Ontario County, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Ontario County was the name of two historic counties
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
.
The original Ontario County existed from 1792 to 1800 as part of the Eastern District, and consisted of the islands in the St. Lawrence River. After 1800, Ontario County was dissolved and the islands were reassigned to the nearest mainland counties.
The second Ontario County area 514031 acres (2,080 km²) was created in 1852 from the East Riding of York County
.
The Town of Oshawa
was also located in the county.
1855 saw the incorporation of the Town of Whitby
in part of Whitby Township. Scugog
Township was formed from a portion of Reach Township and Cartwright Township in adjoining Northumberland and Durham
County in 1856. And in 1858, the Township of East Whitby
was formed from the eastern portion of Whitby Township.
A number of villages were also incorporated as separate municipalities in the County after the County was created; Port Perry
in 1871, Uxbridge in 1872, Cannington
in 1878 and Beaverton
in 1884. In the twentieth-century, the wartime town of Ajax
, located in Pickering Township, was incorporated as an Improvement District in 1950. It became a Town in 1955. The Village of Pickering
was incorporated as a Village in 1953.
Effective January 1, 1974, the portion of Ontario County south of the Trent-Severn Waterway
and about half of adjacent Durham County
were amalgamated as the Regional Municipality of Durham
. The remaining portions of Durham County were transferred to other neighbouring counties, and the portion of Ontario County north of the Trent-Severn Waterway (Rama and Mara Townships) was transferred to Simcoe County. In addition, the part of Pickering Township west of the Rouge River was transferred to the Borough of Scarborough in the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. At this time both Ontario and Durham counties were dissolved.
Whitby served as the "County Town" or county seat and as such was the location for the County offices, Courthouse and Land Registry Office. It continues in this role for Durham Region today.
Historic counties of Ontario
The Canadian province of Ontario has several historic counties, which are past census divisions that no longer exist today. Most historic counties either merged with other counties, or became regional municipalities or single-tier municipalities...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
The original Ontario County existed from 1792 to 1800 as part of the Eastern District, and consisted of the islands in the St. Lawrence River. After 1800, Ontario County was dissolved and the islands were reassigned to the nearest mainland counties.
The second Ontario County area 514031 acres (2,080 km²) was created in 1852 from the East Riding of York County
York County, Ontario
York County is a historic county in Upper Canada, Canada West, and the Canadian province of Ontario.York County was created in 1792 and was part of the jurisdiction of Home District of Upper Canada...
.
Original townships
- BrockBrock, OntarioBrock is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, Canada. Brock Township is also a former municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.-History:...
, area 66120 acres (268 km²) Surveyed in 1817. Community centres: Cannington, Vroomanton, Pinedale, Sunderland, Wick. - Mara, area 62115 acres (251 km²). Surveyed in part in 1820; the survey was completed in 1836. The Township was named probably in honour of Gertrud Elisabeth MaraGertrud Elisabeth MaraGertrud Elisabeth Mara [née Schmeling] was a German operatic soprano.She was born in Kassel, the daughter of a poor musician, Johann Schmeling. From him she learnt to play the violin, and while still a child, her playing at the fair at Frankfurt was so remarkable that money was collected to...
, a famous singer in England. Community centres were: Gamebridge, Brechin,, Atherley, Udney and Rathburn. - PickeringPickering, OntarioPickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
, area 72049 acres (292 km²). Opened in 1792 and first called Edinburgh it was renamed after the English town in Yorkshire. Community centres: Pickering, Dunbarton, Green River, Balsam, Claremont, Brougham, AltonaAltona, OntarioAltona is a ghost town located in Pickering, Ontario, at Sideline 30 and the Pickering-Uxbridge Town Line. It is just east of Whitchurch-Stouffville, and was named after Altona, now a borough of Hamburg, Germany....
. - Rama, area 37769 acres (153 km²). Opened in 1820. Rama is the Spanish name for the branch of a tree. Surveyed in 1834 and 1855. The area was first settled by retired British officers however they ran into difficulties with the Bank of Upper Canada. The Bank sold the land to the Indian Department and the OjibwaOjibwaThe Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
Indians at Orillia were removed to a village built for them in 1838. Community centers: Floral Park, Longford Mills, Cooper's FallsCooper's Falls, OntarioCooper's Falls is a hamlet in central Ontario, on the Black River near the village of Washago in Ramara Township. It is named after Thomas Cooper, the first settler in this location...
, Washago. - Reach area 63144 acres (256 km²) Opened in 1809 and named after the village in Bedfordshire, England. Community centres: Port Perry, Manchester, Saintfield, Utica.
