The section foremen were W.
Huddlestone from England, Wm. Frederickson Baldur, and John Trinder,
Lowe Farm. The first blacksmith was Robt. Fisher who built his shop on
the site where the present one is and lived in his own house at
the back of the shop. Other smithies were Harvey Dalzell, G. Mitchell
and H. Bulmer.
James Graham built H. M.Winram's store and had a post office and
confectionery in it. He also ran a butcher shop. He built his residence
in the west end of Neelin and moved down from the farm in 1913. Mrs.
Graham continued to board the teachers 'till her death in 1932.
There is a Bank Building but no Bank now. It used to be run by A.
I.aughlin, then C. McMillan, followed by D. Chapin and then by H.
Laughlin. The Branch was finally transferred to Cartwright.
There is a barber shop and pool room built by F. Neate from England and
through his ill health it was rented to R. G. Vesey, then to W. Young,
later to H. Barnes, and now to M. Robinson.
There is an active Curling Club started in 1926 with J. H. Cooper as
President, and K. T. Bramwell, sec. treas., who still holds the
position.
There is a roofless Skating rink which answers the purpose, and besides
skating: accommodates Hockey and broomball.
Mrs. W. Henwood used to run a Boarding House.
The Western Canada Milling Co., built the first elevator in 1905 and it
has always been run by Andrew Easton who is also in charge of John
Deere Machinery.
The B.N.A. Oil Co. have a filling station at Aikenhead's Garage. The
Imperial Oil is handled by R. H. Bolton.
The Grain Growers Elevator was built in 1920 and its first agent was W.
Ross, then C. Smith and now M. Archibald.
The first and only constable was Lance Walker but there is no need for
one now. The first Justice of the Peace was R. B. Watson and is now
R.H. Bolton.
Neelin has to its credit the memory of one: John Cumming who was
Engineer on the first Steamer boat to go from Winnipeg to Brandon 1879.
He raised cattle extensively and farmer at Moropano, in a picturesque
spot overlooking Lake Lorne.
Rosehill District
In the year 1880 the Rosehill district was referred to as the Clark
Settlement. Seemingly Mr. Clark and his family lived together on Sec.
14-4-14. until members of the Clark family became placed around the
section; Bill
on NW ¼ 12-4-14. John Jr. on W ½ 10- 4-14, Joe on N ¼
14-4-14, and Harry on, S ½ 16-4-14. Others coming to the district
in 1881 were: Harry Yewin, James Graham, Andrew Cowy, William Price,
George Bannerman, and Tom Leslie. In 1882 W. J. Porter, who had
previously been working in a Grist Mill filed on N ½ sec.
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20-4-14 and his uncle, Robert Johnston on
the south halt of the section. From then on many settlers came in. In
1882 Mr. Porter netgotiated with Wm. Clark for the construction of a
school. He took a petition around to be signed, the school was built,
and called Rosehill after Mr. Porter's farm. It was built on the
North-east corner of section 16-4-14 which was the centre of the
township. Mr. R. B. Watson from Roseberry offered the lumber he had on
hand and obtained the contract for building the
school. The first teacher was Mr. Charlie Martin. The school trustees
were Robert Johnson, Thomas Leslie, and John Clark.
Mr. Porter also was the instigator for the formation of post-office
service. The post office was called Moropano in preference to Rosehill
because there happened to be another post office somewhere by that
name. Mr. Porter being a bachelor could not be post master, so
his uncle, Robert Johnston became the first postmaster. Later when mail
service began in Baldur, Moropano was moved to Lake Louise with John
Cummings as postmaster. Then Roseberry was the Post office until Neelin
mail service opened up.
Church services were held at different homes. The first minister was a
missionary by the name of Rev. James Hoskin.
The settlers are known to have hauled their grain by oxen to Gregory’s
Mill. to be ground, and this took approximately four days. This mill
was located west of Wawanesa. Then in 1884 railway reached as far as
Manitou and the farmers hauled their grain to that point.
BALDUR MEMORIES
John Badger was the first to have a seeder, doing custom work for the
neighbours.
Ab. Cramer was the first to own a top buggy Did the ladies love him?
G. W. Playfair had the first planning mill in 1896, also the first to
operate a binder. The sheaves were wound with wire.
The first woman to tie a sheaf of wheat on this side of the river was
Mrs. Rankin in 1881, tied with wire, the first year for crops.
The first car was owned and run by J. A. Playfair. It had yellow wheels.
Mr. Joseph Wray and Mr. Huffman built the first school.
Sigurdur Christopherson was the first man to bring an Iceland pony and
sheep to this country.
The first snowplough, owned by M. W. Jackson, 1907
Mrs. William Clark was the flrst white woman to cross the Assiniboine
river to come to this district.
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