MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
Michel Negrello, better known as Mike Michel to his fellow
Mike always had the respect of his fellow workers
Mike also worked with mine rescue, and was very
In 1919, Mike started courting Teresa Ermacora who
Teresa and Mike were married on October 8, 1920
Nita married and had one son. Ella married and had
The son joined the R.C.A.F. in 1942 and graduated
Teresa and Mike Negrello celebrated their 50th
workers, was born in Udine, Italy on November 2, 1895,
and came to Canada at the age of seventeen years, settling
first at Exshaw, Alberta where he worked at the cement
plant. He later moved to Coalhurst in 1917 where he
began working in the coal mine and spent the next fifty
years in the mines at Coalhurst, Shaughnessy and No. 8
mine in Lethbridge.
and was a driver boss during most of those years.
He also learned the cable splicing trade from Mr.
Watmough, who was brought over from England
especially for this purpose. They became good friends
for many years through this association.
dedicated to this aspect of mining and helping a fellow
worker in distress was foremost in his mind. This was
evident during the explosion at the Coalhurst mine in
December, 1935.
came to Coalhurst from Italy with her parents, Mariana
and Angelo. They settled in Coalhurst (Wigan) and
later on a small farm now owned by Charlie Wesselman.
and raised three children: a son, and two daughters, Nita
and Ella, all born in Coalhurst and attending school there
until 1936, when after the mine disaster, the population
decreased gradually. Sixteen miners lost their lives in
the explosion, one of whom was grandfather, Angelo
Ermacora.
one daughter, Sandra. Ella passed away in 1943 and
Nita died in 1945 and Sandra in 1981.
as a Navigation Officer and was posted overseas with
R.A.F. Squadron 224 and stationed at Elgin, Scotland.
He was involved most of his life in sports, mainly baseball
and hockey. He played for the Galt Miner's Baseball
Team for several years. He also played hockey,
beginning with the minor hockey association and
later with the Lethbridge Maple Leafs, senior hockey
team. In 1951, he was captain of the Maple Leaf
team that won the World Championship in Paris,
France. That hockey tour took the team through
nearly all the countries of Europe, and one of the
highlights of that trip was meeting my Dad's sister
and her daughter in Milan, Italy, and my Mother's
sister Yolanda Maniago.
Wedding Anniversary in 1970, and since then
Mike passed away in July, 1978. Teresa Negrello
passed away on December 28, 1983.
Return Individual Histories