Alex C. M. Wilson

Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada

Alexander Craig McMiken Wilson

aka: Alex Wilson, Alec Wilson, Happy Wilson, A. C. Wilson, Alex C. Wilson

Photo May 24, 1941, courtesy Margaret Cuddington Alexander Craig McMiken Wilson

Birth Certificate- Alexander Craig Wilson
Marriage Certificate- Alexander Wilson
Family Bible- Alexander Craig McMiken Wilson

b- Dec 1, 1878, In Moat House Farm, Gorsey Lane, near the Village of Bold, in Prescott Parish, St. Helens, Lancashire, England
Christened Mar 2, 1879 in Burtonwood, Lancashire.
Burtonwood is a village between St Helens and Warrington.
d- June 25, 1971, in Winnipeg MB.

His wife Jane “Ellen” Wilson, nee Woods
b- Feb 20, 1879 at Havannah, on Newton Rd, Parr,
now St. Helens, Lancashire, England
d- Nov 2, 1957 in St. Joseph Hospital, Estevan SK, age 78

Jane “Ellen” Wilson, nee Woods, Obituary,
Both buried in Estevan City Cemetery

Alec Wilson and his Wife's Grave and Headstone
Estevan City Cemetery, Section 9, Plot 31, Lot 2, (4th row from the Main entrance rd.)
taken Aug 2009**
They were married Dec 25, 1901 in St. Peter's Church, Parr, St. Helens,
in Prescott Registration District, Lancashire, England.
Her parents were Edward and Mary Woods
and they lived at Parr, St. Helens, Lancashire. Alexander and Ellen had 2 daughters and a son
1. Hildred Wilson
b- Jan 4, 1903 in St. Helens, Lancashire, England.
d- Apr 4, 1980 in Regina SK,
living in Fort Qu'Appelle at the time.
married Thomas “Tom” Richard Cuddington, Dec 5, 1922 in Estevan
b- Oct 19, 1893, in Brighton, Sussex, England
d- ca Aug 1950, age 68
see my ** Cuddington Family Family page in Bienfait 2. Ida Madeline Wilson (picture above)
b- July 11, 1909 in Pinto, SK.
d- June 15, 2000 in Sandringham Hospital in Victoria BC
She married June 8, 1957, Wilfrid Jamieson Lewis,
in St Paul's United Church in Estevan SK
and lived in Winnipeg MB.

Alex, and daughter Ida Lewis
taken at Alex's 90th birthday 3. They also had a son
b- Nov 27, 1914 at Taylorton SK
d- Nov 27, 1914 at Taylorton SK
a Baby Boy that died the same day

50th Wedding Anniversary, Dec 25, 1951
Back Row- Howard Cuddington, Ivy Cuddington, Gordon Cuddington,
Douglas “Doug” Cuddington, Margaret “Marg” Cuddington,
Thomas “Tom” Richard Cuddington
Front Row- Ida Lewis, nee Wilson, Bonnie Cuddington, Alex Wilson , Jane “Ellen” Woods,
Dianne Cuddington, Hildred Cuddington, nee Wilson

2 newspaper articles re: their 50th Wedding Anniversary, Dec 25, 1951

Alex came to Canada in Dec. 1904,
stayed in Canada until Nov 1905,
then returned to England.
Came back to Canada in May 1906.
with his wife Ellen and daughter Hildred. || In 1906 they were boarding with
James and Elizabeth Molyneux at Coalfields.
(see manifest pics below)
They appear in the 1906 census, on page 14,
Assiniboia East, sub dist #7,
location of Coalfields, Sec 3, Tsp 2, Rge 6, W2.
Census was taken July 18, 1906. 1908 he was actually President of the U.M.W.A.
at the only mine working at the time.
By June 17, 1939 he was giving evidence
as General Superintendent of
Western Dominion Collieries, Page 1,
before a Federal Board of Conciliation.
Quoted as saying “ I don't run a Union, I run a Coal Mine”

