True and Fascinating Canadian History
Veteran of the Month: February, 2026
Reg.#338, Constable Colin Melville Genge
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
Information about Colin Genge was taken from Wikipedia. I am also deeply appreciative of Alberta Volunteer Alison Glass, who recently found the obituary of Colin Melville Genge, which provided details about his death and funeral.
Reg.#338, Colin Melville Genge began his professional career as an early member of the North West Mounted Police. He was born in Kingston, Ontario in 1859, and joined the North West Mounted Police at age 20 on June 9, 1879, serving at Fort Macleod for approximately five years before leaving the Force on March 1, 1884. In 1884, he married Anne May Ryan, the same year he left the Mounted Police.
Following his career in the NWMP, Wikipedia notes that he quickly established himself as a successful entrepreneur in Fort Macleod, operating a hardware store, owning a sandstone quarry, running the Fort Macleod Telephone Company, and working as a contractor. His notable construction project was the Queens Hotel, which he designed and built in 1903 using sandstone from his own quarry, showcasing both his business acumen and construction skills.
Genge's success in business led him to pursue a political career, beginning at the municipal level where he served two terms as Mayor of Fort Macleod starting in 1904. Following the creation of Alberta as a province in 1905, Genge was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1909 general election, defeating Conservative Party candidate E.P. McNeill in a closely contested race.
Tragically, Genge's promising political career was cut short when he died in office in 1910, less than a year into his first term. His funeral was the largest and most impressive ever held in Macleod, with an exceptionally long procession and attendance by government officials, Masonic dignitaries, and representatives from multiple fraternal organizations.
According to his obituary, the immense outpouring of grief and the floral offerings from across Western Canada testified to his significant impact on the community over nearly 30 years of service as a North West Mounted Police constable, businessman, and politician.
Colin Melville Genge was buried in Union Cemetery, Fort Macleod, AB.
Genge, Colin Melville. Obituary: The Edmonton Bulletin. Wednesday, March 30, 1910. p. 8.
Wikipedia. "Colin Genge." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Genge (accessed February 7, 2026)
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
February 7th, 2026
