Highlights of History from The Whitehorse Star

The Whitehorse Pioneer Cemetery

June 1, 1928: "Tom Koloff and William Anderson left Thursday morning to continue their prospecting on the Boswell."

October 26, 1928: "For several years past the sunken Raymond boat has been an obstruction in the river here. This week Tom Koloff is blowing up the vessel in order to clear the channel."

March 1, 1929: "Bert Petersen, with E. Keopke, Tom Koloff, A. E. Marling, Sandy Grant and Charlie Thomas, left Thursday morning to do some blasting in the river channel at Rink Rapids."

October 9, 1931 (The Leader Post, Regina): "Peter J. H. Rodstrom, of Whitewood, Sask., son of Olof Rodstrom, well-known farmer of that neighborhood, is one of the first stakers of the new gold field in Livingstone Creek area of the Yukon. This gold quartz discovery is regarded in mining circles as of outstanding importance on account of its almost unprecedented richness and the large area covered by the mineral zone. Samples have assayed as high as $133 to the ton of ore, and $70 assays have occurred more than once. Thomas Koloff, the original staker, was immediately blocked in all around by Peter Rodstrom and Charles Ramsey, a young geologist, who is also working for the same eastern company. Ramsey and Rodstrom have been associated on two previous occasions, employed by the Cyril Knight Prospecting Company of Toronto, in 1929, when they were among the four prospectors who found the copper-nickel ore body on the shores of Hudson Bay."

The Whitehorse Star - Thursday, June 14, 1962

    Thomas Koloff, a resident of Whitehorse for the past eight years, passed away in the Whitehorse General Hospital on Thursday, November 30th. Mr. Koloff had been in poor health for some time and entered the hospital about the 16th of November, where, despite the best of care and attention by the hospital staff, he gradually became weaker and the end came peacefully at 12 p.m.

    A native of Bulgaria, Mr Koloff left his home when a young man, coming to Cincinatti, Ohio, where he was employed in Proctor & Gamble's soap factory in that city. Having previously been trained in the use of high explosives when studying as an officer of the Bulgarian Army corps, he followed this line in construction work, which, at that time, was booming, until his health was affected by the dust and powder fumes.

    "Tom," as he was universally known here, came to the Territory some eight years ago, where he became interested in prospecting. Every year would find Tom in the hills seeking the elusive yellow metal.

    The deceased leaves to mourn his loss his wife, Mrs. Thomas Koloff, and a son, both in Bulgaria. Funeral services were held from Christ Church on Sunday, December 3rd, Rev. O. W. R. Hughes officiating, and a large attendance turned out to pay their last respects to the deceased. Interment was in the Whitehorse Cemetery.

    "Tom" leaves a host of friends and acquaintances throughout Southern Yukon who mourn his passing.