Manitoba Business: Paterson Grain Company

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This grain company was established in 1908 by Manitoba-born businessman Norman M. Paterson. A network of country grain elevators across the prairies funneled grain into terminal elevators at Fort William [now Thunder Bay], Ontario. In the early years, the firm acquired some country elevators by purchasing them from the Interior Elevator Company (1920) and Young Grain Company (1923).

Presidents

Period	President
1908-1981	Norman McLeod Paterson (1883-1983)
1981-2001	Donald Savigny Paterson (1918-2006)
2001-?	Andrew B. Paterson

Vice-Presidents

Period	Vice-President
?-1940	Mortimer A. Smith (1881-1940)
1940-c1988	?
?-1982	Lorne M. Paterson
1983-c1988	B. Art Domes
1992-?	Robert J. Paterson

Country Elevator Manager

Period	Country Elevator Manager
c1960	Barrie J. Knight

Country Elevators (Manitoba)

Location	No.	Rail	Opened	Closed	Capacity (bushels)	Comments
Alexander	18	CPR	1920	1988	70,000	New elevator (1908), bought from McLaughlin & Ellis (1916), destroyed by fire (1927), bought from Ogilvie Flour (1928), renovated (1929), new crib annex (1951), new balloon annex (1960), traded to Manitoba Pool (1988)
Arborg	147	CPR	1967	-	51,900	New elevator (1967), two steel tanks (1968), new crib annex (1973)
Balmoral	51	CNR	1935	2002	42,500	Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt (1935), new crib annex (1952), new steel tank (1969)
Belmont	60	CNR	?			Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), demolished (1921), material used to build new elevator at Roseisle (1921)
Binscarth	?	CPR	1995	-	?
Boissevain	144	CPR	1961	-	153,500	New elevator (1961), new balloon annex (1962)
Bryd	113	CPR	1926	1994	72,500	New elevator (1910), bought from A. S. Arnold (1926), new crib annex (1952), demolished (February 1996)
Cabot	148	CNR	1968	1970	41,000	Bought from Scottish Cooperative (1967), moved to Dacotah (1971)
Cameron	103	CPR	1922	1952	30,000	New elevator (1902), bought from Young Grain (1922), demolished (1952) and material used to build annex at Swan Lake (1953)
Cartwright	80	CPR	1920	1968	52,200	New elevator (1897), bought from Cartwright Farmers (1920), second elevator bought from Young Grain (1923), both demolished (1925), new elevator (1925), sold to Federal Grain (1969)
Chillon	89	CPR	1921	1926	30,000	New elevator (1921), sold to Manitoba Pool (1928)
Cracknell	85	CPR	1921	2000	94,900	New elevator using material salvaged from Sintaluta (1921), new annex (1952), new balloon annex using material salvaged from Madill (1960)
Crystal City 1	73	CPR	1920	-	60,000	New elevator (1900), bought from Manitoba Government (September 1919), second elevator bought from Young Grain (1922), both demolished (1927), new elevator (1927), bought from UGG (1941), new balloon annex (1960), new balloon annex (1963), destroyed by fire (2018)
Crystal City 2	73	CPR	?	?	?
Culross 1	75	CPR	1920	-	?	New elevator using material salvaged from Stoughton (1920), new crib annex (1949), new balloon annex (1955), new balloon annex (1960)
Culross 2	75	CPR	1928	?	?	Bought from UGG (September 1969)
Cypress River 1	54	CPR	1927	-	?	New elevator (1898), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt (1927), new balloon annexes (1940, 1953, 1963), annexes replaced by steel tanks (1980)
Cypress River 2	54	CPR	1928			Bought from Manitoba Pool (2004)
Dacotah	43	CNR	1917	2002	?	New elevator (1917), rebuilt (1938), new elevator and old elevator converted to annex (1957), two steel tanks (1967), second elevator moved from Cabot (1971), demolished (August 2003)
Deloraine	102	CPR	1923	1927	30,000	Bought from Young Grain (1922); sold to Manitoba Pool (1928)
Dipple Siding	83	CNR	1921	1949	30,000	New elevator (1921), closed (1949), demolished and material used to build annex at Fannystelle (1950)
Dufrost	50	CPR	1920	1999	?	New elevator (1899), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt using material salvaged from Kincaid (1938), new crib annex (1950), new balloon annex (1960), demolished (2000)
Dunrea	95	CNR	1923	1947	28,000	Bought from Young Grain (1922), sold to UGG (1948)
Dutton	76	CNR	1921	1924	30,000	New elevator (1921), sold to Manitoba Pool (1925)
