Peter Reesor
Encyclopedia
Peter Reesor is the founder of Markham
, Ontario.
Peter Reesor was born December 25 1775, in Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania
to Christian Reesor (1747-1806) and Veronica (Fanny) Reiff (1751-1818).
, many pacifist Mennonites left the newly formed United States in loyalty to the British Crown which guaranteed them exemption from military service. In 1798, Peter Reesor was appointed by his family and community to travel to Upper Canada
and explore newly opened lands for settlement. He saddled up a horse and packed a few things for his seven week, 500 mile journey to York
(Toronto
). Upon arrival Peter was directed to travel up the Rouge River
trail to an area which later became known as Cedar Grove
. There was ample amount of good timberland. On his short stay here he met a mercenary German army officer, Frederic Baron de Hoen. The officer apparently offered Peter roughly 500 acres of land around a kettle lake in Whitchurch Township (Reesor Lake, later Preston Lake
) in exchange for his horse and saddle. Reesor took the offer. However, when the officer wanted the bridle as well, Reesor--always a shrewd business man--stated it was not part of the original deal. According to family tradition, Peter Reesor walked back to Pennsylvania carrying the bridle on his shoulder.
Mennonite
families on the long journey to Upper Canada
for settlement along the Rouge River. Peter had chosen Lot 4, on Concession 9 (five acres of land) on the Little Rouge River for his own homestead. His brother-in-law Abraham Stouffer
settled further north and founded the community of Stouffville. The first task of the pioneer families was to clear large numbers of trees in preparation for farming. At the time, pioneers only had axes and hand saws to cut down the three to four foot diameter maple and pine trees. This was very dangerous work. In 1806, shortly after arriving in Canada, Christian Reesor (Peter's father) was killed by a falling tree. After a few years of tree clearing there was enough land to start farming wheat. Initially they would take their wheat and travel miles to a grist mill to be turned into flour. But Peter Reesor, like his brother-in-law Abraham Stouffer
, was both a farmer and miller. Soon Reesor had built a saw mill and a grist mill on the Little Rouge River, and by 1850 he and his son Peter Jr. had acquired a third mill as well. Another son, Abraham Reesor, became a co-founder of the hamlet of Altona
, where he constructed two mills in 1850. A third son, Samuel, is considered the founding minister of the Cedar Grove Mennonite Church. Daughter Esther married Captain William Armstrong, joined the Anglican Church, and together they operated a distillery and hotel in the Village of Markham and established the Markham Fair
. A nephew, David Reesor
, became well-known as a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Reserve Militia in York (against his pacifist Mennonite tradition--he became a Methodist) and was appointed to the Senate of Canada.
.
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...
, Ontario.
Peter Reesor was born December 25 1775, in Lancaster County
Lancaster County
Lancaster County is the name of four counties in the United States:* Lancaster County, Nebraska* Lancaster County, Pennsylvania* Lancaster County, South Carolina* Lancaster County, Virginia...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to Christian Reesor (1747-1806) and Veronica (Fanny) Reiff (1751-1818).
Peter's First Visit to Canada
At the close of the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, many pacifist Mennonites left the newly formed United States in loyalty to the British Crown which guaranteed them exemption from military service. In 1798, Peter Reesor was appointed by his family and community to travel to Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and explore newly opened lands for settlement. He saddled up a horse and packed a few things for his seven week, 500 mile journey to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
(Toronto
Toronto
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...
). Upon arrival Peter was directed to travel up the Rouge River
Rouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
trail to an area which later became known as Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, Ontario
Cedar Grove is a community in Markham, Ontario on the Little Rouge River. It is centred around 14th Avenue and Reesor Road and within the boundaries of the future national Rouge Park.-History:...
. There was ample amount of good timberland. On his short stay here he met a mercenary German army officer, Frederic Baron de Hoen. The officer apparently offered Peter roughly 500 acres of land around a kettle lake in Whitchurch Township (Reesor Lake, later Preston Lake
Preston Lake, Ontario
The Community of Preston Lake is located in the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville in the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario...
) in exchange for his horse and saddle. Reesor took the offer. However, when the officer wanted the bridle as well, Reesor--always a shrewd business man--stated it was not part of the original deal. According to family tradition, Peter Reesor walked back to Pennsylvania carrying the bridle on his shoulder.
The Reesor Family's Emigration
In 1804, Peter Reesor led a larger group of Pennsylvania DutchPennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
families on the long journey to Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
for settlement along the Rouge River. Peter had chosen Lot 4, on Concession 9 (five acres of land) on the Little Rouge River for his own homestead. His brother-in-law Abraham Stouffer
Abraham Stouffer
thumb|right|Abraham Stoufferthumb|right|Gravestones for Elizabeth Stouffer and Abraham Stouffer, located in Altona, OntarioAbraham Stouffer is the founder of the town of Stouffville, Ontario....
settled further north and founded the community of Stouffville. The first task of the pioneer families was to clear large numbers of trees in preparation for farming. At the time, pioneers only had axes and hand saws to cut down the three to four foot diameter maple and pine trees. This was very dangerous work. In 1806, shortly after arriving in Canada, Christian Reesor (Peter's father) was killed by a falling tree. After a few years of tree clearing there was enough land to start farming wheat. Initially they would take their wheat and travel miles to a grist mill to be turned into flour. But Peter Reesor, like his brother-in-law Abraham Stouffer
Abraham Stouffer
thumb|right|Abraham Stoufferthumb|right|Gravestones for Elizabeth Stouffer and Abraham Stouffer, located in Altona, OntarioAbraham Stouffer is the founder of the town of Stouffville, Ontario....
, was both a farmer and miller. Soon Reesor had built a saw mill and a grist mill on the Little Rouge River, and by 1850 he and his son Peter Jr. had acquired a third mill as well. Another son, Abraham Reesor, became a co-founder of the hamlet of Altona
Altona, Ontario
Altona 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....
, where he constructed two mills in 1850. A third son, Samuel, is considered the founding minister of the Cedar Grove Mennonite Church. Daughter Esther married Captain William Armstrong, joined the Anglican Church, and together they operated a distillery and hotel in the Village of Markham and established the Markham Fair
Markham Fair
Markham Fair is one of Canada's oldest country fairs, an annual event established in 1844 and hosted by the Markham, Ontario and East York agricultural society...
. A nephew, David Reesor
David Reesor
David 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....
, became well-known as a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Reserve Militia in York (against his pacifist Mennonite tradition--he became a Methodist) and was appointed to the Senate of Canada.
Founding a Town
The settlement between Peter Reesor's farm and mill and his brother's farms became known as Reesorville. In 1825, Reesorville was renamed the Village of Markham to coincide with the Township of Markham.Death
Peter Reesor died November 16 1854 at his home in Markham, Ontario at the age of 78. Peter Reesor is buried in Cedar Grove, OntarioCedar Grove, Ontario
Cedar Grove is a community in Markham, Ontario on the Little Rouge River. It is centred around 14th Avenue and Reesor Road and within the boundaries of the future national Rouge Park.-History:...
.