List of mayors of Markham, Ontario
Encyclopedia
This is a list of mayor
s of the Town of Markham, Ontario
as well as reeves of Markham Village and Township of Markham
was abolished and local governments were created. The Village of Markham (a police village
called Markham Village
) was formed in 1850 (with York County, Ontario
) and a local council led by a reeve.
From 1850 to 1873 the reeve was appointed position. On November 20, 1872, the Warden of York County signed the By-law of Incorporation, which resulted in the election of the reeve (and Council) for the Village of Markham.
After 1968, Markham Village became the Township of Markham with council now led by a mayor:
lead to the shrinking of York County and gave rise to the establishment of the Regional Municipality of York (Regional Municipality of York Act RSO). Province Following the creation of York Region in 1971, the Town of Markham was incorporated by the larger Township of Markham Village annexing the smaller villages of Unionville, Ontario
and Thornhill, Ontario
(east of Yonge Street) into the new local government. A new Town Council was created (replacing the councils of Markham Village, Unionville and Thornhill) and led by a mayor:
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s of the Town of Markham, Ontario
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
as well as reeves of Markham Village and Township of Markham
York County Era (1850-1971)
Following the passage of the Baldwin Act in 1849 (now Municipal Incorporation Act) the Home DistrictHome District
The Home District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Nassau District until 1792, it was composed of the areas along western Lake Ontario and...
was abolished and local governments were created. The Village of Markham (a police village
Police village
A police village was a form of municipal government used in the province of Ontario, Canada, beginning in the early 19th century. It was used in cases where the finances or population of the area did not permit the creation of a village....
called Markham Village
Markham Village, Ontario
Markham Village is a village in the Town of Markham. Originally settled in 1825 the village, originally named Reesorville was a founded by Mennonites from Upstate New York and Pennsylvania...
) was formed in 1850 (with York County, Ontario
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...
) and a local council led by a reeve.
From 1850 to 1873 the reeve was appointed position. On November 20, 1872, the Warden of York County signed the By-law of Incorporation, which resulted in the election of the reeve (and Council) for the Village of Markham.
- 1. Amos WrightAmos WrightAmos Wright was a Canadian farmer and politician.-Background in Richmond Hill and Markham, Ontario:...
1850 - 2. David ReesorDavid ReesorDavid Reesor was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He was a Liberal member of the Senate of Canada for King's division from 1867 to 1901....
1851 - 3. George P Dickson 1852
- 4. Henry Miller 1853-1855
- 5. David ReesorDavid ReesorDavid Reesor was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He was a Liberal member of the Senate of Canada for King's division from 1867 to 1901....
1856-57 - 6. William Marr Button 1858 - Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of the 1st York Light Dragoons (now The Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
) and grandson of CaptainCaptain (OF-2)The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
John Button, founder of the 1st York Light Dragoons (Button's Troop) - 7. David ReesorDavid ReesorDavid Reesor was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He was a Liberal member of the Senate of Canada for King's division from 1867 to 1901....
1859-1860 - 8. William Marr Button 1861-1863
- 9. John Bowman 1864-1865
- 10. William Marr Button 1866
- 11. John Bowman 1867
- 12. William Marr Button 1868-1873 - last unelected reeve of the villageVillageA village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Markham before 1873 - 13. James Robinson 1874-1878 - first elected reeve of the village
- 14. William EakinWilliam EakinWilliam Eakin was a farmer and political figure in the Northwest Territories, Canada. He represented Saltcoats in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1894 to 1902 as a Liberal....
