Memorable Manitobans: James Alfred Laird (1873-1908)

Educator, merchant.

Born in Scotland on 27 July 1873, he immigrated to Canada in 1891 and became an school teacher. He taught in rural Manitoba, including at Poplar Park School (1896-1897), Craigilea School / Belmont School (1898-1900), Ninga School (1900-1903, Principal), and Hilton School (1904-?). While in Belmont, he was involved with the local Presbyterian Church and led the congregation’s choir, and after moving from Ninga, also opened a general store at Hilton. On 26 September 1900, he married Mary Gibson (1877-1965, remarried to John Hartland Patterson) in the Rural Municipality of Argyle and they had three children: Mary Eliza Bessie Laird (1902-1981, wife of Francis Earl Palmer), James William Thomas Laird (1903-1906), and Alfred Gibson Laird (1907-1982). By 1906, he had moved to Lipton, Saskatchewan where he again managed a general store. His health declined in 1907 and he died at Nanaimo, British Columbia on 20 September 1908.

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Birth and death registration, Saskatchewan Vital Statistics.

Marriage and death registrations, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

1901, 1906, & 1911 Canada censes, Automated Genealogy.

“The famine fund [Manitoba school children, Poplar Park School],” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 13 March 1897, page 7.

“Belmont,” Glenboro Gazette, 22 July 1898, page 8.

“Local [At the annual school meeting ...],” Belmont Star, 8 December 1899, page 2.

“Belmont [Mr. Jas. A. Laird],” Manitoba Free Press, 2 October 1900, page 6.

“Belmont [Mr. Laird],” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 4 October 1900, page 6.

“Local [Mr. J. A. Laird ...],” Baldur Gazette, 11 October 1900, page 8.

“Local and general [Mr. Jas. A. Laird ...],” Belmont Eye, 27 December 1902, page 8.

“Local and general [Mr. Jas. A. Laird ...],” Belmont Eye, 10 January 1903, page 2.

“Locals [Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Gibson ...],” Belmont News, 1 July 1903, page 11.

“Locals [Mr. Jas. A. Laird ...],” Belmont News, 27 January 1904, page 12.

“Locals [It is with deep regret ...],” Belmont News, 24 September 1908, page 10.

Graham Black Brookfield Palmer (2011) family tree, Ancestry.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 27 October 2018

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!