Memorable Manitobans: Elisha Frederick Hutchings (1855-1930)

Elisha Frederick Hutchings Click to enlarge

Saddle maker, merchant, financier, politician.

Born at Newboro, Leeds County, Ontario on 13 June 1855, son of Elijah and Harriet Hutchings, he came to Winnipeg in 1876 where he was educated at Alexander Begg’s night school.

In 1877 he bought a junior partnership in Stabler and Caswell, harness makers. A year later he joined Robert Stalker in the Great West Saddlery Company, which Hutchings built into a major operation by 1900. By the early 20th century, Hutchings was President of the Scott Saddlery Company, Royal Oak Saddlery Company, Brick & Tile Company, Capital Loan Company, and Bird’s Hill Land & Gravel Company, and Penniac Reef Gold Mines. He was a Director of the Canadian Fire Insurance Company, a member of the advisor board of the Great Western Loan Company, and a shareholder of the Winnipeg Sanitarium Association Limited. In 1910 he was listed by the Winnipeg Telegram as one of Winnipeg’s 19 millionaires.

In 1883, he married Sarah Anne Denby (1862-1952) of Newboro, with whom he had five children, all born in Manitoba: Harriet Ethel “Hattie” Hutchings (1884-?, wife of Montagne Moore), Lulu Denby Hutchings (1885-?, wife of James J. M. Birt), Hazel Rhea Hutchings (1890-?, wife of Henry W. Bell), Earnest Frederick Hutchings (1893-?), and Harold Gifford Hutchings (1895-?). He was a Conservative candidate for the Springfield constituency in the 1899 provincial general election but was defeated by incumbent Thomas H. Smith. He collected war trophies and memorabilia and he was a founding member of the Carleton Club. His Winnipeg homes were designed by architects Herbert B. Rugh and L. A. Wardell. He served four terms on Winnipeg City Council, being at one time chairman of the City Sinking Fund trustees.

He died at Winnipeg on 14 April 1930 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery. He is commemorated by Hutchings Street.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Hutchings House (424 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Great West Saddlery Factory (112-114 Market Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Great West Saddlery Building (113 Market Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: La Riviere Brickyard (La Riviere, RM of Pembina)

MHS Resources: Manitoba Bricks and Blocks: Press Brick and Tile Company

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

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.

The Leading Financial, Business & Professional Men of Winnipeg, published by Edwin McCormick, Photographs by T. J. Leatherdale, Compiled and printed by Stone Limited, c1913. [copy available at the Archives of Manitoba]

Obituary [Sarah Anne Hutchings], Winnipeg Free Press, 2 December 1952, page 20.

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: 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: 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!