This is the second part of an article on information shared at the Cemetery Walk in Drayton hosted by the Mapleton Historical Society on Sept. 10. The article is based on research by society members Debbie Oxby and Marilyn Streeter and presented by speaker and society president Floyd Schieck.
Theodore Flath (1853-1898) was a shoemaker turned village constable, who later was transferred and became a county constable. He died from complications after contracting rabies.
In addition to his blacks-mithing work, Thomas Gordon (1821-1874) delivered mail to Stirton and Hollen. The inscription on his headstone reads, “My sledge and hammer lay reclined. My bellows too has lost its wind. My fire’s extinct. My forge’s decayed and in the dust my body’s laid.”
D. Wesley Smith (1872-1969) was a farmer, stone mason and brick layer. One of 18 children, he farmed the area that is known as Smith Drive. The farm sold cream to the creamery.
“In Smith’s time talking in church was frowned upon. He may have had an issue with his hearing as he always spoke very loudly in church,” Schieck said.
Dr. Bertrand Sandwith, MD (1878-1958) practiced medicine in the Drayton area. Patients of the doctor remembered Sandwith’s oft-repeated admonishment, “You are sick, but don’t be a baby.”
Sandwith’s daughter Dorothy (1905-1977) married Dr. Harold James who worked with Sandwith in his medical practice.
Proprietor Martin Fox, operated the Dominion Hotel located at the bottom of the hill on what is now the Catholic church property. Daughter Lena took over the business from her father. She was active on the school board and lived to be 101 years old.
Martin Schnieder, a farmer, built the Royal Hotel on the corner of Main and Wellington Streets. He ran a general store and a pool hall. Schnieder dealt in horses, grain and dressed hogs, shipping them to western Canada.
E. Stanley Morgan (1893-1962) was the first funeral home operator to have visitation in the funeral home instead of the deceased residence.
Christopher Richards (1890-1960) was a dairy farmer in the area now known as Drayton’s trailer park. Reputed to be the greatest storyteller in the area, Richards told many a tale. When asked why he always wore a white shirt, he claimed while living out west he, along with many residents, helped evacuate a shirt factory that caught on fire. Richards brought a “life-time” supply of white shirts back to Ontario, he told people.
“Richards claim to fame in Drayton was that he operated a ‘cat and rat factory.’ As cats wouldn’t eat rat skins, he sold the skins to a fur factory,” Schieck said.
Beverly Brunkard (1913-1990) was in the dairy business. He purchased milk from local farmers and processed, pasteurized, bottled and delivered it to the community.
“During winter storms, I remember my father hitching up the sleigh and picking up the raw milk from area farms and delivering it to the Brunkard’s dairy as they weren’t able to travel out of town,” Schieck said.
The most elaborate and least known-about plot in the Drayton cemetery is that of the Terriff family. Of note is son William (1863-1913), who invented the washing machine. After moving to Michigan, Terriff was involved with many different investments, including Wolverine soap and Portland furniture. A wealthy man who never married, it is noted that he left his fortune to 57 living relatives.
Not confirmed but of interest is that Terriff moved his parents’ bodies from Holland to the Drayton cemetery.
