MAJOR FRANCIS J. DEMERS.

Photograph  

	Major Francis J. Demers, superintendent of the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, Prince Albert, was born in Berthier, Quebec, in Novem-
ber, 1865; a son of Amateur and Olivine (Gagnon) Demers, natives of
Quebec. Amateur Demers was a barrister and practiced in Berthier all
of his life. He was a prominent member of the district and provincial
bars and the profession suffered a decided loss when his death occurred
in 1903.  Mrs. Demers died in 1896.
	Francis J. Demers received his education in the public and high schools
of Berthier, Quebec, and upon the completion of his textbook learning
he joined the staff in the registrar's office at Berthier and for five or
six years was active in that capacity. He then engaged in the manu-
facture of paper, in partnership with his brothers-in-law, Edgar and Au-
gustus Whiteford, at Portneuf, Quebec, until 1898, when he was appointed
inspector of the North West Mounted Police and stationed for a time at
Regina.  Later he was transferred to Battleford, Saskatchewan.  He
was captain in the militia, Eighty-sixth Battalion, prior to his removal to
Battleford. Captain Demers remained in Battleford until 1902 and then
went to Africa as a lieutenant in the Second Canadian Mounted Rifles
and rendered his country gallant service throughout the Boer war. Upon
his return to this country he was sent to Fort Saskatchewan as inspector
of the mounted police and two years later was sent to Whitehorse in the
Yukon, remaining there for five years. For a short time he was stationed
in McLeod, Alberta, and was again transferred to Battleford, where he
remained until 1912, when he was promoted to the rank of superintend-
ent and placed in command of the Hudson Bay district, with headquarters
at Churchill. Subsequently he was transferred to Maple Creek, Saskatche-
wan, where he remained five years; was stationed in Montreal for one year
and then returned to McLeod, where he resided until July, 1922, when
he was transferred to Prince Albert. As superintendent of the Prince
Albert barracks Major Demers has fifty-five men under him and controls
northern Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba and the eastern part of the
Northwest Territories, which includes all of the Hudson Bay country. He
is recognized as one of the pioneers of the west, for he was in this country
as a member of the militia in 1885 and took a prominent part in the Riel
Rebellion. Major Demers is a splendid example of military efficiency and
is one of Prince Albert's substantial citizens.
	In May of the year 1893 Major Demers was married to Miss Mary
Esther Whiteford and to their union five children have been born, one
of whom is living: John William, who is associated with the Bank of
Montreal at Girvin, Saskatchewan.  Augustus died in December, 1915,
when twenty-three years of age; and Paul, Mary Esther and one other
child, died in infancy.
	Major Demers is a consistent communicant of the Catholic church.
He is a public-spirited citizen, being ever cognizant of the duties and re-
sponsibilities as well as the privilege of good citizenship, and he is never
too busy to lend his aid to the furtherance of any movement for the
benefit of the community at large. He possesses a genial and pleasing
personality and his friends are legion.


         
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