- Scott area 49, 291 acres (1.2 km²). Opened in 1820. Believed to be named after Thomas ScottThomas Scott (judge)Thomas Scott was a judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in the parish of Kingoldrum, Angus, Scotland and studied law at Lincoln's Inn in London. He was called to the bar in 1793. In 1800, he was appointed attorney general in Upper Canada. He was appointed to the Executive Council...
, Chief Justice of Upper Canada from 1806 to 1816. Community centres: Zephyr, Sandford, Leaskdale, Udora. - Thorah, area 32468 acres (131 km²) Opened in 1820 and named form the Hebrew word signifying the inspired Law, the Pentateuch. Community centers: Beaverton.
- UxbridgeUxbridge, OntarioUxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
, area 51969 acres (210 km²) Opened in 1798 and named after the English town. Early settlers included Pennsylvania Quakers. New Yorkers settled in 1806. Community Centers: Uxbridge, Goodwood. - WhitbyWhitby Township, OntarioWhitby Township is a geographic township and former municipality in what was Ontario County , Ontario, Canada. It is now part of the Town of Whitby.The Township was established in as part of what was then York County...
, Area 31386 acres (127 km²). Opened in 1792 and named for an English seaport. Community centers: Oshawa, Whitby, Brooklin, Ashburn and Myrtle.
The Town of Oshawa
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
was also located in the county.
1855 saw the incorporation of the Town of Whitby
Whitby, Ontario
Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region...
in part of Whitby Township. Scugog
Scugog, Ontario
Scugog is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, south-central Ontario, Canada. A smaller Scugog Township was also a historic municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.-History:...
Township was formed from a portion of Reach Township and Cartwright Township in adjoining Northumberland and Durham
United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, Ontario
The United Counties of Northumberland and Durham was a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. The two counties were originally combined in the District of Newcastle formed in 1798, and continued with joint administration until January 1, 1974 when portions Durham County were...
County in 1856. And in 1858, the Township of East Whitby
East Whitby Township, Ontario
East Whitby Township is a former municipality in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. It is now part of the City of Oshawa.Originally part of Whitby Township in what was then Ontario County, Ontario, East Whitby was created from the eastern portion of the township in 1858...
was formed from the eastern portion of Whitby Township.
A number of villages were also incorporated as separate municipalities in the County after the County was created; Port Perry
Port Perry, Ontario
Port Perry is a community located in Scugog Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The town is located east of Uxbridge and southwest of Peterborough. Many residents commute to Toronto on a daily basis. Port Perry's municipal website reported a population of just over 9,500 in 2010.Port Perry...
in 1871, Uxbridge in 1872, Cannington
Cannington, Ontario
Cannington is a community located in Brock Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada.-History:Originally part of the original Brock Township, Cannington was first settled in 1833. It was originally known as McCaskill's Mills after a local mill-owning family...
in 1878 and Beaverton
Beaverton, Ontario
Beaverton is a community in Brock Township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, Canada.Originally part of Thorah Township in Ontario County, Beaverton was first settled in 1822. The settlement is located on Lake Simcoe at the mouth of the Beaver River...
in 1884. In the twentieth-century, the wartime town of Ajax
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
, located in Pickering Township, was incorporated as an Improvement District in 1950. It became a Town in 1955. The Village of Pickering
Pickering Village, Ontario
Pickering Village is a community and former municipality in the Town of Ajax, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada.Originally located in Pickering Township, a community began to grow in 1807, when Quaker Timothy Rogers purchased of land and brought a number of Quaker families to settle in the area. A...
was incorporated as a Village in 1953.
Effective January 1, 1974, the portion of Ontario County south of the Trent-Severn Waterway
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for industrial and transportation purposes and now for recreational and tourism purposes, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
and about half of adjacent Durham County
Durham County, Ontario
Durham County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was named from the English County and city.Durham County was created in 1792. It was composed of the townships of Cartwright, Manvers, Cavan, Darlington, Clarke and Hope, and portions of what is now Peterborough County,...
were amalgamated as the Regional Municipality of Durham
Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Durham, informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto, Ontario. It has an area of approximately 2,500 square kilometres. Durham Region is considered part of the Greater Toronto Area, with the communities...
. The remaining portions of Durham County were transferred to other neighbouring counties, and the portion of Ontario County north of the Trent-Severn Waterway (Rama and Mara Townships) was transferred to Simcoe County. In addition, the part of Pickering Township west of the Rouge River was transferred to the Borough of Scarborough in the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. At this time both Ontario and Durham counties were dissolved.
Whitby served as the "County Town" or county seat and as such was the location for the County offices, Courthouse and Land Registry Office. It continues in this role for Durham Region today.
External links
- History Book: "County of Ontario" by John Edwin Chandler Farewell
- http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/on-line-exhibits/maps/counties/ontario.aspx