 John and Elizabeth Drew & Family by Katie Tisdall-Dingman  ohn and Elizabeth Drew brought their large family to London, Upper Canada in 1849 from Morchard Bishop Parish in
Devonshire, England. They were part of the large Devonshire migration to North America that occurred between 1849
and 1858 and sailed from Plymouth with four sons and three daughters. The sons were William, Edred, John and Alfred.
Unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful in uncovering much information about the daughters including their names.
The first structure in London was a log shanty built in 1826 by Peter McGregor, a highland Scotchman. McGregor used this place as a "hotel" for weary travelers. Accommodation thought was jug on a stump by the door! Things improved quickly during the next twenty years and many merchants were quick to take up residence and sell their ware to the many immigrant settlers that were moving in. The Drew's were part of that early settler group. According to the 1842 Census Report, London (and Township) had 559 houses with a population of nearly a third of a million people. I have found little about John, Elizabeth and their three daughters, but much information is available about their sons. Misfortune was not far behind the Drew's and the family was hit hard that first year by a Cholera epidemic. John, Elizabeth and two of their daughters succumbed to it in 1849, shortly after their arrival. The conditions of London were far from sanitary and a slow-moving stream ran close to where the Drew's lived between York and Bathurst. Water was drawn form open wells by way of an oaken bucket. Cattle and pigs were sheltered near by with no provision for proper drainage of sewage which meant that it would filter into the stream. These filthy conditions were perfect breading grounds for many diseases including Cholera. William the eldest, born 25 march 1828 was left to care for this young siblings. They lived at number 10 Bathurst Street West for which he paid L9.00 a year rent. He was a carpenter by trade and in 1854 he relocated the family to Exeter. William 28, Edred, 17, John, 11; Alfred, 9 and one sister walked the 30 miles down the then heavily forested London Road to their destination. He married twice, first to Fanny Bawden and then to Mary Holman on 26 October 1867. William had seven children, William Peter, Elizabeth Fanny, Mary Maria, Jane (Jennie), John, Alfred and Carrie. In 1861, he invested $1,000 in his business as a carpenter and owned one horse, two cows and two pigs valued at $60. His annual income of $500 was made as a joiner by hand (all job work). He also worked as a cabinetmaker and owned a store where he sold pianos and sewing machines. William built many of the early buildings in Exeter, many of which are still standing today. In 1867 he received a license to operate a tavern and he built, owned and operated the Commercial Hotel in Exeter. The Commercial Hotel was known to have the "most obliging chambermaids" in Exeter, especially one in particular named Rosie. William was a well-respected citizen in Exeter and was responsible for naming the Exeter Times newspaper. He was noted to have an excellent memory and was famous for telling many stories of the pioneer days. He died the "Oldest Resident of Exeter" at the age of 86, 16 July 1914 and is buried in Exeter Cemetery. Edren Drew was born, the second eldest son in 1837. He was also a carpenter and cabinetmaker and built many early buildings of Exeter along with his brothers. Nine to fifteen men were employed in Edred's furniture making shop in the 1870's. He was very outspoken and a strong political figure with Exeter municipal politics as a Town Councillor for many years. Edred commented during discussion at a Town Council Meeting in 1878 regarding Exeter's progress, "I deprecate the sectional felling which seems to pervade the two ends of the village. If such an unfortunate condition of affairs were allowed to continue, we should soon find the village the loser. The only way to secure the lasting prospects of the village is by all working harmoniously together." Edred married Lydia Johns on 6 December 1860 and they had six children Charles, Edred, Louisa, Maria Jane, Frederick, Albert and Alfred. The family moved to Los Angeles, California sometime around 1882. The third son was John Drew and he was born in 1842. John married Martha Bissett and they had five children John, Beatrice, Eva Maud & Hetty May (twins) and another unnamed daughter who died as an infant. Eva Maud and Hetty May died at two years old, only two days apart. John began as a carpenter and cabinetmaker like his brothers, William and Edred but soon opened an undertaking business that he finally sold in 1887 after thirty years. John advertised the following: "Coffins of all sizes kept on hand and made to order, shrouds and burial robes make of the best material. Funerals attended to with promptness. The best hearse in the County furnished for five dollars. Techniques of the Egyptian embalmer to prevent the discolouring of corpses and offensive adours." The first building in this picture is Molson's Bank and the second is Drew's Undertaking. John and his family moved to Snowflake, Manitoba in the late 1880's. The fourth and last son was Alfred Drew born 10 February 1845. Alfred married Susan Devoy on 9 July 1867 in St. Paul's Cathedral and they had six children Edred, Carrie Mary, Fanny Elizabeth, Alfred, Harriet (Hattie) Victoria and Ethel Louise. Alfred and Susan's Wedding License, 1867 Alfred apprenticed as a blacksmith with J&S McBride Carriage Makers on Fullerton Street in London in 1861 where he also boarded. He was listed as a first class militia man and was also a volunteer fireman. Most of his life was spent as a blacksmith (1861-1894) and then in 1894 he became the janitor at St. George's Public School. In 1906 he became the caretaker at Central collegiate until he retired at 80 years old in 1925. Alfred had one of the first telephones in London and lived at 720 William Street (renumbered 724 in 1919) until he died 9 February 1927. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery. There is still much more to tell about Alfred and his descendants, but this is only the beginning. I can't include everything in the first booklet or you'll never get to see any of it. There are many other documents as well that can be included in this story such as Alfred's son Edred's baptismal record, his daughter Dorothy Jane Adair Drew's birth announcement in the London Free Press, Alfred's Will and Testament, and the list goes on. |