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Alberta, Past and Present, Historical and Biographical
Vol 3
George Heath MacDonald


George H. MacDonald, who ranks with the leading architects of the province, has been a resident of Edmonton for nineteen years and his labors have constituted a most important factor in the upbuilding and improvement of the city. His birth occurred at Murray Harbor, North, in Prince Edward Island, in 1882, and his parents were William and Mercy C. (Bears) MacDonald. The maternal ancestors were natives of England and representatives of the family later emigrated to America, on the maternal grandmother's side settling at Boston, Massachusetts, where they were residing at the time of the Revolutionary war, with other United States Loyalists at that time emigrating to the Maritime proviflees. In the paternal line William MacDonald, the grandfather of the subject of this review, was the immigrant ancestor who established the family in Canada about a century ago, casting in his lot with the earliest settlers of the Dominion.

Mr. McDonald completed his education at McGill University of Montreal, from which he was graduated with honors in 1911, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Architecture. his first experience along professional lines was obtained in the offices of P. E. Nobbs and Edward and W. S. Maxwell of Montreal and for a short time he was associated with his uncles in the contracting business. He then became a draftsman with the D. I. S. Company of Sydney, Nova Scotia, and in 1904 he came to this province, locating at Edmonton, where he has since successfully followed the profession of architecture. He is now associated with II. A. Magoon, being senior member of the firm, which occupies a position of leadership in this field, and on all sides are found evidences of their skill and handiwork. Among other buildings in which their professional ability has been called into play are: The designing of the main portion of the Tegler building; the Agency and Northern buildings; the new public library; the store of Thompson & Dynes; the Young Women's Christian Association; the residences of James Ramsey and H. V. Shaw; and the Woodward, Cattistock, Dominion, Goodridge, H. V. Shaw and Metals, Ltd., buildings, all in Edmonton. Thorough technical training, broad experience and natural talent have brought Mr. MacDonald success and prominence in his profession and his work represents the highest degree of skill in architecture, being a source of pride to Edmonton's citizens.

At Red Deer, Alberta, on June 17, 1913, Mr. MacDonald was married to Miss Dorothea Enid Huestis, a daughter of Rev. Charles Huestis, D. D., and Jessie B. Huestis, who formerly resided in the province of Nova Scotia. Dr. Stephen Huestis, the paternal grandfather of Mrs. MacDonald, was for many years prominently identified with the publishing business at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and at Toronto conducting the Methodist Book Room in the latter city. He is still living and has reached the venerable age of eighty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald have become the parents of five children: William Huestis and Ian Charles, both of whom are natives of Edmonton, the birth of the former occurring in 1914 and that of the latter in 1915; Alan Stewart, who was born in Quebec in 1919; Joan Whitman, a native of Edmonton; and Doris Stephanie, born in Edmonton in 1923.

Mr. MacDonald is a member of the reserve of militia officers and during nearly the entire period of the World war he represented the munitions board in the United States. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church and maintains an independent attitude in politics, supporting all movements calculated to advance the interests of good government. lie is an active member of the Edmonton Art Club and acts as treasurer of the local university association. During the winter season he finds recreation in figure skating and he is a member of the Gyro Club. his interests and activities have reached out along many lines and his is a well-rounded development. He is recognized as a broad-minded, public-spirited man of high professional attainments, and Edmonton is proud to claim him as a citizen.


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