In 1910 he purchased a course in Mining Engineering, from the International Correspondence School (ICS) in Scranton, Lackawanna Co., PA. USA,
and received his Certificate in Mine Engineering.
While he still worked in the mines, He earned his Mine Managers Certificate, in 1913.
(ICS was established in 1890 and still in operation) Mines he Managed or Owned (years):
Bienfait Commercial Coal Co. (1)
Crescent Collieries (7) manager 1919-1926
M&S Coal Co. (12) (Manager 1926-38)
Bienfait Mines Ltd. (2) (Owned 1938-39) (this was Wilson Mine #1)
Western Dominion Collieries, Page 1. (4)
Eastern Mine (Wilson Mine #2) (Owned 1936-38)
Havanah Collieries ____Ltd. (1943- 12 years) (see note a)
Bienfait No2 Mine (Owned)** (note a)- there was a Havannah Colliery,
near Parr, in Lancashire,
also a Havannah Lane,
and Havannah is shown as a place name
on Newton Rd, Parr,
where Alex's wife Ellen was born and probably raised.
Somehow Alex dropped the one “n” is all.
and this would have been where the name came from
Parr is now part of St. Helens Owned M&S Mar 2,1936 when the Loader building
at the end of the tipple, burnt down at 6pm.
The loader machine in the building was valued at $5,000.00
It was used to load the larger lumps of coal. Over 60 years involved in the Coal Mine business
in SE. Saskatchewan.

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Wilson, of the Crescent Mines,
visited Riverside Farms per Mar 13, 1924 article
sorry quality is very poor but dates are important Alex was one of the organizers
of the visit to the area by Governor General Lord Byng in1925. **Most of the above was info I tracked down from various sources
But all below is info from Margaret “Marg” Cuddington,
All in Adobe .pdf format

June 15, 1965 Alex wrote a brief story of his life, to a Mr. J. W. McCaig, Esq (see note b below)
Chairman, Saskatchewan Jubilee Centennial Corporation, Regina
page1_1965letter.pdf
page2_1965_letter.pdf

(note b) Mr. Jack McCaig, was Committee Chairman, of the Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee Committee.
In 1961 he was an Alderman in Moose Jaw. Started out as a small trucking operator in 1946,\ and became the Founder and Owner of Trimac Ltd.
He retired from Trimac in 1962, and died in Calgary, Apr 9, 1981
Father- John McCaig was born in Scotland,
John died Nov 20, 1959 in Moose Jaw, age 80
John came to Canada in 1919, settling in Ogema dist.
brother to Jack- Bill McCaig in Regina
sister to Jack- Mrs. J. D. Smith of Vancouver

Then also in 1965 Alex wrote a more Complete Story of his life. He was 86 at the time.

8 pages in Adobe .pdf format
page1_1965document.pdf
His early life, arrival in Canada, Taylorton and Tabor AB
page2_1965document.pdf
His working experience, work with boilers, and his education
page3_1965document.pdf
Prospecting and Searching for Coal and Water in Estevan, Bienfait area
page4_1965document.pdf
He operated the First Mining and Cutting Machine in 1908,
at Western Dominion Coal Co. Ltd.
page5_1965document.pdf
Mine fires in Underground Mines
page6_1965document.pdf
Memories and Experiences of 75 years,
re: Labour, Unions, and Strikes
page7_1965document.pdf
You don't read many items from a Manager/Business man, that describes Unions, Groups and Organizations in every walk of life, not just the workers.
I find most managers never see that point of view. My experience is most hate unions, failing to realize they belong to one themselves!
page8_1965document.pdf
Problems with water in the “First” Crescent Collieries

Original of this 8 page document is in the SK Provincial Archives, per notation on page 1
Thanks to Margaret Cuddington for this information and pictures.

*My Original Opening on this page
Tracing Alex like the other owners and managers of mines
in SE. Saskatchewan, is no easy task.
They are noted in the history books, Alex, more than most,
but still only brief information on their past. Their family etc.
With a little internet searching I have compiled the following information.
Note, I am an Amateur Genealogist, and as such,
do not proclaim this info below to be 100% accurate.
It is as best as I can get, without spending money
on ordering certificates of birth and marriage in England.
Spent a few hours looking at microfilm in the Estevan Library,
but couldn't find his obituary, which I find strange,
since him and his wife are buried there.** I wrote the above in 2009, and then tonight
Apr 1, 2011, a big surprise, and not even an April Fool's joke!
Tonight an email from Margaret Cuddington,
the wife of Douglas Cuddington,
the Grandson of Alex Wilson.
With the email, wonderful pictures, Life Story,
and Family Tree for Alex Wilson.
It just doesn't get better than that,
for information to add to this page.
By the time you read his life story,
you will get a feel for the man,
and a taste of his early life, as well as his Mine Manager life.
Reading what he went thru, you have to respect him.
I hope you enjoy the information as much as I did.