Henry Stanley Carpenter

(1874.02.08 - 1950.06.12)
B.A. Sc., OLS, DLS, SLS (LM)
Commission #011
(1910.05.09)

Henry Stanley Carpenter was Deputy Minister of Highways and Transportation, Province of Saskatchewan from 1916 to 1939 when he retired in Regina, Saskatchewan

A dedicated public servant who was well versed in Engineering and Surveying before coming west in 1905. Born in Collingwood, Ontario he was the fifth child in a family of nine and received his initial schooling in Ontario. While attending the University of Toronto he spent his summers in engineering and survey work prior to his graduation in Practical Science. He was a graduate of the University of Toronto in 1898 with a B.A. in Science. He soon obtained his commissions as an Ontario Land Surveyor in 1899 and his Dominion Land Surveyors in 1901. From 1900 to 1905, as a Professional engineer and surveyor, he worked for the Department of Railways and Canals in Ottawa, Ontario on reconnaissance surveys. He was the assistant engineer on construction of the Trent Canal in Ontario along with spending time in exploration work on the Yukon Railway.

Mr. Carpenter joined the Saskatchewan Government service in 1905, as a District Surveyor and Engineer out of Regina. Due to his diligence, he was made Deputy Minister, Department of Public works from 1910 to 1912. He was appointed Superintendent of Highways until 1914. While with highways he held the position of Chairman, Board of Highways Commission until 1916. At that time he was again appointed a Deputy Minister under the Highways and Transportation Department. This position he held until he retired in 1939.

On May 27, 1909 a meeting of district surveyors of the Department of Public Works was held to discuss the formation of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors association. Mr. Carpenter was a member of that committee. Then the first official meeting to organize our association was in 1910 and held in the office of the district surveyor in Regina. Mr. Carpenter was elected chair at that meeting.

As Director of Surveys, at the time of the passing of the Land Surveyors Act of 1909, he became the first Secretary of the Board of Examiners, Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association, which he held until 1913.

In private life Mr. Carpenter married Jessie Ross Cameron in 1903 and they had 5 children. He was a member of the Wascana Lodge #2 A.F. & AM, the Regina Curling Club, the Regina Golf Club and a member of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Regina.

He was a past president of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Engineers Institute and held executive offices with the Canadian Institute of Civil Engineers and the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association.

Quoting from his obituary in 1950:

The man who was Saskatchewan’s Deputy Minister of Highways from the time of the highway system consisted of little more than winding roads until it became a complex network, H.S. Carpenter died suddenly at the age of 76. He had been in Saskatchewan Government service since the formation of the Province in 1905.

By J.H. Webb SLS (LM)