ROBERT H. McCALLUM

    Robert H. McCallum who homesteaded near Russell in 1882 was one of the best known of the pioneers. For many years he served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Russell School District. He died at the age of 78.

    Mr. McCallun left his native Scotland at the age of 17 years where he was indentured with a large ship building firm in the drafting office. Being in close friendship with Mr. John Brown and the Kinnaird family the former an erstwhile merchant of Russell, who had emigrated to Canada, he was induced to follow in their wake, and accordingly embarked for Canada.  Arriving in Canada he found employment in Ontario with a lumbering company, but after two years in this line, decided to pay heed to the glowing reports of Western Canada, whither his friends had gone, and set out for the west and arrived at what was then the Shell River district, now Russell, in the year 1882.   Here he filed on the south half of 24-20-29, and farmed this land for some years.   He then went to the City of Winnipeg where he took charge of the steam heating plant in one of the large hotels. Afterwards he returned to Russell and was engaged by the Dr. Barnardo Home to install the machinery and power plant for their creamery.

    After the completion of this work, he found that there was considerable demand for his skill as a steam fitter, and he decided to locate in Russell, erecting the building now occupied by John Wishira. Here he introduced and installed a. number of acetylene gas machines which were a great improvement on former methods of lighting.   He installed these plants not only in Russell and district, but in many other towns in the province and in Saskatchewan. Mr. McCallum built up a lucrative business in this and other machinery lines till his retirement.

    He was one of the original members of Boulton's Mounted Infantry, known as Boulton Scouts under Colonel C. A. Boulton, which did very fine service during the insurrection of 1885. Always keenly interested in public affairs and possessed of aside knowledge, he was ever ready to take part and share in the burdens of civic enterprises, and he was for many years secretary of our school district. Strictly honorable in business, and a keen critic, it was always of interest to hear his pronouncement of public questions, which were given with a directness which left little doubt his own opinion.

   Mr. McCallum, among other things, left to his first district the name "Craigie", and also gave Millwood its name. Seemingly small things, but enduring and show clearly the attachment he
formed for it.

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