Carpenter, municipal official.
Born at Dumfriesshire, Scotland in 1884, he immigrated to Canada in April 1911 and settled at Winnipeg where he apprenticed as a railway joiner under his father. Soon after, he met Janet Walker Johnstone (1887-1956) and they married at Winnipeg on 7 February 1913. They had three children: Robert Johnstone (1913-?), John Bell Johnstone (1916-?), and William Richard “Dick” Johnstone (1923-?) and he supported his family as a carpenter and cabinet maker in the rapidly growing local construction industry.
During the First World War, he joined the Canadian Northern Railway / Canadian National Railway, working just shy of 33 years as a coach carpenter until retirement in July 1949. Early on, his family resided at 812 Grosvenor (1916) before moving to Sadler Avenue by 1921 (later split into Sadler Avenue West [which became Moore Avenue] and Sadler Avenue East [which reverted to Sadler Avenue]) in St. Vital, where they were possibly the first occupants at 139 Sadler Avenue [built 1921; first known as 375 Sadler prior to the partition of Sadler Avenue]. In his latter years, he resided at Lions Manor.
While in St. Vital, he became involved in community affairs and served as a trustee of the Woodlawn School District (1927-1929) and as a local municipal councillor (1935-1945), winning election in 1934 and subsequent re-election in 1935, 1937, 1939, 1941, and 1943, before being defeated in 1945. During his time on council, he served on numerous committees and was Deputy Mayor. After politics, he was President (later Director) of the St. Vital Agricultural Society, of which he was a member for 25 years. He was also a member of the Southend Ratepayers’ Association and a life member of the Masons (AF & AM Windsor Lodge No. 138).
He died at the Winnipeg residence of his son Robert, 16 Mohawk Bay, on 13 May 1975 and was buried in the St. Vital Cemetery. He is commemorated by the naming of William Johnstone Park and William Johnstone Court in Winnipeg.
Marriage registrations [William Johnstone, Janet Walker Johnstone], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registrations [Robert Johnstone, John Bell Johnstone, William Richard Johnstone], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1916, 1921, and 1926 Canada censuses, Library and Archives Canada.
School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.
Property Assessment Details - 139 Sadler Avenue, Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation Department.
“Eight suburban Reeves given acclamations,” Manitiba Free Press, 21 November 1928, page 6.
“Municipal elections in Winnipeg suburbs,” Manitiba Free Press, 30 November 1929, pages 1 & 9.
“Urge cut in number of St. Vital Councillors,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 February 1932, page 3.
“Heavy voting marks 1934 polling for candidates in suburban municipalities,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 24 November 1934, page 4.
“Complete returns in St. Vital and St. James voting,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 November 1934, page 3.
“Heavy vote recorded in suburban municipalities of Greater Winnipeg area [St. Vital],” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 November 1935, page 7.
“Who's who - In the suburban election field [St. Vital - Council],” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 18 November 1937, page 6.
“Election in suburbs [St. Vital],” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 November 1937, page 5.
“Seven run for office in St. Vital election,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 November 1939, page 3.
“Suburban election results,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 November 1939, page 2.
“Two suburban Reeves chosen,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 November 1941, page 13.
“Suburban nominations,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 October 1943, page 13.
“Suburban election stage now all set,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 November 1943, page 6.
“Greater Winnipeg areas name officials for 1944,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 November 1943, page 24.
“St. James votes today for Reeve,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 November 1943, page 13.
“6 more elected in St. Vital,” Winnipeg Tribune, 27 November 1945, page 5.
“CNR carpenter retires July 20,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 July 1949, page 12.
Obituary [Mrs. William Johnstone], Winnipeg Tribune, 27 November 1956, page 26.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 May 1975, page 43.
Winnipeg estate files (ATG 0025A), 1267/75 William Johnstone, GR4938, Archives of Manitoba.
“New street named after former councillor,” The Lance / Winnipeg Free PressWinnipeg Free Press Community Review, 17 May 2016.
Renaming William Johnstone Park to Louise Johnstone Park, ID: 2022-013, City of Winnipeg.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 15 September 2024
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