Samuel Franklin French was born to Coffin Moore French and Dolly Pillsbury December 22, 1835 in Candia,New Hapmshire, United States of America. Samuel worked as a reverend and traveled to preach in cities including Hamilton, Massachusetts; Tewksbury, Massachusetts; Wallingford, Vermont and Londonderry, New Hampshire. On December 22, 1864 Samuel married Martha Jane Upton in Andover, Massachusetts. The couple lived in New England for the remained of their lives until Samuel's death in 1911.

Robert S. Frew was a professor of architecture and a graduate of the University of Waterloo. Few was born March 2, 1940 in Chapelton, Scotland to James G. Few, a blacksmith, and Hannah Morrow Simpson, a weaver. Frew gradated from the Mackintosh School of Architecture (Glasgow) in 1963 and obtained a B.Arch from the Manitoba School of Architecture in 1965. He completed an M.A.S.C. Engineering in 1967 and a PhD. Engineering from in 1973 from the University of Waterloo, where he was involved with building the Kaleidoscope Pavilion at Expo 67.

Frew taught Yale School of Architecture, where he worked from 1969 to 1999, Along with Bob Workman, Frew founded the Computer Science Department at Southern Connecticut State University, where he served as chair of the department from 1981 to 1984 and taught from 1978 to 2003. Outside of his professional career, Frew served as president of Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven, and taught dance with the New Haven Branch of Royal Country Scottish Dancers.

Frew died September 22, 2023 in New Haven and was interred in Grove Street Cemetery.

Samuel Fried was born in Bucks County Pennsylvania in 1804. In 1825 he and Abraham Moyer walked to Canada and settled in Roseville, Waterloo County where he worked as a farmer. He married Nancy Ziegler, also an immigrant from Pennsylvania, and the pair had 7 children together.

Fritsch Pharmacy began in 1920 as Beger and Schaefer at 191 King Street West in Kitchener. By 1926 the business was operated solely by Gordon Schaefer and in 1929 was taken over by E.G. Fahrner. Fahrner came from London, Ontario where he worked as a druggist at the corner of Ridout and Dundas. From 1929 until 1958 Fahrner and his wife operated the store, at times also housing his wife's hair dressing business. In 1960 after Fahrner's passing the store was taken over by Michael Fritsch who had been working there since 1942, originally as a delivery boy. In 1988 Fritsch closed the dispensary and converted the store to selling perfumes, opening Fritsch Fragrances. Fritsch Fragrances closed in 2018 and Michael Fritsch died in 2023. Over the years the numbering system of King Street has change numerous times, but the store currently stands at 201 King Street West.

John Galt (1779-1839) was a novelist, political and social commentator, and founder of the city of Guelph, Ontario.

John Garden was born August 30 or 31, 1811 in Inverurie, Scotland, to Robert Garden (1785-1832) and Jean Davidson (1783-1821). He was one of six children, the others being Margaret, born Aug. 30 or 31, 1811 (who married George Davidson, first sheriff of Waterloo County, Ontario), James (1812-), Jane (1814-), Janet (1817-) and Robert (1821-). John died in 1836.

Robert Garden was born in 1821 in Aberdeen, Scotland to Robert Garden (1785-1832) and Jean Davidson (1783-1821). He was one of six children, the others being John, (August 30 or 31, 1811), Margaret (born Aug. 30 or 31 1811, who married George Davidson, first sheriff of Waterloo County, Ontario), James (1812-), Jane (1814-), and Janet (1817-).

Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau is a Canadian politician and former astronaut who served as a Cabinet minister, minister of foreign affairs, and minister of transport.

Greg Gatenby (1950-) was born in Toronto. Gatenby was an editor with McClelland & Stewart between 1973 and 1975. He later worked as the artistic director of the Harbourfront Reading Series and the International Festival of Authors. He holds a B.A. in English from York University, graduating 1972.

