Author, journalist.
Born at Shoal Lake on 29 July 1880, son of William Merritt Ingersoll (1857-1912) and Mary Elizabeth Ball (1857-1886), he joined the Manitoba Free Press as a reporter in 1908 and also served as secretary to John Wesley Dafoe. He published the books Daisy Herself (1918) and The Road That Led Home; A Romance of Plow-land (1918), and had a short story in the first anthology of Canadian writing, published in 1929. He was best known as Church Editor (1935-1960) and for writing the “Looking Back” column in the Free Press. After retirement, he continued as a freelance writer, contributing historical sketches to the Free Press.
He was married twice, first on 11 March 1912 to Marguerite Hazel Thomson (?-?), with whom he had three children: William Frederick “Benny” Ingersoll (1915-1973), Miriam “Mini” Ingersoll (?-?, wife of S. B. Hayward), and Frances Ingersoll (?-?, wife of ? Murphy). On 4 March 1922, he married Mary Marguerite Clendenan (1892-1973). They had a son, ? Ingersoll (1923-?). He was a fan of boxing and music, collecting Elvis Presley records at the age of 80.
He died at the Grace Hospital on 31 December 1968.
Birth registrations [William Ernest Ingersoll, Unnamed Ingersoll], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [William Ernest Ingersoll, Marguerite Hazel Thomson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registrations [William Frederick Ingersoll, Unnamed Ingersoll], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1916 Canada census, Ancestry.
Marriage registration [William Ernest Ingersoll, Mary Clendenan], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Former church editor dies here at 89,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 January 1969, page 6.
“William Ernest Ingersoll,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 January 1969, page 28.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 1 January 1969, page 30.
“Deaths [William Frederick Ingersoll],” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 June 1973, page 5.
Obituary [Mary Marguerite Ingersoll], Winnipeg Free Press, 11 July 1973, page 41.
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: 2 April 2024
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 SearchBrowse 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 | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 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.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
