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If ever there was one man who set the example of how to live life to its
fullest in the great white north, it was Captain Billy Wilson.
Although he passed away several years ago, he is still fondly remembered
by many area residents.
Born in Pensylvania, eight days after Canda's confederation, Wilson moved
to Alberton in 1881. the harsh travelling conditions of the day permitted
only the hardiest soul to make the trip.
The CN Rail line spanning the continent would not be completed for several
years, so like many pioneers, Wilson made use of the extensive waterways,
paddling his way to the Rainy River District in canoe.
The only part of the trip by rail was the first section, from the eastern
seaboard to Port Arthur (now part of Thunder Bay). The trip took Wilson
and his group of 23 travelling companions 11 days.
Although Wilson travelled to the region to meet up with his father who had
arrived a year earlier, he did not shirk his duty to make a living. Unlike
today, his 14 years made hin a prime candidate for hard work, and Wilson
found he had a knack for it.
Captain Wilson underwent the same tortorous journey a year later to pick
up the rest of his family.
He eventually became a boat captain, with a steam eningeer's certificate.
He captained may of the passenger and cargo steamers of the day, including
three that he built-the Thistle, the Roddick and the Welcome- three of the
most prominent ships on the river.
Later in life he also piloted tugs for the Ontario-Minnesota Pulp and Paper
Company, the forerunner to Boise Casade Canada.
But building steamers steamers wasn't the captains' only achievement. He
also built among other projects, eight houses including most of the plumbing.
At age 88 he built himself a new home with the help of his grandson, Bob.
Bob, currently working at LaVerendrye General Hospital, said he remembers
the time he spent with Captain Billy fondly. And although he wasn't in awe
of his grandfather's great stamina, he did realize what a feat it was.
"Well, I was pretty young at the time, maybe 14 or 16. I wouldn't say
I was in awe, but i did give him a lot of credit. And about a month after
we built that house he moved another house that he had built earlier into
town and layed the whole foundation for it," he recalls.
But mostly Bob remembers his grandfather as an active active man, who was
always intent on completing some project.
"He was always active doing something. If he wasn't building something
then he was cutting firewood or some other such thing," he noted.
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