Sofie Andersen was born in Denmark in 1903. Sofie sailed from Copenhagen to Halifax in May of 1928. On May 14, 1928 Sofie married Niels Peter Jensen at St. John's Lutheran Church in Montréal. The couple were granted a divorce on January 17, 1936 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sofie married Eugene Gauthier on October 23, 1940 at St. Ansgar's Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in Montréal. Eugene passed away in 1951.
Sofie practiced spiritualism in Montréal and later Kitchener-Waterloo. She was ordained as a Spiritualist minister on June 25, 1967 at the Brantford Spiritual Temple in Brantford, Ontario. Reverend Fred Maynell, President of the National Spiritualist Association of Canada, officiated and conferred the degree of Minister upon Mrs. Gauthier. Sofie passed away in Cambridge, Ontario on February 10, 1996 at the age of 93.

Louise Catherine Breithaupt was born September 29, 1894 to John Christian and Caroline "Carrie" Anthes. An active member of the Zion Evangelical Church, she was a member of the choir and taught Sabbath school. She was also a member of the Queen Anne chapter of the I.O.D.E., serving as secretary for five years. Breithaupt married professor and Reverend Milton George Geil on September 6, 1934 and relocated to Evanston, Illinois where Geil taught psychology at Northwestern University. She died of tuberculosis at the Freeport Hospital on November 10, 1934 and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Milton George Geil was a professor of applied psychology. Geil was born in Drew, Ontario on June 3, 1893 to Henry and Margaret (nee Domm) Geil. He joined the ministry in 1917 serving as the associate minister at Zion Evangelical Church from 1922 to 1925 and as minster of the Calvary Church from 1925 to 1926. Geil completed his university and graduate studies in Illinois, obtaining a bachelor of arts from North Western College and, in 1930, a doctorate in psychology from Northwestern University. He also completed and a bachelor of divinity and doctorate at the Evangelical Theological Seminary. Geil joined Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1937 where he founded the psychological service centre and taught until his retirement in 1962. Between 1950 and 1951 he taught in Korea and the Philippines. Giel was married to Louise Breithaupt who died of tuberculosis on November 10, 1934. Following his death in Reading, his body was returned to Kitchener and buried next to Louise in Mount Hope Cemetery.

George Pattinson was born July 17, 1854 to John Pattinson and Hannah Errington in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, England. Haltwhistle was well known for its wool manufacturing and mills were operating there as early as the 13th century. Both Pattinson’s father and grandfather were involved in the wool manufacturing business. Pattinson himself was educated in the city of Hexham and it was not until he immigrated to Canada in 1870 at the age of 16 that he began to become involved in the wool business. Pattinson first found work at a woollen mill in Plattsville, Ontario. The following year Pattinson moved to Cambridge and began to work for the woollen mill of James Crombie and Company, where he would stay for over 60 years.

The James Crombie and Company mill was originally built as a linen mill during the American Civil War by Elliott, Hunt, and Stephen at a cost of $120,000. John Elliott was associated with the Victoria Woollen Mills in Almonte and George Stephen was a Montreal dry-goods importer with an interest in textile manufacturing. The mill failed after the war years, and in 1870 Crombie converted it into a woollen mill. When Pattinson began in 1871 the mill employed 31 men, 25 women and 11 children and annually produced $120,000 worth of woollens. This output made it the sixth largest mill in Ontario.

Pattinson began to take on a larger role in the operation of the mill in 1876 when it was purchased by the Robinson and Howell Co. of Galt. It is believed that William Robinson took an interest in Pattinson and began to instruct him in the operation of various areas of the mill. It was also during this time, in 1878, that Pattinson met and married Mary Elizabeth Erb (1854-1898). Mary Elizabeth Erb was the daughter of Abraham Albert Erb, descendant of original settlers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Margaret Wallace of Scotland.
In 1881 William Robinson died, and his share in the mill was passed down to his daughter, a Mrs. Ferguson of Toronto. In the period following Mr. Robinson’s death the mill was re-organized, and Pattinson and Robinson’s son-in-law the Hon. John Ferguson took over Robinson’s share in the company. Eight years later Howell died and the mill came fully into the possession of Pattinson and Ferguson. It was at this time that Pattinson took over direct management of the company. It was during this period that Pattinson began to become involved in local politics. He joined the Preston town council, and became reeve in 1889. He was also a member of the local school board.

