John Burgess served a large community as
Carpenter and Contractor since 1900. Born in England in 1873, he came
to this country at sixteen, and went to work on a farm for William
Toderick, and a few years later filed a homestead in the Grandview
district. On leaving for Grandview he acquired a yoke of oxen at
Killarney, Man., and travelled over land to his homestead. His love for
building, having procured this skill in the old country, and this being
his real vocation, prompted him to return to Wawanesa in 1900.
During this time he built both the Anglican and United churches in
Wawanesa, several schools and a good percent¬age of the older homes in
the village.
He built the original building of the Wawanesa Mutual Insur-ance Co.,
and was a co-contractor of the present Home Office.
One of the older homes is the home of the late Thos. E. Banting at
Banting siding. He also built the two homes his sons Neil and John have
owned.
John Burgess served for 15 years as a Councillor, also as Village
Assessor. He was a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, and Past Noble
Grand of the IOOF Lodge. An ardent curler and served as President of
the Curling Club.
On March 4th, 1901, John Burgess married Christina McLeod of Hilton,
Man. Mrs. Burgess was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McLeod. She
was born at Cleur on the Isle of Harris in the Highlands of Scotland,
coming to this country at the age of nine years, when the family
settled on a homestead at Hilton, Man.
Adapted from Sipiweski, page 228
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