Hotelier.
Born at Erin, Ontario on 20 February 1844, son of John McKinnon and Margaret McGill, at the age of 21 years he went to the USA and enlisted in the 22nd New York Cavalry commanded by General Philip Sheridan. He served until the end of the American Civil War and was honourably discharged. He spent three years in Kentucky then returned to Ontario where he operated stores at Orangeville and Mount Forest.
He came to Winnipeg in July 1881 with his family and worked a number of jobs before starting a small boarding house. He later opened the Little Central Hotel. In 1886 he built the Palace Hotel which he operated until 1901 when he erected the Imperial Hotel at Brandon. He sold it to Albert Dennison in 1905.
In 1876, he married Helen Frances Hassard (1859-1894, daughter of an English army officer) and they had two children: Edith May McKinnon (1876-1938, wife of Francis Joseph Clark) and Louise McKinnon (?-?, wife of Harry Hooper of Carberry). In 1896, he married Agnes McGregor (?-?) of Glasgow, Scotland. They had a son, Donald Colin McKinnon (?-?).
He died at Victoria, British Columbia on 14 August 1908 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.
“Births, marriages and deaths [Helen Francis McKinnon],” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 July 1894, page 1.
A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.
Death registration [Donald C McKinnon], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
Obituary - Victoria Daily Times, 17 August 1908, page 12.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 6 May 2024
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