Memorable Manitobans: Daniel David Wood (1859-1925)

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Daniel David Wood
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Building contractor, brick manufacturer.

Born at Bilston, England on 7 April 1859, son of Daniel Wood and Mary Wright, he emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1870 and settled at Brantford, Ontario. He was later employed constructing bridges for the Grand Trunk Railway, eventually becoming a contractor at Seaforth, Ontario.

He moved to Winnipeg in 1882 and worked in the building trades, later working as a locomotive engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway from 1883 to 1885. He delivered the first contingent of troops to Saskatchewan during the 1885 North West Rebellion, then retired to a career as a building contrator in Winnipeg, in partnership with A. C. Sutherland.

After 1900, he diversified into coal and wood supply. By the 1920s, he was Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the Woods Brick Company. He was a partner in the Alsip Brick and Tile Company and operated quarries at Stony Mountain. At the time of his death, he was President and Manager of D. D. Wood and Sons Limited, Secretary-Treasurer and Manager of the Birds Hill Sand Stone Brick Company, and President of the Fort Garry Construction Company.

On 10 September 1885, he married Katherine “Kate” Wilson (1863-1950) and they had nine children: Adwin Victor Wilson Wood (1886-1979), Daniel John Howard Wood, Melville Cornelius Wood (1890-1917), Thomas Reginald Wood (1892-1893), Kathleen Wood (1894-1931, wife of William Matheson), Gladys Wood (1896-1968, wife of William J. Boyd), Lionel Elmer Wood (1899-1965), William David Charles Wood (1903-?), and George Edward Wood (1905-1979).

He was a member of the Winnipeg City Council (1901, 1903-1904) and the Winnipeg Board of Trade. An ardent curler, he was President of the Thistle Curling Club (1899-1901), Royal Caledonian Curling Club, and Manitoba Curling Association (1900-1901). He was a member of the Carleton Club, Winnipeg Automobile Club, Whytewold Beach Club, AF & AM (Ancient Landmark Lodge), Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Sons of England Benefit Society, and Ancient Order of United Workmen.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 436 Edmonton Street, on 30 December 1925 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Some of his construction works in Manitoba included:

Building

Location

Year

Status

Norquay School No. 1

Lusted Avenue, Winnipeg

1892

Demolished (1955)

Stovel Building

245 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg

1893

 

Court House

Winnipeg

1894-1895

Demolished (?)

Christie-Broughall Block

536 Main Street, Winnipeg

1895

Demolished (1990)

Davis Building

Winnipeg

1895

Demolished (?)

Bank of Hamilton

Winnipeg

1897

Demolished (?)

Gladstone School

Osborne Street, Winnipeg

1898

Demolished (?)

Isbister School

310 Vaughan Street, Winnipeg

1898

 

Bank of Commerce

Winnipeg

1900

Demolished (?)

Somerset School

775 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg

1901

Demolished (2005)

Carnefac Block

188 Princess Street, Winnipeg

1901

 

Balmoral Court

540 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg

1905

 

Wellington School

Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg

1905-1906

Demolished (?)

See also:

MHS Resources: Manitoba Bricks and Blocks

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“D. D. Wood, prominent city contractor, dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 31 December 1915, page 1.

Who's Who and Why, Volumes 6 and 7, 1915-1916, page 567.

“Master builder leaves behind record of note,” Winnipeg Tribune, 31 December 1925, page 8.

“Isbister School,” Manitoba Historic Resources Branch, 1984, 16 pages.

We thank Terry Webber and Rick Mutton for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 25 August 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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