A Scottish-Canadian teacher, civil servant and journalist. Came to Belleville, Upper Canada in 1846 and taught in public schools in neighbouring towns until 1850, when he helped found the Bowmanville Messenger, Oshawa's first newspaper. He later founded papers including the Brighton Sentinel and the Trenton Advocate and would go on to write for the Toronto Daily Mail as a correspondent in the West.

After starting a ranch in Alberta with one of his sons in 1882, Begg joined his other son as a reporter for the Daily British Colonist in Victoria.

In 1872 he had been Ontario's emigration commissioner in Glasgow. In BC he continued to work to encourage emigration from Scotland and the provincial government made him commissioner in charge of settling a community of crofter-fishermen on the West Coast. He styled himself C.C. (for "Crofter Commissioner") to distinguish himself from another Alexander Begg also working as a journalist in Victoria at the time.
Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935: Montreal Ocean Steam Ship Company, 'SS Canadian' for the Dominion of Canada, arriving @ Quebec May 1876; Port of embarkation- Glasgow
Names of passengers:
Begg, Alex- 50- Male- Labourer- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Mrs- 38- Female- Wife- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Alex- 15- Male- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Christina- 13- Female- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Robert- 11- Male- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Peter- 8- Male- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Rod’k- 6- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Ralph- 4- Male- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Colin- 2- Male- Family- Scotch- Toronto
Begg, Bertha- 1/12- Female- Family- Scotch-Toronto.

Mar 23, 1905- Word was received here on Monday of the death in New York of Mr. Alexander Begg, who was one of the oldest, if not the oldest, of Canadian newspaper men, but perhaps better known by his connection with several large schemes for emigration from Great Britain to this country, notably the founding of a temperance colony in the Parry Sound district, and the removal of a large body of Scotch Crofters to British Columbia. Mr. Begg accompanied the Hon. William MacDougall on his well known journey to take possession of the Northwest Territories, and was with him when he was prevented by Riel from entering that country. Mr. Begg was the founder of the Canada Lumberman, and in 1894 published a history of British Columbia. He also founded the Mining Record, a journal published at Victoria BC, and was editor of the British Columbia Directory of Mines up to the time of his death. The family home has been in Orillia for many years, and the remains were brought here and interred on Wednesday. Mr. Begg was married in 1859 to Emily 'Emma' Maria Lukes b.Oshawa Ont, who survives him with eleven children namely:- Alex, of Chicago; Robert, of Calgary; Peter, Roderick, Ralph, and Colin, of New York; Mrs. Hugh R. Tudhope, Orillia; Misses Crissie, Emma and Grace, New York and Miss Norah, of Manila, Philipine Islands.
1859 marriage to Emma 158409660 & 134929844
Children:
1 Alexander L.W. Begg(6 Mar 1860 - 1 May 1932) 158410066
2 Christina 'Crissie' Mary Begg(1862 - 1924) 158409811
3 Robert Anstruther Begg(1864 - 1942) 158332493
4 Peter Barnetson Begg(1864 - 1926) 158410086
5 Roderick Norman Begg(May 16 1868 - 1943) 158409753
6 Ralph Ash Begg(1871 - 1927) 158410061
7 Colin Luke Begg M.D.(1873 - 1941) 158410073
8 Bertha Victoria Begg(17 Mar 1876 - 1 Sep 1920)136719168
9 Norah Begg(16 Mar 1878 - 1 May 1923) 148054411
10 Emma Helen Begg (May 16 1881- 1958 ) 158409776
11 Grace Frances Begg (1884- ) ~122691844? m. Apr 27 1908 Smith Donald Cramer

Begg, Alexander was b.1825 Watten Caithness, Scotland and d.1905 New York USA. He was married twice with one son Magnus, from the first marriage. In 1858 he married Emily Marie Luke who was b.1839 and d.1932. They had eleven children. Mr. Begg was a man of many talents and occupations and is well known for several books and diaries, notably that recording his experiences at Fort Garry in 1869-70. In 1882 his travels brought him west and he settled at the Site of Addison McPhersons old trading post at the mouth of the Highwood River. This was known as the Dunbow Ranch and was also the post office of that name.

1st marriage bef Oct 1853 to Jane Swanson b.1825 d.1858
Children:
1 Magnus 158429247(Oct 20 1853-Apr 20 1904) Broadview NWT[posted in Calgary Herald Apr 21 1904 pg8]Ontario m. 1866 Calgary Alberta Canada Flora McDougall July 8 1950 Calgary Herald
2 Jane (1847-)
3 Philanda (1849-)