1879-1882 - 15. Thomas Williamson 1883
- 16. David James 1884-1886
- 17. Robert Bruce 1887-1888
- 18. Anthony Forster 1889-1892
- 19. Jonathan Slater 1893-1896
- 20. Walter Scott 1897-1898
- 21. James Laurie 1899
- 22. Arthur Quantz 1900
- 23. James Dimma 1901-1902
- 24. Abner Summerfeldt 1903-1904
- 25. Jonathan Slater 1905-1907
- 26. William Henry Lapp 1908–1909
- 27. Jonathan Nigh 1910-1916
- 28. George P. Padget 1917-1923
- 29. Wesley Gohn 1924-1932
- 30. George P. Padget 1933-1936
- 31. James Rennie 1937-1943
- 32. Charles H. Hooper 1944-1947
- 33. William W. Griffin 1948-1949
- 34. Winfred Timbers 1950-1953
- 35. Alfred DeMasurier 1954-1956
- 36. William L. Clark 1957-1960
- 37. Alma Walker 1961-1967 - last reeve of the Village of Markham and first female reeve of the village
After 1968, Markham Village became the Township of Markham with council now led by a mayor:
- 38. Alma Walker 1968-1970 - Mayor - first mayor and first female mayor
York Region Era (1971-)
Post war changes and the rapid urban growth of TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
lead to the shrinking of York County and gave rise to the establishment of the Regional Municipality of York (Regional Municipality of York Act RSO). Province Following the creation of York Region in 1971, the Town of Markham was incorporated by the larger Township of Markham Village annexing the smaller villages of Unionville, Ontario
Unionville, Ontario
Unionville is a suburban village in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is located between Woodbine Avenue as the western limit, alongside the Rouge River leading to McCowan Road as the eastern...
and Thornhill, Ontario
Thornhill, Ontario
Thornhill is a community in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the northern border of the city of Toronto. Once a municipal village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation geographically split into two municipalities along Yonge Street, the city of...
(east of Yonge Street) into the new local government. A new Town Council was created (replacing the councils of Markham Village, Unionville and Thornhill) and led by a mayor:
- 39. Anthony Roman 1970-1984 - last Mayor of the Township and first Mayor of the Town of Markham
- 40. Carole Bell 1984-1988
- 41. Anthony Roman 1988-1992
- 42. Frank ScarpittiFrank ScarpittiFrank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario in 1960 and moved to Markham from Toronto in 1965. Scarpitti was appointed mayor from 1992 to 1994 following the death of Tony Roman, but was defeated by Don Cousens in the 1994 municipal election...
1992-1994 - appointed following the death of Roman - 43. Donald Cousens 1994-2006
- 44. Frank ScarpittiFrank ScarpittiFrank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario in 1960 and moved to Markham from Toronto in 1965. Scarpitti was appointed mayor from 1992 to 1994 following the death of Tony Roman, but was defeated by Don Cousens in the 1994 municipal election...
2006–present
Deputy Mayors and Reeves
- Thomas Williamson
- Carole Bell 1994-1996
- Frank ScarpittiFrank ScarpittiFrank Scarpitti is the current mayor of Markham, Ontario.Born in Ontario in 1960 and moved to Markham from Toronto in 1965. Scarpitti was appointed mayor from 1992 to 1994 following the death of Tony Roman, but was defeated by Don Cousens in the 1994 municipal election...
1991-1992, 1997–2006 - Jim Jones 2006-2007
- Jack Heath 2007–present
Notable reeves and mayors
Several reeves and mayors of Markham went on to serve in higher elected office after (and before) their terms in Markham:- Reesor served a legislative councillorLegislative CouncilA Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
in the Legislative Council of the Province of CanadaLegislative Council of the Province of CanadaThe Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
and the Senate of Canada. - Wright served as a MLAMember of the Legislative AssemblyA Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of CanadaLegislative Assembly of the Province of CanadaThe Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, Federal Indian AgentIndian agentIn United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
and Crown AgentCrown AgentCrown Agent may refer to:*The Crown Agent, principal legal advisor to the Scottish Lord Advocate on prosecution matters*A member of a Crown Agency...
of OntarioOntarioOntario 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....
. - Roman served as Chair of York Region Council and a MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. - Cousens served a cabinet minister and MPPMember of Provincial ParliamentA Member of Provincial Parliament is an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The titular designation "Member of Provincial Parliament" and the initialism "MPP" were formally adopted by the Legislature on April 7, 1938...
in the Legislative Assembly of OntarioLegislative Assembly of OntarioThe Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
. - Eakin served as a MLAMember of the Legislative AssemblyA Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
See also
- Home District CouncilHome District CouncilThe Home District Council was the municipal governing body for York, Upper Canada from 1792 to 1834. It was established by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario John Graves Simcoe....
for details on the Home District Council Chairman, who was the highest elected official for all of the District.