THOMAS A. WILSON. 
 


	Success in any line of endeavor is not so much a matter of discrimi-
nating brain and extraordinary efficiency as it is the result of continu-
ous labor, a mastery of detail and a love of hard work. These qualities,
possessed in an eminent degree, make success almost inevitable and it
is to them that Thomas A. Wilson, manager and a director of the Western
Manufacturing Company, Limited, of Regina, owes much of his progress
and success. He was born in Simcoe county, Ontario, on the 7th of May,
1874, a son of James and Agnes (Robinson) Wilson, the former a native
of County Down, Ireland, and the latter of Ontario. The paternal grand-
father, William Wilson, was engaged in the linen business in Ireland
and lived and died in that country. The maternal grandfather, Gilbert
Robinson, was one of the pioneer farmers of the province of Ontario.
James Wilson came to Canada at an early age and located in Ontario.
He was a man of liberal education and taught school for a number of
years. In later life he became a farmer and was successful in each oc-
cupation. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were parents of nine children, eight of
whom are living, Thomas A. of this review being the seventh in order
of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were stanch members of the Presbyterian
church and three of their sons became Presbyterian ministers.  Dr.
Gilbert Wilson is minister of First church, Chicago. Dr. W. G. Wilson
is pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Victoria, B. C., and was for
ten years minister of St. Andrew's church, in Moose Jaw, and was a
dominant factor in the erection of its house of worship. Dr. R. J. Wilson
minister of the Chalmers Presbyterian church at Kingston. For -
years the father, James Wilson, was treasurer of the township and
was also Reeve of the township council for five years. He was public-
spirited to a great degree and well merited the position accorded him
among the foremost citizens of the community in which he made hishome.
	In the pursuit of his education Thomas A. Wilson attended the public
schools of Simcoe county, and at the age of fifteen years put his text-
books aside. When seventeen years of age he began learning the wood-
working trade in the shop of Kerr Brothers of Creemore, Ontario, and
continued with that firm for some eleven years, during which time he
rose to the position of general foreman of the works. He then became
superintendent of the manufacturing plant of Wilson Brothers at Colling-
wood, Ontario, and in 1905 resigned his position and came west as super-
intendent for the Hanbury Manufacturing Company at Brandon,
Manitoba. He remained there three and one-half years and then came to
Regina and entered upon his duties as manager of the Western Manu-
facturing Company, Limited.  Upon the reorganization of the 
company
	January, 1911, he bought an interest in the business and has since
been manager and director. In 1911 the company took over the Saskat-
chewan Sash & Door Company at Moose Jaw and they now operate that
plant as a branch. The Western Manufacturing Company, Limited, has
the largest woodworking establishment in Saskatchewan and has devel-
oped an industry which is one of the biggest individual factors in the
manufacturing resources in the capital city. It is a well known fact that
idle plants and machinery have no value to any community and it was the
part of Mr. Wilson to give life and energy to the vacant establishment
of the Western Manufacturing Company, Limited.  After a suspension
of operation for some months he took charge in 1909 and with a staff
consisting of twenty men, set the machinery in motion.  Since then the
business has increased several hundred per cent and about one hundred
men are regularly employed. Throughout his career Mr. Wilson has been
active in this line of work and there is no phase of it with which he is
not thoroughly familiar.  The continued progress and development of
the company is purely the result of the ability and energy of its 
manager
who is entitled to the confidence and esteem accorded him.
	In 1900 Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Laura Doane, a native of
Ontario, in which province she received her education.  To them five
children have been born, one of whom is deceased. The eldest member
of the family is Angus K., who is in his fourth year of medical training
at Toronto University. He is a graduate of the Collegiate Institute and
Normal School and taught in the schools of Saskatchewan for some time;
Norman E., who is also a graduate of the Collegiate Institute, is con-
nected with the pass department of the Canadian Pacific Railroad; Keith
D. is a student in the Collegiate Institute; and Agnes Jean is also a
student there.
	The religious faith of the Wilson family is that of the Presbyterian
church and they are members of the Westminster Presbyterian church.
Mr. Wilson has always been an earnest church worker and he is super-
intendent of the Sunday school, and also an elder in the church. He is
an active member of the Kiwanis Club and was president of the organiza-
tion in 1921. He is president of the Saskatchewan Religious Educational
Council and has served one year on the Collegiate Institute Board. He
is a member of the Regina Golf Club and is quite a golf 
enthusiast.




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