RM #4- Coalfields History

First called Local Improvement District no.262

The First recorded meeting was Aug 18, 1904, in the Ansell School House #288 located on Section 29, Tsp 3, Rge 5, W2
Chairman- W. L. Perry
Secretary- William Cole

The R.M. of Coalfields #4 was Incorporated on January 1, 1913
Part of Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
First Meeting was held in Bienfait, Jan 6, 1913
A. J. Milligan was Secretary-Treasurer.
Later that year Robert Dunbar was elected Reeve.
Councillors-
Joseph Hill- Chairman (see below *note 1)
J. W. Mould
A. E. Sherwin
Joseph Ryson

The Following Councillors were also elected.
Div. 1 - William H. Wallace
Div. 2 - Joseph Hill (see below *note 1)
Div. 3 - Joseph E. Brinkworth
Div. 4 - John E. Messham
Div. 5 - Joseph Ryson
Div. 6 - Nick Lafrentz

The First Reeve of Coalfields RM was Robert Dunbar

Robert Dunbar, ca 1918
b- Dec 14, 1866 in Pictou Co, NS,
served as MLA for Estevan ca 1919, of Highland Scottish Parentage,
Came west to the Brandon Hills in 1887.
That same year he trekked to North Portal where he remained.
In Feb 1919 he farmed 960 acres. Plus he leased 489 acres from the government.
He was a life member of the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Assoc. SGGA,
President of the North Portal SGGA.
Served for 3 years as Reeve of Coalfields RM.
Served 16 years as Secretary of the Britannica School District,
as well as Secretary of the Rural Telephone Co. from its start.
Member of the Presbyterian Church.

Genealogy-
wife- Ellenor “Lana” Bessie Dunbar nee Roddick,
b- Dec 19, 18690 in West River, NS
daughter of Rev. George Roddick of West River, NS

5 children known to me
Mary Bell Dunbar- b- May 8, 1897 in Estevan, Assn (SK)
George Roddick Dunbar- b- June 10, 1900 in North Portal, Assn (SK)
William Henery Dunbar- b- Mar 17, 1903, North Portal
David Alexander Irvin- b- Mar 18, 1905, North Portal
Margaret Ann Dunbar-
b- Aug 14, 1908, on farm, Section 13, Township 1, Range 6, W2

Robert was a twin of Alexander Dunbar
father- John D. Dunbar, Yeoman
mother- Mary Bell Munro
married Mar 1, 1866 in U. Brauch? (Branch?), Pictou Co., NS

Dept of Municipal Affairs named the RM Coalfields
on the suggestion of the Council
2nd Choice was Dunbar
3rd Choice was Coaldale
Municipal Assessment was set at 4 cents per acre in 1913

1913- to approx 1978
Council members, Reeves , and Secretaries

Division 1
William H. Wallace, 1913-15
William F. Harris, 1914
Sam A. Lee, 1916-17
George S. Richardson, 1918-20, 25-36
John W. Kellington, 1921-24
W. Lee Roughton, 1937-52
James Milne, 1953-59
Frank Abraham, 1959-68
Stanley Holmes, 1969-

Division 2
Joseph Hill, 1913-15 (see below *note 1)
Amos D. McRae, 1916
James K. MacKenzie, 1916-51
Albert S. Harris, 1952-53
Kenneth J. MacKenzie, 1954-69
Jerry J. Daley, 1970-75
E. J. Aspinall, 1976-

Division 3
Joseph E. Brinkworth, 1913-17
John T. Dunbar, 1918-20
George S. Robinson, 1921-30
Arron Molyneux, 1931-42
Ernest F. Leonard, 1943-50
John H. Dunbar, 1951-59
Frank Zieglgansberger, 1959-74
Alex Olson, 1975-

Division 4 John E. Messham, 1913
David J. McKnight, 1914-41
Carl Timlin, 1942-43
John L. Ward, 1944-45
R. Fred Quinn, 1946-47
J. Wilber Sherwin, 1948-59
Stanley Stobart, 1960-69
Robert Ewan, 1970-77
Joe Gonos, 1978-

Division 5
Joseph Ryson, 1913
Isaac Fishtrom, 1914-15
Archie Woodrow, 1916-17;1919-30
Louis Zelickson, 1918
William Yeates, 1931-34
Fred Billington, 1935-36
Lester H. Billington 1937-47
Nels Backman, 1948-50
V.H. Henderson, 1951-54
Ronald W. Steiger, 1955-59
Lloyd H. Olson, 1960-66
John Walliser, 1967-68
Ronald G. Johnson, 1969-

