Memorable Manitobans: William John McComb (1861-1935)

Farmer, businessman.

Born in Peel County, Ontario on 15 September 1861, son of Ephraim and Jane McComb, he graduated from the Harrison High School. He worked on the family farm until the age of 20 but had to leave the work on account of poor health. In 1887 he came to Manitoba. He taught school at Griswold for seven months before buying 320 acres of farm land. In 1905 he rented his land and took as a job as traveling salesman and collector of the Sylvester Manufacturing Company, based at Brandon, remaining there until 1908 when he formed the firm of Campbell & McComb, representatives of the Standard Wire Fence Company, in partnership with A. L. Campbell. He operated the business until 1917.

On 28 June 1899, he married Catherine Jane “Jennie” Sutherland (1872-c1933), daughter of Robert Sutherland, at Griswold. They had no children. In October 1912, he was elected as as Brandon city alderman, being elected three months to the Chair of the Police and Relief Department. He also served on the board for the Brandon Winter Fair.

He died at Brandon on 11 January 1935, after an illness of some six months, and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 and 1911 Canada censes, Automated Genealogy.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

Obituary, Brandon Sun, 12 January 1935, page 9.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 March 2015

Memorable Manitobans

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.

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