Robert John Hammill
One of the early pioneers of the Milden District was Robert John Hammill. He was born at Ancaster, Ontario in 1873. Robert was a brother to Sarah Maria Hammill, who married William John Harrington at Ancaster. Robert moved to Brandon, Manitoba in 1892 and worked in a horse sales barn and drove a livery for John McQueen. Mr. McQueen bought several sections of land in Carievale and Robert Hammill was foreman on this farm for a number of years.
All horses and equipment, etc. for this farm were moved back and forth from Brandon, each season and pictures of this move were used for colonization purposes in Britain as there were as many as 45 binders in the procession as well as the other equipment.
Nellie May Irwin was born in Oakwood, Ontario in 1884. Later, her family moved to Saskatchewan where she met and married Robert Hammill at Carievale in 1906. The same year, they took a homestead at Milden, Saskatchewan and raised a family of 7 children.
Mr. Hammill took an active part in community affairs and served on the Milden School board for more than 20 years. He was a lover of horses and kept harness horses for many years as a hobby. He played hockey in the early days and was an ardent hockey fann until his death. Mrs. Hammill was a life member of the St. John's Anglican Church in Milden and very active in the W .A. and later was made a Life Member of St. John's Church. She was a wonderful cook and made her home a place where young and old liked to visit.
The Hammill family had the dairy business at Milden at a time when milk was delivered to the door by horse drawn vans. Residents could buy whole milk (With 3 inches of cream on top) in a glass bottle for 5 cents a pint and 10 cents a quart. Empty bottles were collected, washed with a brush in a special solution, and then put in a boiler where water was brought to a boil. When removed they were stored upside down on a special counter. Mrs. Hammill passed away in 1949 at the age of 65 years, after being confined to her bed with a stroke for 4 1 /2 years. Mr. Hammill remained active until his death in 1957 at the age of 84 years.