Elgin	97	CNR	1922	1980	82,800	New elevator (1898), bought from Young Grain (1922), rebuilt (1928), demolished (circa 1966), replacement moved from Wakopa (1966), sold to Manitoba Pool (?)
Elm Creek	52	CPR	1920	1993	?	New elevator (1898), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), demolished (1938), new elevator (1938), new balloon annexes (1957, 1964), new crib annex (1978)
Emerson	137	CPR	1938	1982	72,700	New elevator using materials salvaged from Ettington (1938), new balloon annex (1955), steel tank (1969), sold to Allstate Grain (c1983)
Enterprise	98	CNR	1923	1965	62,100	New elevator (1904), bought from Young Grain (1922), rebuilt (1940), moved to Fairfax for use as annex (1966)
Fairfax 1	58	CNR	1920	1999	?	New elevator (1899), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), renovated (1929), new balloon annex (1940), old elevator moved from Enterprise for use as annex (1966), steel tanks (1968, 1971), demolished (2000)
Fairfax 2	58	CNR	1981	1999	?	Demolished (2000)
Fairfax 3	58	CNR	1981	1985	?
Fannystelle	104	CPR	1923	1968	142,800	New elevator (1909), bought from Fannystelle Farmers (1923), rebuilt (1940), new annex built from material salvaged at Dipple Siding (1950), sold to UGG (1968)
Gladstone 1	82	CPR	1920	1925	90,000	Rented from Echo Flour Mills (1921), lease unrenewed (1933)
Gladstone 2	82	CNR	1923	1932	30,000
Goodlands	56	CPR				Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), demolished (1919), material used to build new elevator at Haywood (1919)
Grandview	44	CNR	1917	1924	40,000	New elevator (1917), sold to Manitoba Pool (1925)
Hathaway	115	CPR	1927	1927	30,000	New elevator (1927), sold to Manitoba Pool (1928)
Haywood	71	CPR	1920	1986	98,800	New elevator using material salvaged from Goodlands (1919), new crib annex (1951), new balloon annex (1956)
Hilton	?	CNR	?	?	?	Traded to Manitoba Pool (?), moved to Ninette (1960s)
Holland	53	CPR	1920	-	?	New elevator (1891), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt (1927), new balloon annexes (1953, 1957, 1960), rebuilt (1958)
Hope Farm (Martins Spur)	48	CNR	1920	1965	30,000	New elevator (1889), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt (1934), closed (31 July 1960) and moved to St. Jean for use as an annex (?), sold to Paul Fillion (February 1966)
Horton	?	CNR	1927	1965	73,400	New elevator (1927), sold (1966)
Inglis 1	93	CPR	1922	1995	30,000	New elevator (1922), new balloon annexes (1949, 1953)
Inglis 2	93	CPR	1980	1985	?	Bought from Cargill Grain (1980)
Inwood	92	CNR	1922	1926	30,000	Bought from David Wood (1922), demolished and material used to build at Lyleton (1926)
Ipswich	114	CPR	1926	1961	47,700	New elevator (?), bought from A. S. Arnold (1926), sold to Manitoba Pool (May 1963)
Kane	69	CNR	1947	2008	?	Built using material salvaged from Winkler (1918), destroyed by fire (1947), new elevator (1947), new balloon annexes (1953, 1955)
Kelloe	112	CPR	1926	1938	21,500	Bought from A. S. Arnold (1926), sold to UGG (1938)
Killarney 1	81	CPR	1920	1999	30,000	New elevator (1906), bought from Joseph Pritchard (1920), second elevator bought from Young Grain (1922), both demolished (1927), new elevator (1927), rebuilt (1961), new balloon annexes (1960, 1963), old elevator brought from Mountainside used as crib annex (1966)
Killarney 2	81	CPR	1980	1999	?	New elevator (1979-1980)
Killarney 3	81	CPR	1999	-	?
La Salle	17	CPR	1920	-	?	New elevator (1902), bought from Cormier (1915), rebuilt using material salvaged from Dumas (1938), new balloon annexes (1940, 1955)
Lena	99	CNR	1923	1965	30,000	New elevator (1904), bought from Young Grain (1922), sold (1967)
Letellier	49	CNR	1920	1927	30,000	Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), sold to Manitoba Pool (1928)
Lyleton	110	CPR	1926	1976	70,900	Built using material salvaged at Inwood (1926), new balloon annexes (1940, 1953), sold (1979), demolished (c2008)
Madill	90	CPR	1921	1970	23,000	New elevator using material salvaged from Hume (1921), closed (15 January 1959), dismantled and materials moved to Cracknell for use as annex (1960), demolished (1973)
Marquette 1	74	CPR	1920	1972	?	New elevator (1920), sold (1974), demolished (?)