Division 6
Nick Lafrentz, 1913-27
Fred A. Cleophas, 1928-37
William Lafrentz, 1938-47
Jake Miller, 1948-56
James Lainton, 1957-68
John Dillman, 1969-75
Mike Kazuik, 1976-

Reeves
Robert Dunbar, 1913-15
Joseph Hill, 1916-41 (see below *note 1)
Garfield Herbert McKechney, 1942-53 (see below *note 2 )
Gordon W. MacKenzie, 1954-56
V. H. Henderson, 1957-68
James Lamton, 1969-74
Frank Abraham, 1975-

Secretaries
A. J. Milligan, 1913-17;18-22
A.B. Stuart, 1917-18
D. Archie Wynne-Jones, 1923-41
James A. Cooper, 1942-62
Wilfred Geber, 1962
Alvin B. Vinge, 1962-65
Vernon Ross, 1965-71
Henry Kostuik, 1971-

*note 1- Joseph Hill-
b- Nov 19,1878, Moortown Farm, near Knowstone, North Devon, England
d- Mar 1980, age 101
buried in North Portal Cemetery, Mar 19, 1980.
son of John Hill and Caroline Mary Hill, nee Myers
Immigrated to Canada in 1898
Appointed Chairman of SK Assessment Commission,
Feb 1, 1934. and Aug, 1934 dismissed, entire Commission reorganized
Served 6 yrs as Councillor starting in 1904
and in 1935 had 24 years as Reeve of Coalfields, ending up with 40 yrs service.
farmed 800 acres 5 miles west of North Portal
President of Estevan Agricultural Society, was one of the first members.
Original member of the SK Wheat Pool.
Director of the SK Tuberculosis League
Director SK Municipal Hail Insurance Co for 12 years
First President of SE section of SK Assoc of Rural Municipalities

*note 2- Reeve (1942-1953) and Councillor- Garfield Herbert McKechney,
b- 1901 Cavalier ND,
d- Jan 15, 1957, in Ambulance on way to Regina
buried in Bienfait Cemetery
farmed in Bienfait-Kingsford dist since 1927
Director of SK Assoc of Rural Municipalities
President Mineral Owners Protective Assoc.
Director of the Estevan Agricultural Society

2004- ? Councils & Reeves

2004 Council:
Reeve - Stanley J. Lainton
Div. 1 - Barry R. O. Harris
Div. 2 - Ray Aspinall
Div. 3 - Ingrid Beahm
Div. 4 - David MacCuish
Div. 5 - Curtis Walliser
Div. 6 - Clifford Finstad
Admin - Barry Katschke

2005 Council:
Reeve - Stanley J. Lainton
Div. 1 - Barry R. O. Harris
Div. 2 - Ray Aspinall
Div. 3 - Marilyn Ribling
Div. 4 - David MacCuish
Div. 5 - Curtis Walliser
Div. 6 - Clifford Finstad
Admin - Barry Katschke

2006 Council
Reeve - Stanley J. Lainton
Div. 1 - Barry R. O. Harris
Div. 2 - Ray Aspinall
Div. 3 - Marilyn Ribling
Div. 4 - Ingrid Beahm
Div. 5 - Curtis Walliser
Div. 6 - Walter Shurygalo
Admin - Barry Katschke

2007 same for 2008
Reeve- Stanley J. Lainton
Division 1- Barry R. O. Harris
Division 2- Raymond (Ray) Aspinall
Division 3- Arnold Jahn
Division 4- Ingrid Beahm
Division 5- Curtis Walliser
Division 6- Walter Shurygalo

2008- 2009
Reeve- Stanley J. Lainton
Division 1- Barry R. O. Harris
Division 2- Raymond (Ray) Aspinall
Division 3- Arnold Jahn
Division 4- Ingrid Beahm
Division 5- Donald Zieglgansberger
Division 6- Walter Shurygalo

2010-2011
Reeve- Stanley J. Lainton
Division 1- Barry R. O. Harris
Division 2- Raymond (Ray) Aspinall
Division 3- Arnold Jahn
Division 4- Ingrid Beahm
Division 5 Reg Jahn
Division 6 Paul Deren

Note- the Election year runs Oct-Oct, with the newly elected person taking over right after the election.

In 1978 the municipality joined with the R.M of Enniskillen #3, the R.M. of Browning #34 and the R.M. Moose Creek #33
to form the Frobisher District Maintenance Area, to co-ordinate the maintenance of surfaced roads within the area.

Census Search for 1901, 1906 and 1911
http://automatedgenealogy.com/index.html A great site, thanks to the volunteer transcribers

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