Business manager.
Born at Kingston, Ontario on 4 December 1865, son of Robert Drummond Paterson and Emma Andrews (?-1877), brother of George Alexander Paterson, he came with his family to Winnipeg in June 1872 where his father worked as a contractor and builder. He was educated at Winnipeg then worked successively for the R. J. Whitla Company, Ashdown Hardware Company, and Merchants Bank of Canada. In 1883 he moved to Brandon to work for himself. While there he became connected with the Bell Telephone Company of Canada, spending 16 years there in the telegraph offices of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Dominion Express Company.
In 1903, he returned from a trip abroad and was appointed Western Manager of the Bell Telephone Company of Canada, being responsible for the territory between Fort William, Ontario and Alberta. He was actively involved in the establishment of telephone service throughout western Canada. In 1908, after the company was purchased by the Manitoba government, he was active in extending telephone service to farmers around the province, as Chairman of Manitoba Government Telephones (1908-1912). He retired from business in 1912.
He was married twice, first on 13 November 1884 to Margaret Frances Cameron (1860-1938) at Brandon. They subsequently had four children: Emma Andrews Paterson (1887-1977, wife of J. D. Oramsby and Ernest Howard), Isobel Cameron “Belle” Paterson (1889-1985), Robert Alexander Paterson (1892-1954), and Florence Edith Paterson (1892-1940). He later married Catherine “Kate” McLaren (1873-1952). He was a member of the Manitoba Club and Augustine Presbyterian Church.
He died at Honolulu, Hawaii in 1955 and was buried in the Royal Oak Cemetery at VIctoria, British Columbia.
Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.
“Passes away at her home,” Victoria Daily Times, 17 March 1938, page 11.
“Mrs. F. C. Paterson dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 March 1938, page 2.
Obituary [Mrs. F. C. Paterson], Brandon Sun, 17 March 1938, page 10.
“Florence Edith Paterson,” Brandon Sun, 13 June 1940, page 10.
Death registrations [Catherine McLaren Paterson, Robert Alexander Paterson], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Catherine McLaren Paterson], Victoria Daily Times, 19 April 1952, page 18.
“Visitor from Canada dies,” Honolulu Advertiser, 3 March 1955, page C5.
Obituary [Emma Andrews Howard], Vancouver Sun, 1 April 1977, page 46.
Obituary [Isobel C. Paterson], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 March 1985, page 52.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 11 March 2024
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