There are many prominent family names in Newmarket that you’ll likely recognize.
One of the true delights in researching our past is the spotlighting of all those flesh and blood men and women who have permanently etched their names into our story as a community. They served as a defining force in our growth and provided much needed direction.
It is not just the efforts of our original pioneers that deserve our respect but those of the people who followed them, marking nearly a century and a half of incredible history.
In my series of over 100 articles on NewmarketToday, I have spoken at length of a time when there were no steam railway communication with other centres, no electric trolley to Toronto, no telegraph, no telephone, no electric light, no waterworks, no steam mills except the Gorham Woolen Mills, no steam or power presses, no public hall, no local market, and scarcely any sidewalks.
For many, the history of Newmarket consists of old buildings, many of which still serve our community today. For me, our history is framed by those individuals who dedicated themselves to the advancement of our town, quite often at personal sacrifice and with little expectation of monetary reward.
Certain family names will always be associated with Newmarket’s history, including Rogers, Hill and Mulock. Samuel and Elias Rogers, descendants of Timothy Rogers, both born in the old house on Yonge Street, always maintained an interest in the progress of their hometown.
While they established their respective businesses in Toronto (the Elias Rogers Coal Co. and the Imperial Oil Company), their descendants, A.S. Rogers, Samuel and David Rogers, maintained the Rogers’ tradition locally through their connection to Pickering College and The Society of Friends.
The Wesley and Eves families both arrived early in our history, obtaining grants of land. The Wesley family particularly had once owned 1,000 acres. John Eves chose his 200 acres on Yonge Street and established the first sawmill in the Landing district.
The Widdifield family, also one of the first families to arrive in the area, settled on Lot 32 on the 3rd Concession of Whitchurch. Three of Henry Widdifield’s great grandsons were instrumental in the public affairs of the town for years.
For well over a century, the name of Botsford was linked to our local civic and church life. John Botsford arrived in Newmarket in 1828, opened a cabinet making shop on Main Street and went on to acquire considerable real estate.
His son, Timothy, learned the saddler’s trade with William Wallis and in 1864 he opened a harness shop of his own in the building on the northeast corner of Botsford and Main streets.
J. P. Caldwell, a friend of William Lyon Mackenzie of 1837 Rebellion fame, arrived and rented a house and shop on Mill (Queen) Street from Mordecai Millard and in 1829 opened a paint shop and chair factory. This probably was where the first of the three fires occurred in which he lost everything.
J.P. Caldwell is known for laying the first plank sidewalk in Newmarket.
Prior to the 1850s, the name of Hartry was a prominent one. John Hartry was associated with his brother-in-law, William Wallis, in the tannery on the site of the old Scout Hall on Cedar Street
The Richardson family was once prominent in town. North Richardson would seem to have been in great demand for his clerical and administrative work in our public affairs as his name appears on all our early documents. During the election of our first council he officiated as secretary. Richardson was succeeded by his son, Henry, and his grandson, William Edwin, holding a similar capacity.
The Pearson family arrived early in the 19th century, settling on Lot No. 85 on Yonge Street. The name of Pearson was part of the public life of Newmarket for nearly 50 years. P.W. Pearson was prominent in municipal matters and represented our riding in the provincial legislature.
William Keith was also associated with our local municipal activities and in 1929 he was appointed magistrate to succeed F.H. Brunton. The bridge over the river on Davis Drive was named the Keith Bridge in his honor. He, too, represented this riding in the legislature.
Some other prominent names associated with the civic affairs of our town were E.S. Cane, W.H.S. Cane, L.P. Cane, the brothers W.A. and T.H. Brunton, George Robitaille, Johnny Hughes, Walter Eves, O.E. Tench, father and son John and Walter Collins, the Binns, O’Halloran, Hodge, Dolan, Doyle, Coyle, McCabe, McHale, Lambie, Stallard, Montgomery, Brimson, McCauley, Trivett, Cain, Prettie and the Robson family.
E.J. Davis, owner of the Davis Tannery succeeded Dr. Widdifield as our MPP, where he was elevated to the position of provincial secretary in 1896. In my earlier articles, I detail how right from their first taking up residence in Newmarket, the Davis family were active in Newmarket’s public life.
Upon the death of E.J. Davis in 1936, his two sons, Aubrey, A.J. (Andy) and E.J. Jr., carried on the leather business and served us politically. During the First World War, Capt. Aubrey Davis had served overseas as quartermaster in the 220th Battalion, C E.F. In 1946, the Davis family sold the business and the family were honored in recognition of their business and municipal contribution to the town, having Huron Street renamed Davis Drive.
