Pacific Railway and he also worked as a carpenter and building contractor on his own account.

On 21 November 1881, he married Lavina Jane Morton (1860-1954) in Prince Edward Island and they had eleven children: Isabel Irene Bears (1882-?, wife of Francis Bainbridge Capstick), Jennie Pearl Bears (1883-1973, wife of James S. Witmar), Alfred Munroe Bears (1885-1936), Harry Donald Bears (1887-1958), Morton Bears (1889-1962), David Albert Bears (1891-1970), John W. Bears (1892-?), Lavina Mae Bears (1895-1980), Hazel Vivian Bears (1896-1954), Marjorie Whitfield Bears (1899-1977, wife of Adam Hay), and Mona McDonald Bears (1905-?, wife of Frank Ashton Ferguson). The family lived at 355 Boyd Avenue. He was a member of the Masons (Ancient Landmark Lodge), Canadian Order of Foresters, and St. Giles United Church.

He died at the Winnipeg General Hospital on 20 November 1936 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Some of his construction work in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
CKX Radio Building	816 Princess Avenue, Brandon	1928	Demolished (1941)
Emerson Telephone Exchange Building	15 Main Street, Emerson, Municipality of Emerson-Franklin	1928
Transcona Telephone Exchange Building	101 Victoria Avenue West, Winnipeg	1930	Demolished (?)
Hamiota Telephone Exchange Building	59 Fourth Avenue, Hamiota, Municipality of Hamiota	1936	Demolished (2005)

Sources:

Birth registrations [Harry Donald Bears, Morton Bears, David Albert Bears, Lavinia May Bears, Hazel Vivian Bears, Marjory Whitfield Bears, Mona McDonald Bears], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Marriage registration [Jennie Pearl Bears, James S. Witmer], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Marriage registration [Isabel Irene Bears, Francis Bainbridge Capstick], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Marriage registration [Marjorie Whitefield Bears, Adam Hay], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Marriage registration [Mona McDonald Bears, Frank Ashton Ferguson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Death registrations [Alfred Munroe Bears, Alfred Henry Bears], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Telephone exchange erected by the Manitoba Telephone Systems at Hamiota,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 July 1936, page 8.

“Alfred H. Bears, retired railman, dies in hospital,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 November 1936, page 5.

Obituary [Lavina Jane Bears], Winnipeg Free Press, 18 December 1954, page 35.

Obituary [Jennie Witmar], Winnipeg Free Press, 8 May 1973, page 34.

Obituary [Marjorie W. Hay], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 December 1977, page 39.

Obituary [Lavina Mae Bears], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 July 1980, page 44.

Alfred Henry Bears, Our Extended Family.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 October 2023

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!