Milnesville, Ontario

History

Milnesville was founded in 1851 by Peter Milne, who acquired lot 26, concession 7. In the 1830s, Peter Milne had been a strong supporter of the reformer William Lyon Mackenzie and Mackenzie's Upper Canada Rebellion. Because of his involvement in the uprising, Milne was arrested on March 21, 1838 and taken to Fort Henry in Kingston. He was eventually pardoned.

In 1852, Milnesville was granted a post office which was run out of the general store operated by John Harrington. The store was located just south of where the Little Rouge Creek crosses Hwy. 48 on the east side on what was David Byer's farm lot. By the end of the 19th century, the community had a saw mill, a blacksmith shop and a cobbler shop.

The Wideman Mennonite Church and Mennonite Cemetery predate the hamlet and are located on the west side of Hwy. 48, just north of the crossing of the Little Rouge. The original log church was already built before 1819 and was likely the earliest church structure built in Markham Township. The present church was constructed in 1928. Beyond the church and cemetery all other buildings (post office, stores) have since disappeared. Milnesville remains an agricultural community only.

In 2008, the Town of Markham recommended the Samuel Wideman House at 10541 Highway 48 in Milnesville be preserved as a significant heritage resource for the community of Milnesville and the Town of Markham.

References

References

2. See the detailed 1878 map, "[http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/images/maps/townshipmaps/yor-m-markham.jpg Township of Markham]," ''Illustrated historical atlas of the county of York and the township of West Gwillimbury & town of Bradford in the county of Simcoe, Ont.'' (Toronto: Miles & Co., 1878).
3. Cf. Isabel Champion, ed., ''[http://www.ourroots.ca/page.aspx?id=4109253&&qryID=1dcc2c58-8765-40be-8ca9-1c08fceaf76a Markham: 1793-1900]'' (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), pp. 190-192.
4. For a fuller account of Milnesville's history, cf. Isabel Champion, ed., ''[http://www.ourroots.ca/page.aspx?id=4109340&&qryID=f4cd73cc-5171-4338-bc46-b25b38633043 Markham: 1793-1900]'' (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), p. 277; also "[http://news.ourontario.ca/whitchurchstouffville/101564/page/11?n=4&q=milnesville&docid=OOI.101564 Town Fair Board Chooses Country Site]," ''Stouffville Tribune'', Feb 14, 1974, p. 11.
5. Cf. I. Champion, ed., ''[http://www.ourroots.ca/page.aspx?id=4109210&&qryID=1dcc2c58-8765-40be-8ca9-1c08fceaf76a Markham: 1793-1900]'' (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), p. 147; also H.S. Bender and M. Epp, "Wideman Mennonite Church," ''[http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/W541ME.html Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia]'' (1986).
6. Cf. [http://www.markham.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F75FB6A3-9F83-4D69-AF25-5AE02119CEDF/0/ag_heritage_081112.pdf The Eleventh Heritage Markham Committee Meeting of the Town of Markham] {{webarchive. link. (2012-03-18 , Nov. 12, 2008, p. 3, no. 6.)