Businessman, court official.
Born at St. Thomas, Ontario on 8 June 1855, son of Neil Darrach and Mary Mitchell, he worked at building and contracting with his brother before arriving in Manitoba in February 1882. He spent a few months in Winnipeg then went to Rapid City where he was engaged in an agricultural implements business. In the fall of 1883, he went to Brandon, continuing in the implements business for ten years and, in 1893, he was appointed clerk of the court, deputy clerk of Crown and Pleas and clerk of the Surrogate Court.
On 18 December 1879, he married Seressa Thompson (1855-1912) of London, Ontario. They had three children: Katherine H. Darrach (1883-1910), Marion M. Darrach (1887-1959, wife of Rupert E. Wilson), and Alexander Vincent Darrach (1888-1948). On 10 November 1923, he married Sarah Persis Johnson at Brandon. They did not have any children but together they created a fresh-air camp for disadvantaged kids at Lake Clementi, south of the city. The camp lasted for over ten years. He served for ten years on the Brandon School Board, as a member and secretary of the board of directors of Brandon College, and a member of the board of management for Brandon General Hospital. He was a member of the Canadian Order of Foresters.
He died at Brandon in March 1943 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery. He and his wife are comemorated by Darrach Hall at Brandon University and by Darrach Avenue in Brandon.
A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.
The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.
Marriage registration [Sarah Persis Johnson, Robert Dorroch], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“R. Darrach buried at Brandon Monday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 March 1943, page 11.
“Honor prominent citizens in names of thoroughfares,” Brandon Sun, 20 July 1954, page 1.
“Residences are named,” Brandon Sun, 15 August, 1969, page 3.
We thank David McConkey for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 12 August 2025
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