Memorable Manitobans: Daniel David Wood (1859-1925)

Daniel David Wood Click to enlarge

Building contractor, brick manufacturer.

Born at Bilston, England on 7 April 1859, son of Daniel Wood and Mary Wright, he emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1870 and settled at Brantford, Ontario. He was later employed constructing bridges for the Grand Trunk Railway, eventually becoming a contractor at Seaforth, Ontario.

He moved to Winnipeg in 1882 and worked in the building trades, later working as a locomotive engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway from 1883 to 1885. He delivered the first contingent of troops to Saskatchewan during the 1885 North West Rebellion, then retired to a career as a building contrator in Winnipeg, in partnership with A. C. Sutherland.

After 1900, he diversified into coal and wood supply. By the 1920s, he was Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the Woods Brick Company. He was a partner in the Alsip Brick and Tile Company and operated quarries at Stony Mountain. At the time of his death, he was President and Manager of D. D. Wood and Sons Limited, Secretary-Treasurer and Manager of the Birds Hill Sand Stone Brick Company, and President of the Fort Garry Construction Company.

On 10 September 1885, he married Katherine “Kate” Wilson (1863-1950) and they had nine children: Adwin Victor Wilson Wood (1886-1979), Daniel John Howard Wood, Melville Cornelius Wood (1890-1917), Thomas Reginald Wood (1892-1893), Kathleen Wood (1894-1931, wife of William Matheson), Gladys Wood (1896-1968, wife of William J. Boyd), Lionel Elmer Wood (1899-1965), William David Charles Wood (1903-?), and George Edward Wood (1905-1979).

He was a member of the Winnipeg City Council (1901, 1903-1904) and the Winnipeg Board of Trade. An ardent curler, he was President of the Thistle Curling Club (1899-1901), Royal Caledonian Curling Club, and Manitoba Curling Association (1900-1901). He was a member of the Carleton Club, Winnipeg Automobile Club, Whytewold Beach Club, AF & AM (Ancient Landmark Lodge), Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Sons of England Benefit Society, and Ancient Order of United Workmen.

He died at his Winnipeg home, 436 Edmonton Street, on 30 December 1925 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Some of his construction works in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Norquay School No. 1	Lusted Avenue, Winnipeg	1892	Demolished (1955)
Stovel Building	245 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg	1893
Court House	Winnipeg	1894-1895	Demolished (?)
Davis Building	Winnipeg	1895	Demolished (?)
Bank of Hamilton	Winnipeg	1897	Demolished (?)
Gladstone School	Osborne Street, Winnipeg	1898	Demolished (?)
Isbister School	310 Vaughan Street, Winnipeg	1898
Bank of Commerce	Winnipeg	1900	Demolished (?)
Somerset School	775 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg	1901	Demolished (2005)
Carnefac Block	188 Princess Street, Winnipeg	1901
Balmoral Court	540 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg	1905
Wellington School	Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg	1905-1906	Demolished (?)

See also:

MHS Resources: Manitoba Bricks and Blocks

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“D. D. Wood, prominent city contractor, dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 31 December 1915, page 1.

Who's Who and Why, Volumes 6 and 7, 1915-1916, page 567.

“Master builder leaves behind record of note,” Winnipeg Tribune, 31 December 1925, page 8.

“Isbister School,” Manitoba Historic Resources Branch, 1984, 16 pages.

We thank Terry Webber and Rick Mutton for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 April 2022

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!