Memorable Manitobans: Harold Proctor “Harry” Shewman (1900-1968)

Click to enlarge

Harold Proctor Shewman
Click to enlarge

Municipal official, MLA (1950-1953), MLA (1954-1957), MLA (1958-1959), MLA (1959-1962), MLA (1963-1966), MLA (1966-1969).

Born at Winnipeg on 14 April 1900, son of William Homer Shewman (1868-1938) and Jennie Faux (1875-1955), he moved with his parents to Morris in 1915. He was for many years in partnership with his father in a road construction business. He later worked as an auctioneer and insurance agent.

He served on the Morris School Board from 1925 to 1938 and Mayor of Morris from 1948 to 1954. He was elected to the Manitoba Legislature in 1949, re-elected as an Independent in 1953 and as a Progressive Conservative in 1958, 1959, 1962, and 1966. He was Chairman of the Legislature’s Livestock Marketing Committee and Farm Machinery Enquiry Committee. He was active as a flood fighter in the 1950 flood and supervised the evacuation of the town of Morris. In the legislature he was an advocate of flood protection and crop insurance for farmers. He also served as President of the Morris Agricultural Society and a Director of the Manitoba Telephone System.

On 29 February 1920, he married Violet May Mitchell (1899-1970) of Morris. They had three daughters: Vivian May Shewman (1921-1961, wife of Frederick Reid), Jean Margaret Shewman (1925-2008, wife of Howard Brunnen), and Alice Shewman. He was a member of the Morris Legion and Morris Golf and Country Club.

He died at Morris on 13 July 1968 and was buried in the Morris Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth, marriage, and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [William Shewman], Winnipeg Tribune, 6 June 1938, page 7.

Obituary [Vivian May Reid], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 August 1961, page 24.

“MLA’s funeral Tuesday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 July 1968, page 4.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 July 1968, page 24.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

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

Obituary [Jean Brunnen], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 April 2008.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 November 2020

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.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!