This is the fourth and final article in a series on the Mapleton Historical Society’s 2017 Cemetery Walk on Sept. 9 at Bethesda Cemetery. Located on Wellington Road 8 near Moorefield, the cemetery is rich with history about the property and those buried within it.
Johnnie Wright began trucking in 1935, hauling fat cattle to the Ontario Stockyards in Toronto for his father Henry and himself.
After numerous requests from neighbouring farmers to haul their livestock to market, Wright purchased a larger truck and obtained a PCV license. Wright’s trucking company, W.J. Wright Trucking also transported timothy seed and fertilizer.
With the addition of a Shurgain dealership, selling fertilizer and livestock feed, and a Blanchard feed dealership, Wright purchased PCV licenses from Angus Hamilton and Donald Duff, in order to expand the business.
The incorporation of West-East Livestock, a cattle transfer business, headquartered in Thunder Bay, allowed Wright to move stocker cattle from the west to the east more easily. Wright also transported dairy heifers into the United States. In 1991, Wright became the oldest driver on the road to receive a Z license, a newly required license for truck drivers operating air brakes. Upon his death in October of the same year, Wright had been trucking livestock for 56 years. Wright’s son Arnott joined the business, transporting livestock for local farmers. Arnott Wright passed away in the spring of 2017.
Millard Hammond operated a feed and supply store in Moorefield on the site that is currently occupied by the Moorefield Diner. Hammond also ran an insurance business in the community from 1956 to 1971 which was eventually sold to Terry Reilly. Organist for the United Church for 40 years, Hammond along with his wife Irene and Olive Dron sang duets in the church choir and at community events. Hammond also umpired baseball games throughout southwestern Ontario.
Alva Cherrey, a Drayton businessman, started doing mechanical repairs in 1946. By 1967, the business moved to the former Royal Hotel building located at the corner of Main and Wellington Streets. This site, a garage owned by Percy Trussler, became a family garage which employed Cherrey’s four sons.
In addition to the garage, Cherrey operated an Allis Chalmers Equipment dealership in the village for 40 years. In 1947, Cherrey drove school bus runs to the continuation school in Drayton. Cherrey’s next venture was the establishment of Cherrey Bus Lines which now has its headquarters in Stratford. Cherrey along with his wife Ilene, resided in the house which occupied the lot that is currently the Royal Bank site.
Born in Alberta, the youngest of 14 children, Forrest Gilmer came to Ontario to find work. He married Nora Spohn, a milliner from Ancaster, in 1930. The couple purchased the Moorefield Butcher Shop in 1950 from the estate of Reg Tomkins. The butcher shop located at the front of the building had been a butcher shop since 1911. Previous to 1911, the first Methodist church occupied the site. In 1976, the Gilmers sold the building and retired.
The location was more recently the site for Cakes by Hannah.
Rufus Welch purchased the feed mill in Moorefield in 1924. By 1936, his son Howard took over the daily operation of the mill. With Howard serving in the Second World War, Clifford Goodwin operated the mill. In 1960, the mill was remodeled and equipment for pelleting feed installed.
In 1969, Howard’s brother Glen joined the business.
