Merchant, municipal official.
Born in Dalhousie Township, Ontario on 24 July 1873, son of John Cumming and Jane Purdon, he quit school at the age of 13 to work on the family farm. He came to Manitoba in 1901 to build bridges for the provincial government. He then became associated with Robert Purdon in the fuel and feed business. Seven years later, Purdon retired and Cumming became senior partner and manager of the fuel and building supply firm of J. F. Cumming and Company, located at 233 Ninth Street in Brandon. In 1912, he became senior partner of Cumming and Dobbie.
On 24 July 1907, he married Frances McTavish (1877-1962) of Kent County, Ontario and they had two children: Gordon M. Cumming and Frances Patricia Cumming. The family resided at 2037 Princess Avenue, Brandon. He served on the Brandon city council (1918-1919) and was President of the Brandon Rotary Club, Children's Aid Society, Canadian Club of Brandon, and Western Canada Fuel Association. He was a member of the IOOF and St. Paul's United Church.
He died at Brandon on 10 January 1937 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.
Marriage registration [John Ferguson Cumming, Francis McTavish], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.
Death registration [John Ferguson Cumming], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary, Brandon Sun, 11 January 1937, page 5.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 23 April 2024
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