Memorable Manitobans: John Nicholas Welsh (1894-1964)

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John Nicholas Welsh
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Plant breeder.

Born at Ottawa, Ontario on 13 January 1894, he received primary and secondary education at Ottawa and a BSA degree from Macdonald College (McGill College) in 1922. He received a MSc degree (1930) from the University of Alberta. He worked at the Agricultural Research Station at Winnipeg until retirement in January 1960 then transferred to the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba where he remained until his death.

He was recognized internationally for his research in cereals. During his scientific career, he developed seven major varieties of oats. By 1958, five million acres of prairie land was sown to his varieties. They were also widely grown in eastern Canada and in the United States. In recognition of his contributions to Canadian agriculture, he was made a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada and an honorary Life Member of the Canadian Seed Growers Association. He was inducted posthumously into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame (1986).

He and wife Gertrude Amanda Dunning (?-1973) had a daughter.

He died at Winnipeg on 2 October 1964 and was buried in the Fort Garry Roman Catholic Cemetery.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Tribune, 3 October 1964, page 66.

Obituary [Gertrude Amanda Welsh], Winnipeg Free Press, 2 August 1973, page 21.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 August 2023

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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