Born	1851
Died	1896
Son of Thomas Stone and Mary Gregson

Thomas Stone

Born High Street, Newton From the Canadian National Biography Online website: http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=40567 copied on 2-9-04 "STONE, THOMAS, sportsman and businessman; b. 24 Jan. 1852 at Newton Park, Newton-le-Willows (Merseyside), England, fifth son of Thomas Stone and Mary -; m. 11 Nov. 1890 Constance Emily Wainewright in Calgary, and they had two sons; d. there 18 Sept. 1897. Before coming to Canada in the late 1880s, Thomas Stone earned a reputation as an excellent athlete, particularly in the shot put and other field events. In the shot put his performance at the British national championships earned him a third-place finish (1872), two seconds (1873 and 1874), and three consecutive firsts (1875-77); he also took second place in the hammer throw in 1876. In competitions between Britain and Ireland, he placed second in the shot put in 1876 and the following year won that event. By 1888 Stone had left his native England and was apparently working in western Canada as a travelling salesman for S. and H. Borbridge, harness and luggage manufacturers. Later that year he joined the Canadian Agricultural, Coal and Colonization Company, founded by Sir John Lister Kaye, as manager of its Kincarth Farm, near Calgary. The following year he became acting manager of all 11 company farms and in 1890 was named general manager. The company had begun cattle-slaughtering and meat-marketing operations in 1889 and under Stone's direction these activities expanded. A subsidiary, the Northwest Trading Company, was created in early 1891 to handle this part of the business. Nevertheless, the overall performance of Kaye's operations was not satisfactory and the company's British backers disposed of most of their holdings in 1895. Stone left to set up his own pork-packing firm in Calgary, Stone and Company, which he converted to a joint-stock company in October 1896. From his arrival in Calgary, Stone involved himself in local sports. He was instrumental in the organization of an athletic meet in 1890 which led to the formation of the North West Amateur Athletic Club later that year. He served as president of the club in 1890 and from 1890 to 1897 held various positions in the Lacrosse Club, the Calgary Cricket Club, the Calgary Rod and Gun Club, and the Calgary Turf Association. When the Calgary Bicycle Club was formed in the spring of 1892, Stone was named honorary president. He frequently officiated at polo tournaments, athletic events, trap shoots, and field trials for dogs. It was not unusual for him to participate and he often "surprised the younger athletes." On one occasion in 1890, at age 38, he took first place in the hammer throw, shot put, high jump, and broad jump. Stone was also active in Calgary's business community. At different times he held administrative positions, including that of vice-president, in the Calgary Board of Trade, and he sat on its committees dealing with the federal government and the Canadian Pacific Railway on questions such as branch lines, freight rates, irrigation, and western representation in the House of Commons. He served as spokesman for the district of Calgary on the question of tariffs, and at a convention on immigration at Winnipeg in 1896 he was selected as one of the Alberta representatives in the Western Canada Immigration Association. His particular business activity was reflected in director-ships in the Alberta Horse Breeders' Association and the Calgary District Agricultural Society; he was a member of the Ranchmen's Club from its establishment in 1891, and a founding member in 1896 of Calgary's Stockmen's Association. That year Stone was solicited to run as the Conservative candidate in the federal election. He withdrew in favour of Thomas B. H. Cochrane and instead chaired the committee formed to lead the local campaign. Cochrane lost to his Liberal opponent, Frank Oliver*, in the election that brought Wilfrid Laurier* to power in Ottawa. Some of Stone's responsibilities with the Board of Trade obliged him to travel east occasionally, and in 1897 he contracted a serious cold during one of these trips. Complications after his return to Calgary resulted in his premature death on 18 Sept. 1897. The Calgary Herald remembered him in its obituary as the individual who had done "more to elevate the tone of sport in the West than any other man." CLINTON O. WHITE Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (Anglican) (Calgary), Reg. of marriages, 11 Nov. 1890. Calgary Herald, 21 Sept. 1897. Calgary Tribune, February 1888-October 1897. Leader (Regina), 7 Aug., 23 Oct. 1888. North-West Territories Gazette (Regina), 2 Nov. 1896. Nor'West Farmer and Miller (Winnipeg), August 1890. Times (London), 14 May 1872; 7 April 1873; 31 March 1874; 23 March 1875; 11 April, 6 June 1876; 27 March, 28 May 1877. © 2000 University of Toronto/Université Laval" The Calgary Daily Herald 1897 Sep 21 pg 2 FUNERAL Of the Late Thomas Stone - A Large Gathering The funeral of the late Thomas Stone, which took place yesterday from the Church of the Redeemer, was one of the largest ever held in the city. The service was conducted by Ven. Archdeacon Cooper, assisted by the Rev. W. F. Webb. Solemn hymns were sung very impressively by the choir and as the casket was carried from the church. Dr. Sanson, the organist, played Handel’s Dead March. The pallbearers were: Messrs W. R. Hull, E. T. Hodder, W. B. Gravely, Wm. Pearce, H. H. McCullough and