Postal Service at Pakan
The postal service started in 1887 with Rev. J. A.
McLachlan as the first post office clerk and Peter Erasmus with the first
contract to haul the mail. Mail was fortnightly at first with the mail coming
from Fort Saskatchewan. In 1904 the mail started coming from Lamont instead, on
a weekly basis until 1907 when it was changed to twice weekly. In 1918 mail
started coming from Smoky Lake with Frank E. Mitchell hauling the mail. Postal
service ended in 1960.
The picture to the right is of a Pakan post office, date unknown.
Read an Edmonton Bulletin Notice About Mail Service
Clerks:
Rev. J. A. McLachlan June 1, 1887 to September 2, 1887
Francis D. Wilson December 1, 1888 to April 22, 1889
(Francis D. Wilson was a Hudson's Bay Clerk starting in May of 1888 and the post office might have been run out of his home.)
W. C. Gillies January 1, 1890 to April 8, 1895
(Mr Gillies ran the first telegraph office between 1886 - 1898 and quite likely had the post office in the same building.)
William Buchanan October 1, 1895 to April 9, 1897
F. W. Latam June 1, 1898 to February 21, 1899
J. C. Gordon May 1, 1899 to July 6, 1901
J. A. Mitchell October 1, 1901 to April 10, 1914
Mrs. Annette Cornelius May 16, 1916 to January 19, 1917
J. C. Whitford February 27, 1917 to May 16, 1918
Miss Alice Lawford June 29, 1918 to October 20, 1921
John Alexander Mitchell December 24, 1921 to April 19, 1947
James Alexander Mitchell April 20, 1947 to May 14, 1959