Register entry 168 - Hebert Swinford
Visited the Bell Farm on April 29, 1885.
Hebert Swinford (1949-1932) was born in London, England, and came to Guelph, Ontario with his family at a young age. He grew up in Guelph and became active in the local militia, joining the Guelph Home Guard during the Fenian Raids of 1866.
He resigned his militia commission to join the Red River Expeditionary Force in 1870, headed by General Wolseley.
Having settled in the West, Swinford became involved in the transportation industry, and became an employee of the Northern Pacific Railway at Winnipeg, where, in 1909, he moved into the accounting office. He was also a charter member and organizer of the Chartered Accountants' Association of Manitoba.
Herbert Swinford also served in 1871 as a Lieutenant with the Hudson's Bay Company Volunteers during the Fenian Raids on Pembina, at the Manitoba-North Dakota border.
In 1874 he was elected to the first Town Council for Winnipeg.
During the North-West Rebellion of 1885, now Captain Swinford was one of the Transport Officers hired by General Middleton, as was Major W.R. Bell.
Later, he became Quartermaster in the 90th Winnipeg Battalion of Rifles. (Swinford's brother, Charles, was killed in action five days prior to the Captain's visit to the Bell Farm.)
Herbert Swinford was married twice. In 1873 he married Mary A. Linklater, who died in 1890; and in 1892 to Georgina MacDonnell. He died in Winnipeg in 1932, after living in Vancouver, British Columbia for some time.
SOURCES:
Photo: "Representative Men of Manitoba, 1902."
"Memorable Manitobans: Herbert Swinford - http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/swinford_h.shtml
"History of Manitoba": p. 412-414
Winnipeg Town Council, 1874 - https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/967
"The History of the North-West Rebellion of 1885" by Charles Pelham Mulvaney, p. 423
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask..