| Notes |
- William Thomas McCrea (known as Bill) was born December 5, 1884 at Livingstone Creek, Thessalon Twp, Algoma District, Ontario - he was the 7th of 9 children.
- Bill was 7 the winter his father, William caught a cold that became pneumonia. William and Fannie had to go out to help a neighbour on a freezing night. William never fully recovered, eventually becoming bedridden. Three years later, when his father could no longer walk, young Bill was working alongside his brothers to haul ties to the railroad for shipping.
- In 1904, Bill began working for the railway - CPR. He was about a year ahead of his brothers Ed and Bob. In 1918, Bill signed his Attestation papers for the First World War, enlisted as a private and was sent to England. A year later, when the war was over, he was discharged and he returned home to resume his job with the CPR.
- A family story says that one day Bill noticed a pretty young lady who had been travelling on his train regularly, from Bruce Mines to her teaching job at Little Rapids. It was Jeanette McDonald. In spite of a nearly 20-year age difference, they were both smitten. Their wedding took place in 1925.
- In 1928, Bill was promoted to CPR Roadmaster. He had the Chapleau-White River section so the family moved to Chapleau. Four years later, while living there, their oldest child, Billy died of rheumatic fever.
- Next Bill was transferred to the Hamilton-Goderich section and the family settled in Guelph. They stayed there until he retired in 1949. Then, Bill and Jeanette happily returned to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. He told his friends in Guelph that he missed the deer, moose and great fishing up north and enjoyed curling in the winter.
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Singing Our Family Song
1884 - 1963 (78 years)