Marquette 2	74	CPR	1941	2013	22,500	New elevator (1941), new balloon annexes (1953, 1960), demolished (September 2013)
Meadows 1	94	CPR	1922	?	?	New elevator (1922), bought from McLaughlin & Ellis (1922), destroyed by fire (1922), new elevator (1922), sold (1976), demolished (?)
Meadows 2	94	CPR	1947	2013	?	New elevator (1947), new balloon annexes (1953, 1960), new crib annex (1978), demolished (July 2017)
Meharry	72	CNR	1919	1923	30,000	New elevator (1919), sold to Manitoba Pool (1925)
Mile 202		CNR	1920	1921	30,000
Minto 1	96	CNR	1923	2005	30,000	New elevator (1898), bought from Young Grain (1922), rebuilt (1936), new balloon annexes (1940, 1955, 1963), new steel tanks (?), closed (2005), demolished (2015)
Minto 2	96	CNR	1928	2005	40,000	Traded from Manitoba Pool (1988), closed (2005), demolished (2015)
Morris	46	CPR	1920	-	?	New elevator (1889), Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), rebuilt (1940), new crib annex (1952), new balloon annex (1963)
Mountainside (Anvers)	101	CNR	1923	1965	30,000	New elevator (1914), bought from Young Grain (1922), rebuilt (1928), moved to Killarney for use as crib annex (1966)
Ninette	59	CNR	1920	1927	30,000	Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), sold to Manitoba Pool (1928)
Oakland	109	CNR	1925	1925	15,000	Rented one year (1924), sold to Forsythe (1925)
Pierson	146	CPR	1965	-	?	Demolished (?), bought Manitoba Pool (?), new elevator (1965), new balloon annex (1965), two steel tanks (1969)
Rathwell	111	CPR	1926	1969	51,300	Bought from Rathwell Farmers (1926), sold to UGG (September 1969)
Ridgeville 1	70	CNR	1920	1980	59,400	New elevator by George Pocock (1901), bought from Manitoba Government (1919), new elevator (1934), demolished (1980s)
Ridgeville 2	70	CNR	1947	1980	62,000	New elevator (1947), new balloon annex (1956), destroyed by fire (April 2010)
Roseisle	84	CNR	1921	1974	54,400	New elevator using material salvaged from Belmont (1921), new balloon annex (1953), sold (1977)
St. Jean Baptiste 1	47	CNR	1920	1988	88,000	New elevator (1890), bought from Northern Elevator (1918), rebuilt (1935)
St. Jean Baptiste 2	47	CNR	?			Bought from Canadian Consolidated (July 1952), steel tank (1969), traded to Manitoba Pool (1988)
Shellmouth	77	CNR	1920	1938	25,000	New elevator (1920), sold to British America (1940)
Somerset	136	CNR	1934	1980	38,000	Bought from Federal Grain (1934), rebuilt (1945), new balloon annexes (1954, 1960), steel tank (1969)
Sperling		CNR	1998	2007	?
Swan Lake	108	CNR	1924	2005	26,000	New elevator (1923), new balloon annex (1940), new crib annex using material salvaged from Cameron (1953), demolished (2008)
Teulon	91	CPR	1922	-	28,400	New elevator (1916), bought from David Wood (1922), destroyed by fire (1939), new elevator (1939), new crib annex (1951), new balloon annex (1960)
Treherne	45	CPR	1917	1980	82,400	New elevator (1892), bought from Manitoba Government (1917), rebuilt (1928), new balloon annex (1955), steel tanks (1968, 1969)
Wakopa	100	CNR	1923	1965	30,000	New elevator (1904), bought from Young Grain (1922), rebuilt (1940), moved to Elgin (1966)
Waskada	57	CPR	1920	2004	?	New elevator (1901), bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), second elevator bought from Young Grain (1922), both dismantled and new elevator built (1927), new balloon annex (1940), new crib annex (1952), renovated (1958), new balloon annex (1963)
Wassewa	143	CNR	1960	1965	22,000	Bought from UGG (October 1959)
Winkler	55	CPR	?			Bought from Northern Elevator (June 1918), demolished (1918) and material used to build new elevator at Kane (1918)
Winnipeg	?	?	2000	-	?

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Norman McLeod Paterson (1883-1983)

Sources:

“Rural Municipality of Riverside Council Minutes,” Belmont News, 3 March 1966, page 2.

“Elevator disposal a challenge,” Brandon Sun, 22 July 2000, page 5.

“Goodbye to an old friend,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 August 2003, page 20.

Elevator Company Files [Temporary Box #1], Paterson Grain Company, John Everitt Fonds, S. J. McKee Archives, Brandon University.

We thank Carol Wilkinson for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 10 July 2022