Memorable Manitobans: William Graham Ferguson (1896-1964)

Lawyer, judge.

Born at Winnipeg on 10 February 1896, son of James Graham Ferguson (1868-1946) and Emily Grace Dart (1869-1948), he attended Machray School and Alexandra School then the Central Collegiate. During the First World War, he served in the 184th Canadian Infantry Battalion and saw action at Vimy Ridge in 1917 before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps.

He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1921. He practised law in Minnedosa from 1925 to 1960, being made a King’s Counsel in 1941, and serving as a Bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba (1952-1960), before his appointment to the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench.

On 14 July 1926, he married Elizabeth Stevenson Craig (1903-1990) at Winnipeg and they had two sons: W. Craig Ferguson and D. Bruce Ferguson. He served as President of the Manitoba Bar Association (1959-1960) and founding President of the Manitoba Urban Trustees Association (1952-1953).

He died at the Winnipeg General Hospital on 15 July 1964 and was buried in the Minnedosa Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth registration [William Graham Ferguson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Marriage registration [William Graham Ferguson, Elizabeth Stevenson Craig], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Seven members of Manitoba Bar are appointed King’s Counsel,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 January 1941, page 5.

Death registrations [James Graham Ferguson, Emily Grace Ferguson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Emily Grace Ferguson], Winnipeg Tribune, 12 January 1948, page 15.

“Ferguson appointed to Queen’s Bench post,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 April 1960. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B12, page 8]

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 16 July 1964, page 12.

“Ex Manitoba judge dies after illness,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 July 1964, page 10.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 August 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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