Memorable Manitobans: James Arthur Shields Jackson (1918-1976)

James Arthur Shields Jackson Click to enlarge

Historian, educator, archivist.

Born at Winnipeg on 4 September 1918, son of William Reese Jackson (1885-1975) and Ryena Shields (1888-1972), after serving in the Canadian artillery in Europe during the Second World War, he lectured in history at St. John’s College and was a part-time member of the staff of the Provincial Library for work in the Archives.

Between 1946 and 1950, he served as Secretary of the Manitoba Historical Society and was also named Archivist of the Province during that time. He received an MA degree in 1948 from the University of Manitoba. In 1951, he began teaching history at the Technical Vocational High School, Winnipeg, later becoming Associate Professor of History at the University of Manitoba. He served on the Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba (1973-?).

He was a scholar whose contribution to Manitoba history was deep and lasting. His study of the railway policies of the Greenway government cast a new light on the events from which the Manitoba School Question came. His Centennial History of Manitoba (1970) is a wholly admirable history of this province, readable, popular, and scholarly. More lasting, perhaps, was his service as the first archivist for Manitoba. He started to put in useable order the already considerable records of the province and who began the collection of other records, both private and public.

On 7 March 1942, he married Guro Emily Kummen (1915-2006, daughter of Carl Toreson Kummen) at Winnipeg and they had two sons.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 802-800 Corydon Avenue, on 14 October 1976.

His articles for the Manitoba Historical Society:

The Background of the Battle of Fort Whyte
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1945-46 Season

Railways and the Manitoba School Question
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1973-74 Season

Sources:

Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1921 Canada census, Ancestry.

“Guro Emily Kummen becomes bride of James A. S. Jackson,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 March 1942, page 9.

Obituary [Ryena Jackson], Winnipeg Free Press, 30 December 1972, page 29.

Obituary [William R. Jackson], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 April 1975, page 30.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 18 October 1976, page 33.

Obituary [Guro Emily Jackson], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 April 2006.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 28 December 2021

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: 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!