Benjamin Carter was born on August 6, 1882, in Wesleyville, Newfoundland to John Carter and Theresa (Moore) Carter.
He married Elizabeth Ann Crann on January 17, 1903, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. They had seven children in 16 years.
He died on 16 Dec 1949, in Canmore, Alberta in the West Canadian Collieries' Greenhill Mine at the age of 67. He was an experienced coal miner and had recently retired. His replacement, a young newlywed named Mike Kwiatkowski, was to start work on that day, and Ben wanted to show him the ropes, to help keep him safe. A mile into the heart of the mine, the two men were taking out pillars and replacing them with timber props when part of the roof caved in. After 225 tons of rock were moved by 54 hours of digging, Mike's body was found. For another two days, 75 men continued to dig in eight-hour shifts before finding Ben buried by coal, 25 feet away. According to the 21 Dec 1949 issue of the Lethbridge Herald, "four whistle blasts sounded through the Crow's Nest Pass area to let the 1,700 residents of this mountain mining town know that the body had been found." Those residents included his wife and several of his children.
In 1984, Ben's daughter wrote the following: "Dad was a kind man. He was slow to anger but I have been told that if he ever lost his temper, he had a good one. He had the courage of his convictions in what he thought was right and he lived by them. Even though he had little education, I remember how he could figure problems in his head quicker than we could on paper. All of his adult life was spent in the coalmines. He was a hard worker but was not very handy around the house. My mother did the painting, papering, building shelves etc. On paydays he gave her his paycheck. She would give him enough to buy his pipe tobacco and a few beers. He was satisfied. I cannot remember of my parents quarreling."
*A memorial for Mike Kwiatowski can be found at # 143945471
He married Elizabeth Ann Crann on January 17, 1903, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. They had seven children in 16 years.
He died on 16 Dec 1949, in Canmore, Alberta in the West Canadian Collieries' Greenhill Mine at the age of 67. He was an experienced coal miner and had recently retired. His replacement, a young newlywed named Mike Kwiatkowski, was to start work on that day, and Ben wanted to show him the ropes, to help keep him safe. A mile into the heart of the mine, the two men were taking out pillars and replacing them with timber props when part of the roof caved in. After 225 tons of rock were moved by 54 hours of digging, Mike's body was found. For another two days, 75 men continued to dig in eight-hour shifts before finding Ben buried by coal, 25 feet away. According to the 21 Dec 1949 issue of the Lethbridge Herald, "four whistle blasts sounded through the Crow's Nest Pass area to let the 1,700 residents of this mountain mining town know that the body had been found." Those residents included his wife and several of his children.
In 1984, Ben's daughter wrote the following: "Dad was a kind man. He was slow to anger but I have been told that if he ever lost his temper, he had a good one. He had the courage of his convictions in what he thought was right and he lived by them. Even though he had little education, I remember how he could figure problems in his head quicker than we could on paper. All of his adult life was spent in the coalmines. He was a hard worker but was not very handy around the house. My mother did the painting, papering, building shelves etc. On paydays he gave her his paycheck. She would give him enough to buy his pipe tobacco and a few beers. He was satisfied. I cannot remember of my parents quarreling."
*A memorial for Mike Kwiatowski can be found at # 143945471
Benjamin Carter was born on August 6, 1882, in Wesleyville, Newfoundland to John Carter and Theresa (Moore) Carter.
He married Elizabeth Ann Crann on January 17, 1903, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. They had seven children in 16 years.
He died on 16 Dec 1949, in Canmore, Alberta in the West Canadian Collieries' Greenhill Mine at the age of 67. He was an experienced coal miner and had recently retired. His replacement, a young newlywed named Mike Kwiatkowski, was to start work on that day, and Ben wanted to show him the ropes, to help keep him safe. A mile into the heart of the mine, the two men were taking out pillars and replacing them with timber props when part of the roof caved in. After 225 tons of rock were moved by 54 hours of digging, Mike's body was found. For another two days, 75 men continued to dig in eight-hour shifts before finding Ben buried by coal, 25 feet away. According to the 21 Dec 1949 issue of the Lethbridge Herald, "four whistle blasts sounded through the Crow's Nest Pass area to let the 1,700 residents of this mountain mining town know that the body had been found." Those residents included his wife and several of his children.
In 1984, Ben's daughter wrote the following: "Dad was a kind man. He was slow to anger but I have been told that if he ever lost his temper, he had a good one. He had the courage of his convictions in what he thought was right and he lived by them. Even though he had little education, I remember how he could figure problems in his head quicker than we could on paper. All of his adult life was spent in the coalmines. He was a hard worker but was not very handy around the house. My mother did the painting, papering, building shelves etc. On paydays he gave her his paycheck. She would give him enough to buy his pipe tobacco and a few beers. He was satisfied. I cannot remember of my parents quarreling."
*A memorial for Mike Kwiatowski can be found at # 143945471
He married Elizabeth Ann Crann on January 17, 1903, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. They had seven children in 16 years.
He died on 16 Dec 1949, in Canmore, Alberta in the West Canadian Collieries' Greenhill Mine at the age of 67. He was an experienced coal miner and had recently retired. His replacement, a young newlywed named Mike Kwiatkowski, was to start work on that day, and Ben wanted to show him the ropes, to help keep him safe. A mile into the heart of the mine, the two men were taking out pillars and replacing them with timber props when part of the roof caved in. After 225 tons of rock were moved by 54 hours of digging, Mike's body was found. For another two days, 75 men continued to dig in eight-hour shifts before finding Ben buried by coal, 25 feet away. According to the 21 Dec 1949 issue of the Lethbridge Herald, "four whistle blasts sounded through the Crow's Nest Pass area to let the 1,700 residents of this mountain mining town know that the body had been found." Those residents included his wife and several of his children.
In 1984, Ben's daughter wrote the following: "Dad was a kind man. He was slow to anger but I have been told that if he ever lost his temper, he had a good one. He had the courage of his convictions in what he thought was right and he lived by them. Even though he had little education, I remember how he could figure problems in his head quicker than we could on paper. All of his adult life was spent in the coalmines. He was a hard worker but was not very handy around the house. My mother did the painting, papering, building shelves etc. On paydays he gave her his paycheck. She would give him enough to buy his pipe tobacco and a few beers. He was satisfied. I cannot remember of my parents quarreling."
*A memorial for Mike Kwiatowski can be found at # 143945471
Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
BENJAMIN CARTER
BORN AUG. 6 1882
KILLED IN CAVE IN
DEC. 16 1949
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