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| Thomas Edmonds Wilson | |
|---|---|
| ]Thomas Edmonds Wilson | |
| Born | Aug. 21, 1859 |
| Died | Set. 20, 1933, at Banff, Alberta, Canada |
| Cause of death | Natural |
| Resting place | Banff, Canada |
| Occupation | Outfitter/Guide |
| Years active | 1881 - 1904 |
| Spouse | Minnie McDougall |
Thomas Edmonds Wilson (Tom Wilson) was born in Ontario, Canada and graduated from grammar school in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, in 1875.
Prominence
Tom Wilson's career began in 1881 with his volunteering to be the personal attendant to explorer A.B. Rogers; who would eventually discover the Rogers pass. Tom wilson was the primary backcountry outfitter West of Calgary, Alberta, and he would later outfit and provide guides, such as Billy Warren and Sid Unwin, for the prominent back country explorers such as Mary Schaeffer.
Travels
He initially travelled west via Fort Benton, Montana, USA. He joined the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) and was stationed at Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan Sept. 22, 1880. He was assigned to monitor Sitting Bull (Ta-tanka I-yotank), who had relocated to Canada after the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He resigned in 1881 and joined a survey party seeking a route for the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Rocky Mountains. He guided Major A.B. Rogers to the discovery of the Rogers Pass. In 1882 he discovered the now known Lake Louise and named it "Emerald Lake". The named lasted until 1884 when the name "Emerald Lake" was changed to Lake Louise in honour of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, wife of the governor general, John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, or Marquess of Lorne.
Wilson discovered a second beautiful "Emerald Lake" in 1882; which name stuck. This lake is near Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta and is a popular destination resort for hikers and wilderness camping.
In 1883, Wilson established his own business at Banff, Lake Louise and Field, British Columbia.
In 1885 he married Minnie McDougall, 1865-1936, of Owen Sound, Ontario; and established a guiding and outfitting business in Morley, Alberta on the Stoney First Nations reserve. The Wilsons had six children, Thomas Edmonds "Ed", 1898-1979, John Clark, 1888-1932, Adelaide Ann "Ada", 1886-1967?, Rene, ?-1968, Bessie (Dier) and Dora Burrell (McRitchie), 1898-1963. In 1893 he moved his backcountry outfitting business to Banff, Alberta.
After selling the business in 1904, Tom Wilson operated a horse ranch at Kootenay Plains. Tom Wilson was a noted explorer and guide and is credited with discovering Lake Louise, Alberta and blazing the trail to Mt. Assiniboine. Mount Wilson and Wilson Road, Calgary are named for him. See Trail Blazer of the Canadian Rockies / Thomas Edmonds Wilson.
References
- Edward J. Hart, “WILSON, THOMAS EDMONDS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed August 6, 2016, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/wilson_thomas_edmonds_16E.html.
- ^ Edward J. Hart, “WILSON, THOMAS EDMONDS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003
- Tom Wilson Family Fonds, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Archives and Library, WHYTE white-79
- -- Calgary : Glenbow, 1972; William F. E. Morley's article "Tom Wilson of the Canadian Rockies" in Alberta History, vol. 54, no. 1 (Winter 2006), p. 2-9