By this time, Pattinson and his wife had had five children: Alice Margaret (July 13, 1879-April 29, 1888), Ellen Errington “Nell” (June 15, 1881-May 27, 1911), John Lynn (October 22, 1883-June 15, 1915), Frank Headly (October 19, 1885-?), and Ruth (August 18, 1887-?). In 1894 they would have their last child, Mabel (June 30, 1894-?). Mary Elizabeth died February 13, 1898 of sepsis at the age of 44. In the same year Pattinson became sole owner of the mill.

In the early 20th century Pattinson began becoming more interested in politics and it was in 1905 he began to serve as the representative for South Waterloo, a position he would carry until 1914. During his tenure as an MPP he was also member of numerous standing committees including Agriculture and Colonization, Municipal Law, Standing Orders, and Public Accounts. During this time he also worked with Sir Adam Beck and the Hydro Electric Commission in bringing hydroelectric power to Preston from the Niagara region. Some of his other interests included his part in the introduction of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, involvement in the Prison Reform Commission and as a director of the Lake Superior Corporation.

The First World War saw changes for Pattinson and for the mill. Records show that during the period 1916-1918 four new buildings were constructed at the mill: a warehouse, an office building, a carbonizer building (for carbonization of vegetable matter in wool), and an addition to the mill itself. A total cost for these four buildings was $58,185.92. Also during this time Pattinson himself became involved in the war effort, as the President of the Patriotic Association, member of the Soldier’s Insurance Commission of Waterloo County, and as the Chairman of the Canadian Wool Commission.

In 1920 the mill was granted incorporation under the title The George Pattinson Co. Ltd. The last few years of Pattinson’s life were marked by illness after a stroke in 1921 and his only surviving son, Frank Headley was taking care of much of the operation of the mill. Pattinson had survived his wife, his eldest daughter, who died as a child, and his eldest son who was killed in First World War. His death records show him as having been retired when he passed on May 10, 1931 due to complications from the earlier stroke.

Frank Pattinson officially took over the mill and by 1933 it was the ninth largest mill in Canada in terms of sales. The mill was producing tweeds, cheviots, overcoatings and mackinaws and sold directly to the public. The mill continued to operate in what is now Cambridge until 1958 when Frank moved the company to Jamaica. When the mill was left it was estimated to be 200,000 square feet in size.

In Cambridge where Hedly St. meets Eagle St., a portion of the mill can still be seen today. It has been repurposed as a commercial rental building.

George Weston Limited was founded by George Weston in 1882. Although George Weston began the business as a bakery, he acquired multiple food companies, including McCormick's Limited in 1937, and the business expanded rapidly.

Note: McCormick's Limited (previously known as the Canadian Biscuit Company Limited) had acquired the Paulin-Chambers Company Limited in 1926.

In 1972, a number of Weston-owned biscuit companies were amalgamated under the name InterBake Foods. At that time, InterBake operated biscuit plants in London, Ontario (at the former McCormick's factory) and in Winnipeg, Manitoba (at the former Paulin's plant).

In 1989, InterBake was sold to the Montreal firm of Culinar, Inc.

The Paulin's plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba was closed by InterBake in 1991 and production was moved to London, Ontario and to other Culinar-owned plants in Montreal.

Today, George Weston Limited is a major Canadian public company, representing Canada’s largest food and drug retail businesses through its control of Loblaw Companies Limited (“Loblaw”) and Loblaw’s recent acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart.

Alan George is a computer scientist and university administrator.