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The company and officers that were recommended were officially gazetted one week later on January 30, 1863. Wesley Howell was born in Ancaster, the oldest living child of a family of fourteen. He was raised in Wentworth County and was commissioned in the Wentworth Sedentary militia. He married Emma Vanderlip and had six children. In early life he acted as Superintendent of his father's manufacturing business for eight years. He then moved to Paris entering into mercantile life for ten years. After this he moved to Blenheim township on Concession 6 Lot 8 about 1 ½ miles east of Drumbo. Here he established a grist and flour mill on the Nith River called Howell's Mills. He remained there for nine years then moved to Brantford. In Brantford he helped establish a company manufacturing starch and vinegar which became the 'British American Starch Works'. In later life he became a successful insurance and real estate agent. He served as reeve of Brantford Township and as a County councillor for Brant. He was a member of the Masonic, Doric Lodge #121 and Mt. Horeb chapter #21. The following year a change of officers occurred as reported in the following General Order: "Headquarters Quebec, 10 June 1864 Volunteer Infantry company Drumbo To be Lieut.: John Laidlaw, Gentleman, vice Hill, resigned To be Ensign: James Rodgers, Gentleman, vice Muma, resigned" In January 1865 Capt. Howell wrote to headquarters to advise that he had filled up his company from forty to its original number of 65 men and requested clothing for them. 262 He also wrote that the men were attending drill once a week. He received an answer from the Adj. General who stated that it would be difficult to maintain an efficient company if the number of rifles were exceeded and that he not try to increase to 65 men and to maintain his efficiency The account of Drumbo's part in the Fenian crisis is given in full in Chapter 2. But it should be mentioned that the Drumbo company had the honour of advancing with the military contingent all the way to Fort Erie shore in pursuit of the Fenians. In 1866 militia fervour was high and many counties formed themselves into battalions for greater efficiency. Lt. Col. Taylor of the 22nd Battalion Oxford Rifles while organizing his battalion wrote to the Adjutant General: 263 "In order to promote the efficiency of the 22nd Battalion Oxford Rifles and to complete the organization of that portion of my District I strongly recommend that the infantry companies of 'Drumbo' and 'Ingersoll' be added to the 22nd Battalion." The Militia Act stated that a battalion must have at least six and no more than ten companies. With the additional two companies Lt. Col. Taylor would have eight companies for his battalion. Four months later, Taylor's ideas had changed. He then had eleven companies for his 22nd and sought a solution from the Adjutant General: 264 "I have one company on borders of County Oxford viz. 'Drumbo' (Captain Howell) and as I have a Battalion of ten companies in Oxford I don't know what to do with the Drumbo lads. They would be very handy to form one of the Brant Battalion being on the line of Buffalo and Lake Huron Ry. 6 miles north of Paris. If you can get them into Brant they will make no objection." So it was that an Oxford County company joined the 38th Battalion of Brant County. The occupations of members of the Drumbo company are described in the following list: