Memorable Manitobans: James Riddell (1849-1926)

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James Riddell
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Farmer, MLA (1896-1899), MLA (1900-1903).

Born at Jedborough, Scotland on 4 July 1849, he came to Manitoba in 1880 and farmed in the Tobacco Creek district. He was President of the Dufferin Agricultural Society. In 1910, he retired from farming and moved to Winnipeg, serving as President of the Caledonia Box and Manufacturing Company.

In the 1896 provincial general election, he was elected as a Liberal representing the Lorne constituency. Re-elected in 1899, he was defeated in 1903 by Rodmond Palen Roblin after a redistribution of seats. He subsequently ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1904, being beaten by William Davey Staples.

He married Louisa Sophia Sharpe (1849-1941) in Winnipeg. They had no children. He was a member of the Presbyterian church.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 174 Anderson Avenue, on 19 September 1926 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

“James Riddell, former M.L.A., died on Sunday,” newspaper clipping dated 21 September 1926 [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]

“Death of Jas. Riddell, pioneer of district,” The Dufferin Leader, 23 September 1926, page 1.

Death registration [Louisa Sophia Riddell], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Pioneer woman dies, aged 97,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 July 1941, page 18.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 June 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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