Berton, Pierre

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Berton
  • Wiki Biography Notes:
    • Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian historian, writer, journalist and broadcaster. Berton wrote 50 best-selling books, mainly about Canadiana, Canadian history and popular culture. He also wrote critiques of mainstream religion, anthologies, children’s books and historical works for youth. He was a reporter and war correspondent, an editor at Maclean’s Magazine and The Toronto Star and, for 39 years, a panelist on Front Page Challenge. He was a founder of the Writers’ Trust of Canada, and won many honours and awards.
    • Berton was born on July 12, 1920, in Whitehorse, Yukon, where his father had moved for the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. His family moved to Dawson City, Yukon in 1921. His mother, Laura Beatrice Berton (maiden name Laura Beatrice Thompson), was a schoolteacher in Toronto until she was offered a job as a teacher in Dawson City at the age of 29 in 1907. She met Frank Berton in the nearby mining town of Granville shortly after settling in Dawson and teaching kindergarten. Laura Beatrice Berton’s autobiography of life in the Yukon entitled I Married the Klondike was published in her later years and gave her what her son Pierre describes as “a modicum of fame, which she thoroughly enjoyed
    • Berton served as the chancellor of Yukon College and, along with numerous honorary degrees, received over 30 literary awards such as the Governor General’s Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times), the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and the Gabrielle Léger Award for Lifetime Achievement in Heritage Conservation in 1989. He is a member of Canada’s Walk of Fame, having been inducted in 1998. In The Greatest Canadian project, he was voted No. 31 in the list of great Canadians. Berton was named Toronto Humanist of the Year 2003 by the Humanist Association of Toronto. The honour is presented by H.A.T. to men and women who, in their actions and creative endeavours, exemplify the principles of Humanism: a commitment to reason, compassion, ethics and human dignity. In 1992, he was named a member of the Order of Ontario. In 1974, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada; in 1986, he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest decoration.
  • Third Great Grandson of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=547
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10007273/pierre-berton