A. E. Cross
Encyclopedia
Alfred Ernest Cross was a Canadian politician
, rancher and brewer
, known as one of the Big Four
who founded the Calgary Stampede
in 1912.
, Cross was the oldest of seven children. He trained as a veterinary sugeon
.
Cross moved to Alberta
in 1884 to work at a ranch
near what is now Cochrane, Alberta
.
.
Cross returned to Montreal for hospital treatment for appendicitis
. He returned to Calgary in 1891 holding a diploma that he had been trained as a brewer
’s apprentice
and established the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company, the first brewery in what was then the Northwest Territories
.
(MLA) for East Calgary
. In 1899 he married Helen Rothney Macleod, the daughter of Colonel James F. Macleod
, the lawman who gave Calgary its name.
Cross was active in community affairs, serving as a director and president of Calgary General Hospital, as president of the Alberta Exhibition Association, and as president of the Calgary Board of Trade
(now Calgary Chamber of Commerce) in 1909.
, and Archie McLean
(“The Big Four”) put up the combined amount of $100,000 to finance the first Calgary Stampede
held in September 1912
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, rancher and brewer
Brewer
Brewer may refer to:*Brewer, someone who makes beer by brewing*Brewer , a disambiguation page that lists people with the surname Brewer*Brewer, Maine, a city in southern Penobscot County, Maine, United States, near the city of Bangor...
, known as one of the Big Four
The Big Four (Calgary)
The Big Four were the wealthy Alberta cattlemen Patrick Burns, George Lane, A. E. Cross and Archie McLean. Together they founded the Calgary Stampede, as well as other cultural and entrepreneurial activities in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the early years of the 20th century.George Lane and A.J....
who founded the Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
in 1912.
Early life
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Cross was the oldest of seven children. He trained as a veterinary sugeon
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
.
Cross moved to Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
in 1884 to work at a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
near what is now Cochrane, Alberta
Cochrane, Alberta
Cochrane is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. With a population of 15,424 , Cochrane is the second largest town in Alberta and one of the fastest growing communities in Canada...
.
Business
By 1886 Cross owned his own ranch, the A7 Ranche, located near what is now Nanton, AlbertaNanton, Alberta
Nanton is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. Nanton was named after Sir Augustus Meredith Nanton, of Winnipeg who directed firms that offered financing for farms and ranches throughout the west...
.
Cross returned to Montreal for hospital treatment for appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
. He returned to Calgary in 1891 holding a diploma that he had been trained as a brewer
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
’s apprentice
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
and established the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company, the first brewery in what was then the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
.
Ranchmen's Club
That same year Calgary’s oldest and most exclusive club, the Ranchmen’s Club, was established; and A.E. Cross was a founding member.Politics
In 1898, Cross entered politics, and was elected as a Member of the Legislative AssemblyMember of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) for East Calgary
East Calgary (N.W.T. electoral district)
East Calgary was an electoral district in the Northwest Territories from 1894 - 1905, the district was created when Calgary was split into East and West Calgary.The two ridings would later be merged to form the new Calgary Alberta provincial electoral district...
. In 1899 he married Helen Rothney Macleod, the daughter of Colonel James F. Macleod
James Macleod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Farquharson Macleod , born in Drynoch, Isle of Skye, Scotland, was a militia officer, lawyer, NWMP officer, magistrate, judge, and politician in Alberta. He served as the second Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from July 22, 1876, to October 31, 1880...
, the lawman who gave Calgary its name.
Cross was active in community affairs, serving as a director and president of Calgary General Hospital, as president of the Alberta Exhibition Association, and as president of the Calgary Board of Trade
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
(now Calgary Chamber of Commerce) in 1909.
Calgary Stampede
In the summer of 1912, Cross, along with Patrick Burns, George LaneGeorge Lane (politician)
George Lane was an American-born Canadian politician and rancher and known as one of the Big Four who helped found the Calgary Stampede in 1912.George was foreman at the world famous Bar U Ranch....
, and Archie McLean
Archie McLean (politician)
Archie McLean was a cattleman, politician and known as one of the Big Four who help found the Calgary Stampede in 1912.Born in southwestern Ontario in 1860, McLean moved to what is now Alberta to work as a ranch hand; soon becoming the manager of the large CY Ranch near what is now Taber,...
(“The Big Four”) put up the combined amount of $100,000 to finance the first Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
held in September 1912
Legacy
Cross died in 1932. The following have been dedicated in his name:- A.E. Cross Junior High School located in Calgary, Alberta.
- The Big Four Building at the Stampede Grounds in Calgary, Alberta.