Memorable Manitobans: George Marcus Cary (1795-1858)

Soldier, farmer.

Born in Ireland in 1795, he served in the British army. In 1836 he agreed to become manager of an experimental farm established by the Hudson's Bay Company at the Red River Settlement. As with many an early figure in Red River, his credentials for the appointment are obscure. The farm failed in 1841, partly because the farming servants imported from England by the HBC proved useless, and partly because of opposition from the residents. According to one writer in the Nor’-Wester, “Capt. Cary exercised his agricultural talents in raising wheat, barley, potatoes and turnips -- articles which everybody in Red River had for sale, and for which there was no market.” Cary carried on farming on the property (adjacent to Upper Fort Garry) until1847, when he moved to London, Canada East. From 1837 to 1847 he was a member of the Council of Assiniboia and a justice of the peace.

There are scattered papers at the Archives of Manitoba.

See also:

George Marcus Cary, Dictionary of Canadian Biography VIII, 131-32.

Sources:

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

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 October 2017

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!