I was born in Minto in 1923. My family is one of the oldest in the Minto area. My father mined coal for my uncle, Harvey Welton, who owned a couple of mines in the area.

I started wheeling when I was 13 years old. After that, I joined the Merchant Marine and traveled throughout the world. I was 17 years old when I first visited Calcutta.

When I came back to Minto, I worked underground at a number of mines including Newcastle Coal at Black Diamond. Eventually, I went on surface with the draglines and worked as a lineman and cable-splicer. In 1987, I retired from N.B. Coal.

I beat the best guy in Fredericton, but I'm not a fighter. I never got all these wrinkles from laughing. I was a bad bastard!