Balmer, Robert

OAKVILLE'S POSTMASTER DEAD.
Clerk of the Town for Forty-five
Years and Postmaster Nearly
as Long.
OAKVILLE. Dec. 12. - The death occurred here last evening of Mr. Robert Balmer, postmaster of this town, in his 78th year. Mr. Balmer was a native of Roxburyshire, Scotland, but came to Canada early in life. He worked for a time on a farm near Oakville, and later in a store. He was clerk of the town for forty-five years, a term of service seldom equalled in this or any other country. He only resigned a year ago, on account of failing health, being succeeded by Mr. W. S. Davis. His term of service as postmaster was almost as long, he having been appointed to that office in 1857, forty-one years ago. Mr. Balmer had a large family. One of his daughters, married to Mr. Andrew Pattullo, M.P.P., died about three years ago. Another daughter, who was married to Sheriff Watt, of Brantford, died a few weeks since. The surviving daughers are Mrs. McGiffin, wife of Commodore McGiffin, of the Niagara Navigation Co., Toronto; Mrs. Cochrane, widow of the late Rev. Dr. Cochrane, of Brantford, and two unmarried daughters who live at home.