Sir John Christian Schultz (d.1896, aged 56).

Schultz was the fifth Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba.  He arrived in Winnipeg in 1860, and established himself as an independent fur trader, in opposition to the Hudson’s Bay Company.  He and his brother also owned the Royal Hotel, at the corner of Portage and Main, and he later opened a drug store and practiced medicine, although there is no record of his ever having earned an MD! He also co-owned the Nor’Wester, a  newspaper which was noted for its anti-HBC editorial policy.  Schultz was a key figure in the Riel Rebellion, and was incarcerated at Upper Fort Garry by Riel. He escaped and made his way to Ottawa where he rallied opposition to Riel.  As leader of the Canada First party, Schultz was pro-Confederation, but he was opposed to Riel’s vision. He served as MP for Lisgar from 1871 to 1882 and was later appointed to the Senate. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba in 1889.

While Schultz accomplished much, he was not a popular member of the community. The story goes that, on viewing the fulsome inscription on Schultz’s gravestone, Sheriff Colin Inkster was moved to remark, “What a pity we knew him.