Albert Livingstone Crossin

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-133354
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Congregationalist
• Occupation: 1891, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada; accountant

Notes:

Albert Livingstone Crossin (1868-1956)

Chartered accountant. Born in Waterloo, Ontario, he moved to Winnipeg from Toronto to open a branch of the Toronto General Trusts Corporation. He was a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. In 1918 he was a member of the Citizens' Committee of 100 that negotiated directly with the Winnipeg civic workers who were on strike. He was chair of the Citizens' Committee of 1,000 in 1919.
An active Freemason, he served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba in 1925-1926. In 1938, at the age of seventy, he was appointed founding Executive Director of the newly incorporated Manitoba Hospital Service Association, later known as Manitoba Blue Cross, the first provider of non-profit group hospitalization insurance in the province. From small beginnings, Manitoba Blue Cross had become a large and successful organization by the time of his retirement in 1952.


Dictionary of Manitoba Biography, University of Manitoba Press, 1999

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Memorable Manitobans: Albert Livingstone Crossin (1868-1956)

Chartered accountant.

Born in Waterloo, Ontario, he moved to Winnipeg from Toronto to open a branch of the Toronto General Trusts Corporation. He later became investment manager of Oldfield, Kirby and Gardner and, in 1922, joined the Mutual Life Assurance Company as manager of its Winnipeg investment department. He was a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Winnipeg Advisory Board of the Huron and Erie Mortgage Corporation. and Vice-President of the San Antonio Gold Mines Limited.

In 1918, he was a member of the Citizens' Committee of 100 that negotiated directly with the Winnipeg civic workers who were on strike. He was Chair of the Citizens' Committee of 1,000 in 1919.

He and wife Constance Margaret had three sons: Albert Porteus Crossin (husband of Mae Muriel Congdon, daughter of Arthur Congdon), Harold Crossin, and Alan Livingstone Crossin. He served as President of the Canadian Club of Winnipeg (1915-1916) and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce (1916-1917). An active Freemason, he served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba (1925). He was an Honorary Life Member of the Manitoba Club (1905). In 1938, at the age of seventy, he was appointed founding Executive Director of the newly incorporated Manitoba Hospital Service Association, later known as Manitoba Blue Cross, the first provider of non-profit group hospitalization insurance in the province. From small beginnings, Manitoba Blue Cross had become a large and successful organization by the time of his retirement in 1952.

He died at Winnipeg on 19 October 1956 and was buried in St. John's Cemetery.

See also:

The Evolution of a Committment - 25 Years of Caring for Manitobans by Lee Sage, Great Plains Publications for Manitoba Blue Cross, 1998.

Sources:
"More activity in production urged," Manitoba Free Press, 10 May 1916, page 9.

"City C of C recalls fights and triumphs," Winnipeg Free Press, 3 February 1954, page 24.

"City executive MHSA organizer A. L. Crossin dies," Winnipeg Free Press, 22 October 1956.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by J. M. Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

We thank Alan Crossin and Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 10 September 2016

Goldsborough, G. (2019). Memorable Manitobans: Albert Livingstone Crossin (1868-1956). Mhs.mb.ca. Retrieved 9 June 2019, from https://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/crossin_al.shtml

Albert married Merion Porteous 21 Oct 1891, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada. Merion was born 1866, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]