John P. Pennefather (1833–1913) was an army officer and physician, born in Poona, India. He trained in medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, and served with the East India Company before practicing in London. In 1880, he emigrated to Manitoba, settling near Holland. During the 1885 North-West Resistance, he was appointed medical officer to the Winnipeg Light Infantry and served with the Alberta Field Force. Following the conflict, he continued to practice medicine in Winnipeg and later in Holland, Manitoba. Pennefather authored a memoir in 1892 reflecting on his years in the Canadian West. He died in Winnipeg in 1913.
This memoir documents John P. Pennefather’s experiences in the Canadian West following his immigration in 1880. The narrative includes his observations on prairie settlement, frontier life, and the social and environmental conditions of the region. A portion of the text recounts his service as a medical officer during the 1885 North-West Resistance, offering a firsthand account of military life, the march west, the battle of Frenchman’s Butte and the pursuit of Big Bear.