The ministers of the various churches and teachers at Newmarket’s schools have also played a huge part in our history. A one-time minister of the Congregational Church in Newmarket, Rev. William Wye Smith was celebrated as the author of The New Testament in Braid Scots, and on his 80th birthday he preached a sermon in broad Scots.
Most will remember that Alexander Muir taught school here in Newmarket and his Maple Leaf Forever was first performed right here in Newmarket.
Newmarket has long held the reputation of being a healthy place to live and the records of longevity seem to support the claim. Dr. Christopher Beswick, who arrived in Newmarket in 1809, lived to the age of 118.
Eleanor Hewitt spent most of her 97 years watching Newmarket grow from a cedar bush to a town.
Mrs. Joseph Wesley, 93, writes of how she could remember the building of The Cedars before Victoria Street was laid out.
The former Anna Simpson, a cousin of Robert Simpson, the famous merchant, came to Newmarket from Inverness, Scotland as a child and married James Sutherland, a prominent local merchant. She lived to celebrate her 104th birthday.
Silas Armitage lived to the ripe old age of 10l.
We also remember that Sir William Mulock reached his 101st birthday.
The great grandfather of Silas Armitage, Amos Armitage, was among the earliest of our Quaker settlers, his land grant being Lot 92 on Yonge Street. The farm remained in the family for over a century.
As was the case for most of the Quakers who emigrated to Newmarket, he cleared the land, while establishing a local business (a carpentry shop) where many of the wooden articles so vital for early survival were manufactured.
He is also credited with being involved in the construction of many of the early buildings in the milling center of Newmarket.
I have written several articles on the Right Honorable Sir William Mulock, who served as the Chief Justice of the Exchequer Division of the High Court of Justice for the Province of Ontario, Queen’s Counsel, was elected to Parliament in 1882, 1887, 1891, 1896, 1900 and 1904, was appointed our first Post Master General, spearheaded the adopt Penny Postage throughout the Empire for which he received his knighthood.
He was, however, not the only Mulock to make a name for himself.
Sir William Mulock’s grandson, Col. W.P. Mulock, was elected to Parliament and was Postmaster General until 1945. During the First World War, he served with the C.E.F. in Siberia.
Many people forget that prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King chose to run for office three times in our riding of North York, the seat interesting enough that was once held by his grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie in the Upper Canada legislature.
When Laurier died in March 1919, King won the leadership of the Liberals.
An interesting fact is that in the federal election of 1925, the Conservative candidate, Herb Lennox, a popular former member of the Ontario Legislature, defeated him. We are a tough electorate here in Newmarket.
The list of reeves who served the Village of Newmarket pre-1881 boasts an impressive group of individuals including: Donald Sutherland, 1858-1859; Dr. James Hunter, 1859-1860; Donald Sutherland, 1860-1861; Dr. James Hunter, 1861-1862; Dr. Thomas Pyne, 1862-1863; Alfred Boultbee, 1863-1867; Dr. James Hunter, 1867-1868; Samuel Roadhouse, 1868-1869; Nelson Gorham, 1869-1871; Erastus Jackson, 1871-1876; W. H. Ashworth, 1876-1877; Erastus Jackson, 1877-1881.
In 1881, we became a town, and the position of reeve was then replaced by that of mayor.
While I realize that there have been so many other names ingrained in our illustrious history, I hope that I have given you a brief taste of the many names that make up the register of local movers and shakers.
I urge you to read my past articles that highlight many of these people and to explore on your own the names that I have brought forward. It is my hope to highlight many more of our influential people (many of whom may be missing from this list) in future articles.
Should you have someone who you think deserves to be recognized from our past, please let me know and I will endeavor to focus on their achievements in one of our future articles.
I would leave you with this thought. Our history has been built on the backs of the extraordinary men and women of our community, much more than on the buildings and institutions that historians tend to focus upon. History is about the people and ideas of our past, not the structures.
Sources: A History of Newmarket by Ethel Trewhella; Articles from the Newmarket Era; oral history interviews; Stories of Newmarket – An Old Ontario Town by Robert Terence Carter
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Newmarket resident Richard MacLeod — the History Hound — has been a local historian for more than 40 years. He writes a weekly feature about our town’s history in partnership with Newmarket Today, conducts heritage lectures and walking tours of local interest, and leads local oral history interviews
