Wyoming owes her upbuilding and prosperity primarily to her live stock interests, but with the utilization of the ranges for cattle and sheep raising other sources of wealth sprung up and it was soon recognized that Wyoming was rich in its mineral deposits and especially in its broad coal fields. Then was instituted the work of developing the mines, a work that was pushed forward largely by the Union Pacific Railroad Company, which organized the Union Pacific Coal Company. In this connection Mr. Faddis has become prominent as superintendent of the mines of the Union Pacific Coal Company at Cumberland, a position of responsibility which he adequately fills to the satisfaction of the corporation which he represents, while among the miners he is held in high respect and esteem, for they recognize his justice and his ability.
    Mr. Faddis is a native of Dumbartonshire, Scotland. He was born on the 5^th of December, 1857, and is a son of David and Elizabeth (Trainor) Faddis, who crossed the Atlantic to the new world in 1871, when their son John was a lad of thirteen years. The family home was established at Coalville, Utah, and the father, who for many years had been connected with mining interests in Scotland, retired from active business life, spending his remaining days in well earned rest. He died at Coalville in 1879, while his widow survived him until 1887, she, too, passing away in that place. They had a family of ten children.
    John McCallister Faddis was the eighth in order of birth and in early life he attended the public schools of Scotland but when only nine years of age began working in the mines and since that time has been connected in one phase or another with the development of coal fields in various places of the old and of the new world. In 1874 he removed from Coalville, Utah, to Wyoming, but remained for only a short period at that time. He then returned to Utah, but again came to Wyoming in 1886, locating at Almy, where he continued until 1894. He then again went to Coalville, Utah, where he resided until March, 1901, when he removed to Cumberland, accepting the position of mine foreman of Mine No. 1, and in May, 1910, he was advanced to the superintendency and has since had charge of the entire Cumberland district for the Union Pacific Coal Company. His long experience has made him thoroughly qualified for the duties that devolve upon him in this connection. He is familiar with every phase of coal mining, from the work with pick and shovel and the sorting of the coal until it is placed upon the market. As superintendent he directs the labors of the many miners at Cumberland and his work is proving entirely satisfactory to the corporation which he represents. He carefully guards its interests and at the same time is fair in his dealings with the miners, and excellent conditions exist in the Cumberland district.
    On the 2^d of April, 1877, Mr. Faddis was united in marriage to Miss Isabel Sim, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sim, the former a miner, who was born in Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Faddis have become the parents of six children who are living, and they also lost four children in infancy. Those who survive are: Mrs. Elizabeth Bagnell, who was born at Coalville in 1878 and who by her marriage has four children, Viola, John, William and Robert; David T., who was born at Grass Creek, Utah, in November, 1880, and is married and resides at Frontier, Wyoming, where he is rearing his family of six children, Florence, Edna, Henry, Hazel, Margaret and Clara; Robert S., who was born at Coalville in 1885 and is at home; James P., who was born in 1888 at Coalville and is married and lives at Cumberland, where he is rearing a family of three children, James, William and Alexander, while one child, Gordon, has passed away; Mary Essie, who was born in Almy, Wyoming, in 1891 and is the wife of John Keller, of Manti, Utah, and the mother of four children, Leah, deceased, Phyllis, John and Elizabeth; and Velma, who was born in Coalville in March, 1901, and is now a pupil in the high school at Coalville.
    Mr. Faddis is a republican in his political views and has filled the office of justice of the peace for six years. He has served as president of the school board for sixteen years and has made a most excellent record by the faithfulness and capability with which he has discharged his public duties. His fraternal relations are with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, his membership being in the lodge at Rock Springs. His religious faith is that of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints.
    Starting out to provide for his own support when a lad of nine years, Mr. Faddis has indeed won the proud American title of a self-made man. Whatever success he has achieved or enjoyed is attributable entirely to his earnest labor and it has been through his unfaltering industry, his persistency of purpose and his laudable ambition that he has worked upward. His life has been a busy and useful one and he is now at the head of important interests in connection with an industry that has been a most valuable contributing factor to the growth and prosperity of the state.