Cleric.
Born in Ontario on 10 September 1870, he was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1899 and took his first charge at Pilot Mound. He later served at West Prospect Methodist Church (?-?), Newdale, Minnedosa Methodist Church (?-?), St. Paul’s Methodist Church at Boissevain (1912-1913, 1921-1923), Bowsman Methodist (1914-1917), Manitou, Portage la Prairie, Roland United Church (1925-1929), Baldur United Church (1929-1936), and Ninga.
He served twice as President of the Manitoba Conference in the Church (1923, 1941) and was Secretary from 1933 to 1941. He served on the Board of Regents for Wesley College, was bursar for Regina College for a year, and Principal of the Brandon Indian School. He received an honorary doctorate from Wesley College in 1935.
On 24 June 1903, he married Millie Alice Holmes Sparling (1874-1948) at Miniota and they had four children: Wilfred Sparling Allison (1905-1983), John Elliott Allison (1907-?), Mary Eleanor Allison (1909-1990, wife of Elgin Blake Gemmill), and Margaret Gilpin Allison (1916-1961, wife of Charles Courtland High).
He died at Portage la Prairie on 15 May 1953 and was buried in the Killarney Cemetery.
1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.
Marriage registration [Benjamin Wilson Allison, Minnie Alice Holmes], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registrations [Wilfrid Sparling Allison, John Elliott Allison, Mary Eleanor Allison], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Mary Eleanor Allison, Elgin Blake Gemmill], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Margaret Gilpin Allison, Charles Courtland High], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [Millie Sparling Allison], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Dr. B. W. Allison, retired minister dies at Portage,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 May 1953, page 7.
Obituary [Mary Eleanor Gemmill], Brandon Sun, 3 October 1990, page 20.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 3 February 2025
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