ELROSE UP TO NOW (1980)
and
PRAIRIE TO WHEATFIELDS (1985)
(Hillman Excerpts)

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BERT HILLMAN Mr. Hillman was born in Bracebridge, Ontario. He married Jane Robinson in 1911. In 1913 they came to the Elrose area and homesteaded on Section 34. They moved into Elrose and opened a Blacksmith Shop in 1917. Bert drove a school van and was a caretaker of the school for a number of years. The Hillmans had eight children, Rupert (deceased), Gordon (deceased), Donald (deceased), Gerald, Doris, Lorne, Merna (deceased) and Arthur.

ROBERT ROBINSON

Robert Robinson of Bracebridge, Ontario, applied for his homestead in 1911 and returned to homestead later that year at 10-26-16. He went back to Ontario to bring his wife and children to Sask. In 1913 but while there he died. Mrs. Robinson moved with her son Alf and two daughters, Mercy (born March 4, 1901 in Bracebridge) and Crystal, six miles west of Elrose. An older daughter, Jane Hillman, was already living in the area. They endured many hardships to break their land, plant their crops and build a home. Mercy recalls working out at 14 years of age for $15.00 a month "when you got it." There were dances which lasted all night because they needed the daylight to get home and a close knit dependence on your neighbours for help and companionship. Crystal died in 1923. Jane, Mrs. Bert Hillman, lived in the community until she passed away in 1978. Mercy married Robert Ruthven and they continued to farm and be a vital part of Elrose. Mr. Ruthven died in 1960. They had four children: George of Elrose, Jim of Elrose and recently of Saskatoon, Evelyn of Saskatoon and Doreen of Pennant.

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PRAIRIE TO WHEATFIELDS (1985)
(Hillman Excerpts)

Mr. And Mrs. R. B. (Bert) Hillman
By daughter Doris

Mr. And Mrs. R. B. Hillman were married in Purbrook, Muskoka, Ontario in 1911, and came out to Western Canada in the late fall of 1912. Their homestead was in the Wartime district -- NE 34-25-16-W3

Bert opened a blacksmith shop in Hughton in 1914, and one in Wartime in 1915.

In 1917 Mr. And Mrs. Hillman returned to Ontario for a short time, and then came back to farming the homestead. They were allowed to purchase the homestead for $10 provided they lived on it six months a year for three years.

Bert opened a blacksmith shop in Elrose in April of 1922. They leased a house for a few months, and moved the original shack in from the homestead in November.

Because of the changing times Bert took on additional work. He took over the janitorial duties of the school in 1925. He continued at his job until his retirement in 1956 at the age of 75.

Mr. and Mrs. Hillman were great community and church workers. Mrs. Hillman was a long time member of the W.M.S., the Legion Auxiliary, and the Homemaker's Club.

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They had eight children:
Rupert, born July, 1913 and died in June, 1959;
Gordon, born in October, 1915 and killed overseas in 1943;
Donald, born in May, 1918 and killed overseas in 1943;
Gerald, born in August, 1920 and died in February, 1983;
Merna, born in March, 1934 and died in November, 1972;
Doris, born in December, 1921  [now living in retirement at Medicine Hat, Alberta] Deceased;
Lorne, born in November, 1923 [now living at Ferintosh, AB] Deceased;
Arthur, born in September, 1925 and now working on the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington.
Mr. Hillman passed away in January, 1963, and Mrs. Hillman in December, 1978.

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FIVE SONS OF
MR. & MRS. R. B. HILLMAN OF ELROSE
ARE SERVING
NEWSPAPER CLIPPING FEATURING THE HILLMAN BOYS (1943)

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Mr. And Mrs. R. B. Hillman of Elrose, have reason to be proud of the military record of their family, having five sons and a son-in-law in the armed forces. The sons are all Saskatchewan-born, and have lived in Elrose since 1922, having received their public and high school education here.

Petty Officer Gerald Hillman, 22, is a shipwright, with the R.C.N., and is stationed in Newfoundland. He is married and has a small son. Before joining up he held a position with the McCabe Elevator Company in Elrose.

Pte. Lorne Hillman, 19, is with the Canadian Active Army at Maple Creek.

The youngest son, Arthur, 17, is with the Signal Corps in Saskatoon.

Pilot Officer Gordon Hillman, 26, is a navigator with the R.C.A.F. in England. He enlisted in June, 1941, and went overseas in October, 1942. Prior to enlistment he taught school at Pleasant Deer Hill, and Hitchcock Schools.

Flight Sergeant Donald Hillman, 24, is also with the R.C.A.F. in England. Before enlisting he was an accountant with the Empire Meat Company in Saskatoon.

The eldest son,Rupert, who lives with his family at Fleet, Alberta, has tried several times to enlist but has been rejected on medical grounds.

Pte. Alan Walker, a son-in-law, who enlisted as a driver mechanic in the army, is stationed in Ontario. His mother resides in Biggar.

Mr. And Mrs. Hillman have only a nine-year-old daughter,  Merna, at home.

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Elrose 1977

Milford Torrance, Clarence Sloan, Gordon Lemkuhl, Ross Heintze, Mort Torrance, Mrs. Hillman, Vernice Trask