20 May 1889, Manitoba Daily Free Press

Among the noted residents of Winnipeg was Hon. A. G. B. Bannatyne, who died on May 18, this year, while in St. Paul, Minn., being on his return from Texas to Winnipeg.

Mr. Bannatyne had come from Orkney to join the Hudson's Bay Co.'s service as a mere boy. After leaving the service he entered the business of Andrew McDermot, whose daughter Annie, he married. Mrs. Bannatyne still survives.

He became a leading merchant of early Winnipeg. He was a benevolent man--a friend in need to many an incoming Canadian. As a member of the Dominion parliament, chairman of the board of Manitoba college, chairman of the board of managers of Knox church, and as a leading charitable citizen of Winnipeg, he will long be remembered.

It was appropriate that St. Andrew's society should, on account of his having been a former president, take part in his funeral. He died at the age of sixty years.

20 May 1889, Manitoba Free Press
A PIONEER GONE.

The Hon. A. G. Bannatyne's Death in St. Paul on Saturday Afternoon -- A Busy Life Closed

Late on Saturday last a telegram was received by members of his family, from St. Paul, conveying the sad, though not entirely unexpected, news that Hon. A. G. Bannatyne had died that afternoon at the Merchants Hotel, there, en route home from Texas, where, accompanied by Mrs. Bannatyne and some of his children, he had been spending the winter in hope of recuperating his health. He started from his place of sojourn some time ago, and was trying to make his way home by easy stages, but his limit was reached at St. Paul.

Mr. Bannatyne was one of the landmarks of the old Red River Settlement, and his name will ever remain interwoven in the history of Manitoba.

He was born in Rothesay, Scotland, on Oct. 31st, 1829, and was a son of James Bannatyne, an officer of the government fishery department, and grandson of Governor John Ballenden of the Hudson's Bay Company. He came to the Northwest in 1846 in the employ of this company; and in 1851 set up as a free-trader on his own account, in which he was wonderfully succesful.

During the troubles of 1869-70 he was a prominent figure, taking an active part in defence of the rights of the people of the country, but always lending his influence against harsh conduct on the part of the Provincial Government. Previously he had been a member of the Council of Assiniboia--the civic, legislative and executive body of the days anterior to the acquisition of Rupert's Land by Canada.

In 1872 he was appointed a member of the Council for the Northwest Territories, remaining such till the form of government was changed; and subsquently in 1875 he was elected to the House of Commons for Provencher.

Mr. Bannatyne had always been in the forefront of business enterprise, until his health failed him some years ago; but to the time of his death his interest never flagged in works of philanthropy and charity.

He was an active and zealous member of St. Andrew's Society, of which he was one of the promoters, and to the Winnipeg General Hospital, of which he was also one of the originators, he was the very largest financial contributor, and had always been its president.

The remains are expected by to-day's St. P. M.& M. train.