Memorable Manitobans: Thomas Montgomery (1851-1914)

Thomas Montgomery Click to enlarge

Hotelier.

Thomas Montgomery Click to enlarge

Born at South Lanark, Ontario on 23 February 1851, son of Oswald Montgomery and Mary Rothwell, he was educated at local public schools then commenced a career as a carriage manufacturer at Perth, Ontario. He came to Winnipeg in March 1876 and ran a carriage shop in partnership with his brother, Christopher C. Montgomery. The partnership was dissolved in April 1881 when he built the Winnipeg Hotel on Main Street. He sold it in 1904 then, in partnership with his brother Oswald Montgomery, he built the Queen’s Hotel at the corner of Portage Avenue and Notre Dame.

He was married twice, first to Martha King (1856-1907) of Ontario. They had five children, of which three lived to adulthood: Robert A. Montgomery (b 1877), Thomas Oswald Montgomery (b 1894), and William Rothwell Albert Montgomery (b 1896). In 1907, after the death of his first wife, he married Ella Tobin. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, AOCW, Conservative party, and the Anglican church.

In early 1914, in poor health, he moved to San Diego, California, where he died on 26 April 1914. His body was returned to Winnipeg for burial in St. John’s Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hotel (214 Main Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Queen’s Hotel / Montgomery Block / Bank of Toronto / Toronto-Dominion Bank (215 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.

Death registration [Martha Montgomery], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Hotelman dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 29 April 1914 [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B6]

“Early day hotel owner of Winnipeg dead,” newspaper clipping dated 22 January 1926. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 28 May 2015

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: 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!