Memorable Manitobans: George Paterson (1857-1923)

Lawyer, publisher, judge.

Born at Shakespeare, Perth County, Ontario on 3 December 1857, son of William Paterson, he worked on the family farm until the age of 19. He was attended the University of Toronto at the time of the 1885 North West Rebellion and he volunteered for service, joining the Queen’s Own Rifles. Returning to Manitoba, he taught school in the Belmont district for nine months then moved to Portage la Prairie where he worked in the law office of Cooper and McDonald, coming to Winnipeg in 1889.

In 1892 he was admitted to the Manitoba Bar and set up a law practice at Deloraine, later becoming proprietor and editor of the Deloraine Times. He ran for a seat in the Manitoba Legislature in 1903 and the federal parliament in 1904, but was defeated both times. In 1911, he was appointed County Court Judge for the Eastern Judicial District. In 1917, he investigated claims of widespread fraud in the expenditure of public funds for road construction in rural areas of Manitoba and a damning report laid blame on MLAs F. Y. Newton and D. H. McFadden, and R. M. Simpson.

In 1892 he married Mary Livingstone of Duntroon, Ontario. Their only child, Lamont Livingstone Paterson (1893-1918) was killed during the First World War. He was a member of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Granite Curling Club, and Knox Presbyterian Church. He served as President of the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg (1917-1918).

He died at his Winnipeg home, 9-195 Furby Street, on 9 August 1923.

Sources:

“The editors of the provincial liberal press,” Manitoba Free Press, 13 December 1901, page 10.

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Winnipeg loses two prominent citizens,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 August 1923, page 1.

“Judge Paterson of County Court dead,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 August 1923, page 5. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B7]

We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 October 2017

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: 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!