Farmer's Coal Mining Company
Lampman, Saskatchewan, Canada
Old Abandoned Underground Coal Mines can be Very Dangerous, Due to Collapse, and Mine Gases (Noxious and Flammable).
Extreme Care should be taken around them, due to Falls, Sudden Ground Collapse, and Bad Air, and in NO Circumstances should People enter into ANY Mine Openings, or Associated Caves.
The Material Contained on my Sites, is NOT to Encourage Personal Investigation of these Mines, But only as a Historical Record of these Long Abandoned Mines. Please View these Mines from a Far, Safe and Legal Distance. Always Observe Private Property Rights, and Obey ALL Warning Signs.
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Farmer's Coal Mining Company
Located at NW Section 21, Township 6, Range 6, W2
Part of my dad's 1927 map shows this mine site
Apr 1920 Bituminous Coal Seam was reported found several years before, (prior to WWI) 8 miles north of Lampman, in a farmer's field.
Found an ad for 320 acres 7 miles from Lampman Coal Mines, ad dated Apr 1915
Mr. E. J. Riddell was digging a well on his farm, and 210 feet down they hit a 12 ft seam of coal.
He secured some men from Regina to sink a shaft 174 ft down.
They were busy proving the coal seam, when WWI broke out.
After the war, Mr. Riddell and some neighbours formed this Company to start the mine.
Mr. Edgar J. Riddell and Mr. Thomas McKeand, were 2 Directors from Lampman
3 other Directors, all from Forget SK.-
Mr. William L. Ellis
William Hamlin
Malcolm McKinnon
Company was incorporated for $500,000.00
They were waiting for a railway spur to the mine, before issuing stock.
shares were to be $100, and max of 150 shares per person, or company.
Per 1927 map there still was no railroad.
Aug 1920 they issued 2500 shares at price and quantity above.
It was only sold to people in Saskatchewan.
Mr. E. V. Campion and Company, wholesale coal dealer from Weyburn, was interested in this big coal find.
He reported they dug 9 test holes and found coal at 210 ft in each hole.
The seams were 4 1/2 ft to 15 ft in these holes.
They estimated 32,000,000 tons of coal in the 2 and 3/4 sections of land.
The coal was analyzed by a Dr. Andrews, and was found to be bituminous coal, very close to anthracite.
The moisture content was very low.
Fixed Carbon was 70%
Estevan-Souris coal was 43.2% at the same time.
It contained more than 12,000 heat units per pound, more than 2,000 higher than coal at Lethbridge and Drumheller.
They were looking to build a branch line from Stoughton.
Guess where the draglines will be heading after Estevan area is gone!
Edgar J. Riddell
b- June 1881 in ON
Scotch Presbyterian
wife- Margaret nee ?
b- Mar 1886 in ON
Irish Methodist
son- Lorne Nixon Riddell
b- Jan 5, 1907 in SK
Living on this land as a farmer as early as 1911
Edgar Riddell took out a western land grant on Section 16, Township 6, Range 6, W2
Thomas McKeand
b- Nov 23, 1885 in RM of Elton, MB
Scotch Presbyterian
sister- Sarah McKeand
b- Oct 12, 1882 in MB
d- 1955
buried in Madford Cemetery, Elton MB
sister- Agnes McKeand
b- July 26, 1890 in RM of Elton, MB
married John Moffat, Nov 28, 1917 in RM of Elton
sister- Marion McKeand
b- Feb 8, 1887 in MB
d- 1952
buried in Madford Cemetery, Elton MB
sister- Margaret Jane McKeand
b- June 14, 1880 in Scotland
married John N. H. Macartny, Nov 3, 1897 in RM of Elton
brother- Robert McKeand
b- Feb 4, 1884 in RM of Elton, MB
sister- Dorothy McKeand
b- Mar 28, 1888 in RM of Elton, MB
married George Bowlby, Jan 22, 1908 in RM of Elton
sister- Georgina McKeand (alt sp= Georgeina)
b- May 19, 1892 in RM of Elton, MB
married David S. Birdsell Mar 19, 1924, in RM of Elton
brother- David McKeand
b- Oct 13, 1893 in MB
d- 1979
married Mary Ethel Muirhead, Dec 23, 1919 in RM of Elton
David mckeand is in Manitoba`s Agriculture Hall of Fame in Brandon
He worked with the Agriculture museum in Austin MB
1970 he lived in Douglas MB
sister- Mary M. McKeand
b- Sept 9, 1895 in RM of Elton, MB
d- Nov 1, 1908, in RM of Elton, MB, age 13
cousin- John McKeand
b- Oct 1887 in Scotland
Mother -Marion Johnston
b- June 14, 1856 in Scotland
d- July 27, 1920, in RM of Elton, MB, age 62
Father- Robert McKeand
b- Feb 14, 1948 in Scotland
d- May 30, 1910, age 62
Robert and Marion are buried in Madford Cemetery, Elton MB
Thomas took out western land grant on Sec 14, Tsp 6, Range 7, W2
1901 Robert McKeand family in Brandon District, RM of Elton, MB
Township 11, range 17
living with 10 children.
shows the family immigrated in 1880 after Margaret was born
There was a David McKeand family living near them in 1901
He was born Feb 16, 1847, immigrated in 1882
William Lawrence Ellis
b- Aug 1856 in ON
Farm Implement agent in Arcola in 1911
wife- Margaret Ellis, nee Lindsay
b- Dec 1861 in Quebec
daughter- Ada Isabelle Ellis
b- Oct 17, 1899 on Section 12, Township 7, Range 4, W2, in NWT (SK)
family in Arcola in 1911
William Latham Hamlin
b- July 1865 in ON
wife- Mary Hamlin, nee ?
b- Feb 1888 in ON
son- Lester Hamlin
b- Feb 1898 in ON
son- Frank Hamlin b- Aug 1901 in ON
Family on Township 6, Range 7, W2 in 1911
Took out Western Land Grant on Sec 36, Township 6, Range 7, W2
Malcolm McKinnon
b-
had a son Frank Alexander McKinnon
b- Mar 21, 1897 in Stanley New Brunswick
d- Sept 15, 1916
enlisted in WWI, at Arcola, Reg #104421, Princess Patricia Light Infantry
next of kin, Malcolm in Forget SK
Vimy Memorial, France
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