Agnes Gertrude Macdonald née VanKoughnet (c. 1860 – 1940) also known as Gertie Macdonald, was a Canadian socialite and second wife of Hugh John Macdonald.
VanKoughnet married Hugh John MacDonald, who was ten years her senior, on April 26, 1883, at St. Stephen’s church in Toronto.[1] After their marriage, the two moved from Winnipeg to Toronto, where they lived until 1887. In 1885, the two had a son who they named John Alexander after MacDonald's father and nicknamed Jack.[2]
In 1887, the Macdonalds returned to Winnipeg. Construction of Dalnavert House was completed in 1895 when the family moved in.[3] VanKoughnet was First Lady of Manitoba in 1900.[4] Later, when Hugh John was made a Knight Bachelor in 1913, she officially became Lady Agnes Gertrude Macdonald.[5][6] In 1905, VanKoughnet's son Jack died from complications due to diabetes; her husband, Hugh John, died in 1929.[2] Following her husband's death, VanKoughnet moved from Dalnavert to an apartment on Roslyn Road.[7]
In Winnipeg, VanKoughnet was involved in many social events. When the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall visited in 1901, she attended a luncheon in their honour and was seated at the head table. She also attended a luncheon at the Government House of Manitoba in 1939 celebrating a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.[8]
While living at Dalnavert, VanKoughnet had two strokes leading to health complications. VanKoughnet died on July 18, 1940, and was over 80 years old at the time.[9] She was buried in St. John's Cathedral Cemetery in Winnipeg next to Hugh John MacDonald and her son Jack.[1]
Hugh John MacDonald counted on VanKoughnet to assist him with many of his political dealings. VanKoughnet was responsible for supervising Macdonald's 38 clerical workers and acting as his assistant.[10] While serving as minister of the interior and superintendent general of Indian Affairs, Macdonald often left notes in the margins of his political papers with instructions for VanKoughnet.[11]
