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Mr. Estlin’s name appears
throughout the history of Melita and Arthur.
His main occupation was as the Wawanesa Insurance Agent from 1919-1936.
Before that he seems to have been involved in several of the business
undertakings in the community. He was a grain buyer and a
contractor. He served as Secretary of the Melita - Arthur
Telephone Co. established in 1905. He built the Blackwell Block which
was originally at the Manchester site. He was the first local agent for
the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company.
He was very active in many aspects of community life. He belonged to
the gun club. His name was often in the news.
For example: a news article from 1899 indicates that he was on a
committee to canvass town for fund to plant trees in the cemetery. From
a 1900 report we learn that: “The first shipment of Russian
Poplars arrived last night and the remainder have been shipped … they
were ordered by A.B. Estlin.
However, his main service to his community may have been as an observer
and chronicler. He was a charter member of the Melita Old Timers
Association formed in 1926 and in that capacity prepared historical
sketches, some of which much later provided essential background
information for Melita’s first history book “Our First Century”.
His personal reminiscence, combined with his research and curiosity
have left us with a good record of the beginnings of the community.
He has kept alive important details about the early history of the
region, the first settlers, and the origins of the town, and about
early influential citizens such as W.F. Thomas.
Adapted from Our First Century, page 205
We know little about Mr. Estlin’s origins. He was born on February 27,
1860 in Middle Burnham, Somerset, England. Vital Statistics tells us
that he was married to Mabel Francis Flesher in 1893 in Deloraine, and
that he died on January 7, 1939 in Melita at the age of 78. It is only
from Vital Statistics information that we learn his full given name:
Alfred Bagehot Estlin. In local reports he was always just A.B.
Charles Prior (C.P.) Estlin whose name also appears in Melita early
history was his brother.
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