Memorable Manitobans: William Simpson Lister (1866-1917)

Farmer, municipal official.

Born in England on 12 October 1866, he came to Canada in 1886, made his way to Manitoba, and took up farming at Middlechurch. There he accumulated over 1,000 acres of property, including nearly a half-mile of Red River frontage on which he farmed and raised horses. On 18 February 1896, he married Alice Ackwright (1858-?) at Middlechurch and the couple resided at their homestead named Marchmont. He served the community as Councillor and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of St. Paul (1897, 1899). In November 1910, he sold his property for over $100,000 to real estate broker A. J. Bannerman. By 1916, he had relocated to the Rural Municipality of Whitewater and, later, to Lakefield, Ontario before returning to his native England. He died at Shaldon, Devon County on 30 October 1917.

Sources:

Marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 and 1911 Canada censes, Library and Archives Canada.

“W. S. Lister of Marchmont stock farm,” Manitoba Free Press, 24 March 1892, page 6.

“Lister - Arkwright nuptials,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 February 1896, page 5.

“Marchmont farm sold,” Manitoba Free Press, 26 November 1910, page 40.

“Looking backwards [Twenty-five years ago today - 1892],” Manitoba Free Press, 28 July 1917, page 15.

Winnipeg Estate file #10238, William Simpson Lister, Archives of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 23 December 2015

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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