T.S.C. Lee. Among the mourners were: Mr. Robert Stone, Colonel Wainewright, Mr. C. D. Rickards, and Dr. D. H. Andrews. The members of the Ancient Order of United Workmen followed in a body and some 35 conveyances also formed the long procession which followed the hearse to the cemetery, where all that was mortal of one of the most highly respected and popular citizens of Alberta was laid to rest. Among those from a distance who attended the funeral were Supt. Niblock and Mrs. Thos. Tweed, Medicine Hat. (From Monday’s Daily) [Continuation of the same article]It was sad news on Saturday night when the word went round that Thomas Stone had breathed his last at the General Hospital. Although l his friend have been aware fro some time that death might come at any moment and that it was impossible to prolong life, still when it was whispered round that death ha come the shock was severe. Deceased, who was the fifth son of the late Mr. Thomas Stone, of New Park, Newton-le-Willows, England, came to the North West with Sir John Lister Kaye about the year 1889 as manager of the C.A.C. & C Co.’s farm in Kincarth, and when Sir John left for the Old Country in the spring of ’91, Mr. Stone was appointed acting manager with headquarters at Calgary, and in 1892 was appointed general manager, which position he held until the company sold out their interest to the Canadian Land and Ranche company in 1895, when he went into the cold storage and packing business. Since taking up his resident in Calgary, he has been very active in all matters of general interest to the town and surrounding country and at various time held the position of president of the Board of Trade, and leading offices in the Conservative association and was strongly urged to contest the constituency at the last general election. He was a very keen sportsman and a leader in all kinds of athletic games. It is not too much to say that Mr. Stone did more to elevate the tone of sport in the West than any other man. Last fall he was sent as a delegate to Winnipeg from the Board of Trade and city to the Immigration Convention and was taken with a heavy cold from which he never fully recovered, although he has been out and around much of the time since. He seems to have had a complication of diseases which only a man of his strong physique could have withstood so long. The obituary above is from sjhenker on Ancestry.co accessed 16th October 2009 On his son's marriage certificate he is entered as deceased but had been of independent means. From the Internet possibly about Thomas but no final proof as of 12th November 2003 M 109/3 Stone and Co., meat packers, Calgary : prospectus. - 1896. - Directors included: D. W. Marsh, P. A. Prince, W. R. Hull, H. W. G. Mayer, H. H. McCulloch, R. J. Hutchings, Robert and Thomas Stone. (Note Thomas had a brother called Robert) http://www.glenbow.org/archhtm/orr9.htm M 928, v. 2, p. 3 Note re financial position of Thomas Stone, Calgary. http://www.rootsweb.com/~cansk/SaskatchewanAndItsPeople/Volume2/listerkaye4.html In the mid to late 1880s Another man, who had to do with the cattle buying end of the scheme was D. H. Andrews. He was an Englishman from Wyoming, an old and experienced rancher, who was said to have made himself so obnoxious to the rustlers in that territory that they tried to murder him and he left to save his life. P {text-indent: 1cm;} Eighteen hundred and eighty-nine was a very dry year and the first crops failed; no dividends were forthcoming. Grandiose schemes such as the establishment of an enormous creamery at Swift Current and abatoirs at Calgary failed to emerge from the atmosphere. The English directors got tired of pouring money into a seive[sic]. Then Sir John-against whose personal honor and sincerity no whisper was ever heard-in order to pay wages, and keep the farms going tried to realise money from the cattle. A number were slaughtered and the beef sent to Montreal. It didn't meet with an enthusiastic reception in that market; and the shipment instead of replenishing the depleted coffers, barely paid expenses. Practically noth- ing was realised. P {text-indent: 1cm;} At last Sir John had to admit defeat, and returned to England. His place as general manager was taken by Mr. Thomas Stone, who had been managing the Kincarth Farm. Mr. Stone was a good business man, a very fine type of the manly gentleman. Incidentally he was a very fine sportsman; was once the champion weight-putter in England; a great pigeon-shot and an all-round good man at English sports. He made a gallant attempt, but he could not perform impossibilities. The gigantic wreck was only capable of a little salvaging and Mr. Stone gave up the task when convinced that successful resuscitation was beyond human endeavor. (Note: in his son Robert's obituary a comment is made about his father being an all round sportsman who went out to Calgary in 1888) Death DD Death MM Death YY Name Death Location Father/ Mother Spouse Residence News Paper News DD News MM 18 09 1897 STONE Thomas Calgary STONE Thomas CHW 23 09 Copied 31 March 2004 From Wesley F. Orr fonds (Glenbow) http://www.glenbow.org/archhtm/orrhome.htm M 928,v.1,p.994 E.W. Matthews, Winnipeg, Manitoba. - December 7, 1892. - Re T. Stone, manager of Canada Agricultural, Coal and Colonization Co.; financial position of George Alexander, Calgary. M 928,v.2,p.3 Note re financial position of Thomas Stone, Calgary. M 928,v.3,p.115 Thos. Stone, Calgary, Alberta. - July 1, 1892. - Re establishing a road between town and North West Trading Company.