(29 June 1855-11 June 1928), farmer, grain merchant. (Daniel W. McCuaig, D. W. McCuaig) Born at Dalkeith, GC. Parents: Malcolm Roy McCuaig and his wife Harriet or Harriett McIntosh. Attended public school. He was a farmer in the Oakland district, near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, from 1877. Later, he was also a grain merchant. He ran for the Manitoba Legislature as an Independent candidate for Lakeside constituency in 1896, but was defeated. He was president of the Manitoba Grain Growers’ Association (the predecessor of the United Farmers of Manitoba) from 1905 to 1910. In 1907 he was involved in promoting the prosecution of three members of the Winnipeg Grain and Produce Exchange for conspiracy in restraint of trade. In 1910, he became president of the recently-formed Canadian Council of Agriculture. At Ottawa in mid-December 1910, in an impressive and much-noted demonstration, some 800 farmers, mainly from the West and Ontario, gathered to present their demands to the Laurier government. Daniel William McCuaig, as president of the Canadian Council of Agriculture, presented the farmers’ main petition. Among other leaders of the demonstration was E. C. Drury, a future premier of Ontario. McCuaig from 1910 was chairman of the Manitoba Elevator Commission. He was also a JP, and was president of the Farmers’ Trading Co. of Portage la Prairie, president of the Manitoba Farmers’ Mutual Hail Insurance Co. of Winnipeg, and a director of Portage la Prairie Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Co.

     He was married in 1883 to Lily, Lilly or Lillie Ann Ferguson, of Dalkeith. (two children, or children surviving him: 2) (forms of name Ann Lily and Lillian also found). A few years before his death, he moved from the Oakland district to Winnipeg, but he still retained his farming interests in the Oakland district. Eventually, he owned a whole section of land, 640 acres. He died at his home in Winnipeg. Burial was at Portage la Prairie. Presbyterian, and Presbyterian elder. He was inducted, 1980, into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame (established 1976). His business journal for 1899 is in the Manitoba Archives. Roderick McCuaig his brother was also a settler in the Oakland district.

Glengarry News 15 & (from Weekly Manitoba Liberal) 22 June 1928, VKHR (ND) * Morgan (1912) 757 * Parker (1912) 380 * biog. sketch prepared for Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame (portrait) * anon. article on trip to Manitoba and Sask. including picture and description of McCuaig, Cornwall Freeholder 10 June 1910 * Bumsted 151 * information from Manitoba Archives (landholdings) * elected for 4th time president of Manitoba Grain Growers’ Association, CF 14 Feb. 1908 * farmer’s demonstration at Ottawa Dec. 1910: R. C. Brown & R. Cook, Canada 1896-1921 (1974) 160 (where his name is given as E. W. McCuaig); The Siege of Ottawa, ed. G. F. Chipman (Winnipeg 1910)