Memorable Manitobans: Max Steinkopf (1881-1935)

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Max Steinkopf
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Lawyer.

Born at Prague, Czechoslovakia on 2 March 1881, son of Herman Steinkopf and Justine Schoenfeld, he came to Canada at an early age. He was educated at Morden and obtained a teachers certificate in July 1898. He continued his studies at Manitoba College, graduating with an Arts degree in 1902. He then began studying law in the office of Macdonald, Haggart & Whitla, remaining there until 1905 when he was called to the Manitoba Bar, becoming the first Jewish lawyer on the prairies.

He practiced by himself for two years then formed a law partnership with boyhood friend William David Lawrence. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1935. He also served as President of Canada National Securities Company, City Dairy Company, Purity Ice Cream Company, City Creamery Company (Regina, Saskatchewan), and Bonded Investment Limited.

On 19 November 1909, he married German immigrant Hedwig Meyer (1880-1961) at New York City. They had five children: Audrey E. Steinkopf (1911-?), Maitland B. Steinkopf, Jack Steinkopf (?-?), Helen Steinkopf (?-?), and Mavis Maxine Steinkopf (1917-?). Active in community life, he was President of the Winnipeg Talmah Torah and Winnipeg Zionist Council (1924-1925). He served on the Greater Winnipeg district council of the Boy Scouts, and the Winnipeg School Board (1916-1919). During the 1927 provincial election, he ran for election in Winnipeg but was unsuccessful. He was a member of the Motor Country Club, AF & AM, AOUW, IOBB, Canadian Club of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba Alumni Association, Archaeological Institute of America, Assiniboine Social Club, and Winnipeg Rowing Club.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 245 Wellington Crescent, on 10 May 1935 and was buried in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Alloway and Champion Bank Building (667 Main Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Imperial Dry Goods Block / Trend Interiors (91 Albert Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Eight Manitoba lawyers are appointed as King’s Counsel in honors list”, Winnipeg Free Press, 1 January 1935, page 3.

“M. Steinkopf, K.C., dies after long illness, aged 54,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 May 1935, page 3.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

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

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 17 March 2022

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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