Mr. McKay was born in Woodbridge, Ontario. He came to the west as a surveyor with the Canadian Pacific Railway and moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1880. From 1882 to 1887 he worked on a ferry that crossed the Bow River. It was first located near Ogden and later between Third and Fourth Streets east. Mr. McKay homesteaded west of the Calgary city limits, along the banks of the river. His sandstone house is still (in 1978) standing.