| The original 12 settlers
In late March 1878 a group of individuals met in Drayton, Ontario, Canada, for the purpose of planning their migration to the newly explored lands of the province of Manitoba. The decision was made to leave Drayton on April 10. The original party consisted of J. Walter Fawcett, his wife and child, Ezra Healy, his wife and child, Albert Wallace, Wesley Patmore, James Healy, Harry Wallace, and George W. Healy. This small group was joined enroute by Alexander McCrea, and they traveled by rail to a point 12 miles east of Grand Forks, ND. They had their baggage shipped to Fisher's Landing (then the northernmost end of the railway), from which they traveled on foot and wagon through the Red River Valley to Pembina, ND. Impressed with the area, they decided to stay, and A.W. McCrea, as eldest man in the company, was given the right to choose the spot for |
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a new settlement. He chose the present location of Drayton, which was eventually named for the settlers' Canadian hometown.
(Photo Courtesy of: Oxcart |
 Drayton c.1899 |
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Other early settlers Within weeks of the first settlers' arrival, at least three cabins had been erected, and prairie was broken to begin farming on each of the claims selected by members of the little colony. The population was augmented by the arrival of other individuals attracted by letters from their settler friends, including Henry Healy, Frank Wallace, Rev. Almon Healy and his wife, A. W. McCrea's family, William Mills, Frank Healy, Robert Tweedlie, Nathan Upham, James Bellamy,T.U. Henry, Ambrose Smith, Joseph Smith and his son D.K. Smith, R.B. |
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| Richardson, Isaac Mussel, and Charles, Frank, and
Richard Edwards and their mother.
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 Drayton Cornet Band c.1890 |
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Some early events and milestones: July 1, 1878 First post office established (Ezra Healy, first postmaster), mail carried by stagecoach 1880 Drayton formally organized; first river ferry began operation; first school built (James Healy, first teacher); first stores, hotel built; year of big immigration--railroad extended to St. Vincent on MN side brought immigrants who either walked to Drayton or were met by friends with ox carts. Oct 1879 Disastrous prairie fire sweeps area, killing Mrs. William Bellamy and child and Michael Duffy, and severely burning D.K. Smith and J.W. Fawcett. Considerable damage done to property 1881 First newspaper established, R.H. Young, editor
1882 First church built, Methodist 1887 Northern Pacific Railroad reaches Drayton 1888 Community Club (later re-named Commercial Club and then Chamber of Commerce) organized; Drayton Echo newspaper established by J.K. Fairchild (name changed several times, finally to Drayton Express) 1889 Drayton incorporated as a village. 1890 First pontoon bridge erected 1896 Village of Drayton incorporated as a city 1902 First hospital built by Dr. H.M. Waldren - privately owned and operated 1903 Dacotah Curling Club (ND's oldest curling club, later re-named Drayton Curling Club) built its first rink |
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Drayton, the Red River of the North, and steamboats Early on, the settlement where Drayton sits today was an important Red River boat landing located on the highest geographical point between present-day Grand |
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Forks (ND) and
Winnipeg, Canada.
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 Pontoon Bridge c.1912 |
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| Navigation on the Red River began in 1859 with the launching of the Anson Northrup at Fort Abercrombie. Steamboats became an important means of transporting people, equipment, and goods along the Red River. Some of the steamers' names were the Minnesota, Dacotah, Manitoba, Alsop, Grand Forks, Grandin, Fram, Pluck, Selkirk, and Ogama. The last steamboat cruise from Grand Forks to Winnipeg was made with some fanfare in June 1909 and was hailed at the time as the beginning of a new era of pleasure excursions on that route. In fact, | |||||
| though, it marked the death of such trips. By
around 1912, the Grand Forks, and all the other steamboats and barges had
long since fallen into disrepair and were disposed of.
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 Red River Ferry c. 1885 |
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| Source: A Century of Methodism, Drayton United Methodist Church, 1978 | |||||
