Hello Maryanne,
Looks like you are having a productive day. If you are interested in following up on the Cobalt and Kirkland Lake connections, you may wish to contact or visit the website of the Temiskaming Genealogy Group at:
http://www.nt.net/~timetrav/index.html . This group also accepts queries.
The movement of your ancestors through the mining towns of Cobalt and Kirkland Lake opens the door to the fascinating history of Northern Ontario. This huge area was essentially wilderness until the provincial government decided to push a development railway, the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway, through to James Bay at the beginning of the 20th century. In the process, silver was discovered at Cobalt and sparked a lively mining rush. Prospectors followed the railroad north and combed the wilderness, resulting in the discovery of gold in Kirkland Lake and other mineral discoveries. The rest, as they say, is history. My ancestors from Northeast England followed a similar path, first to Cobalt and later onward to Kirkland Lake, which is my home town.
Sandra's suggestion that the Thomas Collin's occupation in 1921 was listed as "timber man" actually matches up with his mining background. A timberman was an individual who cut, installed and maintained the timber supports and framing in the underground mine operation, usually as part of a timber crew.
Cheers! And Happy Canada Day!
