Memorable Manitobans: Donald Alexander McNiven (1887-1961)

Educator, lawyer, judge, MLA, Senator.

Born at Walkerton, Ontario, on 23 June 1887, son of John D. McNiven and Elizabeth Montgomery (1866-1947), he grew up in Virden, attending Virden School and the University of Manitoba (1909, Law). He taught at Lanark School, Oakview School, and Elkhorn School (1908-1910, Principal) before articling in Virden. In 1912, he was called to the Saskatchewan Bar. He married Leila Maud Higginbotham (1888-?) at Virden on 13 October 1915 and had a daughter. In 1919, he partnered with Douglas Fraser. He served as a Liberal MLA to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (1922-1929) and Liberal Member of Parliament for Regina City (1935-1944), after which he was named as Judge of the Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench (1944-1949) and the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal (1949-1961). He retired in July 1961 and died at Regina on 31 July 1961.

Sources:

Marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“Regina Liberals name sitting Members again,” Manitoba Free Press, 8 May 1925, page 1.

“Five appointed to judiciary,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 October 1944, page 12.

Death notice, Winnipeg Free Press, 1 August 1961, page 12.

“Deaths yesterday,” Lethbridge Herald, 1 August 1961, page 2.

Former Justices of the Court, Donald Alexander McNiven, Courts of Saskatchewan.

ParlInfo - People - Parliamentarians, Donald Alexander McNiven, Parliament of Canada.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 14 January 2018

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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