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When Leitch Collieries closed down Mr. Hamilton with a partner, took over a mine at Bienfait, Saskatchewan, which proved very successful. It later became a Hamilton family corporation.

Mr. Hamilton's death occurred in October 1933 when, travelling alone, his car overturned. Jessie and Douglas each gave up very responsible positions and joined their mother in keeping the mine in operation.

Mrs. Hamilton was very active in forming the Victoria Hospital Auxiliary of Women and had long been in touch and supportive of Mrs. L. C. McKinney, first woman elected to the Alberta Provincial Legislature (1917) and who was Vice-president of the Women's Christian Temperance League. Mrs. Hamilton was a close friend of Agnes McPhail who was the first woman elected to the Federal Parliament, (1921). Nellie McClung, speaker and writer and also active in the W.C.T.L. was a friend of Mrs. Hamilton. Mrs. Hamilton passed away in April 1934.

Jessie Hamilton was born in Coalfields in 1901 and came to Passburg with the family in 1907. She attended school there and feels those years to 1915 had a marked influence on her whole life. Jessie is a graduate in Arts from the University of Alberta and has credits for three years in Medicine at the University of Manitoba.

At the time of Mr. Hamilton's death Jessie stepped in to the breach to take charge and carry out the plans laid out by her father. Crescent Collieries had the distinction of being the only mine in Canada operated by a woman.

During the early Second War years, Jessie, knowing mines, equipment and miners, was appointed manager of both the National Employment and the Unemployment Insurance sides of the office in her area. She worked there for twenty years.

When Queen Elizabeth was crowned, the Canadian Government recommended to the Queen that Jessie be recognized by her with a Coronation Medal for her work. This was done.

In 1958 Jessie married Hiram Symons, who himself was a mine manager. They retired to the Okanagan Valley and then to Calgary.

Hiram Symons died in 1974. Since that time Mrs. Jessie Symons has travelled quite widely. She visits the Crowsnest Pass frequently.

Douglas Hamilton was born in Passburg, April 7, 1914. He studied engineering at the University in Winnipeg. He is with the Department of Mines at Ottawa. He has two of his father's antique guns which will find a place in the Crowsnest Pass Museum if we don't take too long to get it established.

Helen Hamilton was born in Lethbridge in 1907. She is a graduate in Arts from the University of Manitoba. She is married to Dr. Sinclair and they live in Winnipeg.

Marion Hamilton was born in Passburg in 1912. She is Mrs. Richard McMurray and they live in Ottawa. (See stories of Evelyn Hamilton and Catherine Hamilton)

Editor's Note:

Through the efforts of the Crowsnest Pass Citizen's Historical Society and Fred Bradley, M.L.A., the Minister of Culture, the Hon. Horst A. Schmid, has designated the Leitch Collieries at Passburg as a Classified Historic Site. This action helps to guarantee the preservation of the Leitch Collieries as a represenative example of an early Alberta industrial venture

This article is extracted from Crowsnest and its People: Millennium Edition (Coleman, Alberta, Crowsnest Pass Historical Society, 2000.) The Heritage Community Foundation and the Year of the Coal Miner Consortium would like to thank the authors and the Crowsnest Pass Historical Society for permission to reprint this material.