The Isabella district was first settled in the late 1870's, followed by a substantial increase in the early 1800's.  By 1884, there was a established, English speaking settlement, with  settlers from eastern Canada and the British Isles.   During the mid 1800's, a moment towards depopulation began and continued until there were only two occupied houses in the township.  This continued until 1869 when people slowly began to move into the area and with that another generation was born.

When many of the pioneers came to this part of the country, Brandon was the end of the railway line.  They made the tiresome, hazardous journeys up the Assiniboine River the landings were they would continue by foot, ox-cart or horse and buggy to their new homes.
They blazed trails from one homestead to another, winding around bogs, sloughs and bluffs.

My great grandfather, Francis Augustus Campbell, who was born in 1857 at Campbell's Cross, Ontario,  came west in 1882.  He settled on the east half of section 20, township 14, range 25 in what became known as the R.M. of Miniota.  He received the patent for the south east quarter on January 26, 1898 and later received the patent for the north east quarter on March 13, 1891.  He built his log house with logs that he hauled from the Assiniboine Valley.   The Lucas post office was located in the home of Francis Campbell and he served as postmaster until 1913.  He died on April 13, 1916 and is buried at the Arrow River Cemetery.  The homestead is still in the Campbell family with my father William Francis Campbell being the current owner.

The village of  Isabella was named for a Scotch lady, Isabella  Gould Taylor, who came to this area during the darkest days of the first depression.  When Isabella appeared on the map, Mrs. Taylor happened to be the oldest person in the district at the time.  Up until 1909, there was no road or railway leading to the town of Isabella, just the prairie trails.  There was a one room school where the town now stands.  Horses and buggies in the summer and sleighs in the winter were the only transportation.  The nearest stores and elevators were in towns over ten miles away.  In 1909, the Canadian Northern Railroad was built fro Hallboro to Isabella and the site for the town was just south of the one room school house.  The town grew like a mushroom and for many years was a busy thriving community.

Rural Reflections, the history of the Isabella and Blaris, was published in 1982.  Along with the family histories that are listed, the book contains many articles that fall under the following headings:

Recollections
Churches
Schools
Town Buildings and Businesses
Miscellaneous
Honor Roll
Agriculture, $-H and Extension Courses
Recreation
Community Services
Wedding Anniversaries    * photographs only