Welland County, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Welland County is a historic county
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
.
The county was formed in 1851 from Lincoln County
. The county was named from the Welland River. The river got its name from John Grave Simcoe who named it after a stream in Lincolnshire, England. Niagara Falls, and the Townships in this county were among the earliest settlements in Upper Canada.
In some census and election records from the late 19th century, the townships of Pelham and Wainfleet (which can be seen on the map below) were enumerated as part of Monck County. However, Monck never existed as a county in the political sense, but only as an electoral district
.
In 1970, Lincoln and Welland Counties were amalgamated to form the Regional Municipality of Niagara
.
. Community centres: Fort Erie, Bridgeburg and Ridgeway.
Crowland Township, Area 18871 acres (76.4 km²). Organized in 1788 and named from an ancient town in Lincolnshire. Veterans of Butler's Rangers
were the first settlers. Community centre: Welland.
Humberstone Township, area 29477 acres (119.3 km²). Opened in 1787 and named from the Lincolnshire town.
Pelham Township. Area 23394 acres (94.7 km²). Opened in 1790 and named in honor of the Duke of Newcastle
; Pelham is one half the family name of Pelham-Clinton. Community centre: Fonthill, North Pelham, Ridgeville, and Fenwick.
Stamford Township, Area 20876 acres (84.5 km²). Opened in 1784 under the name of Mount Dorchester. John Graves Simcoe
changed the name in 1792 honouring an old town in Lincolnshire. Community centres: Niagara Fall (which was first called Clifton), Drummondville and Stamford.
Thorold Township. Area 21853 acres (88.4 km²). Settled by Butler's Rangers in 1784, but officially set apart in 1788. Named in honour of Sir John Thorold, M.P. for Lincolnshire (1734–1815). Community centres: Thorold, St. John's, Allenburg, Port Robinson.
Wainfleet Township, Area 49805 acres (201.6 km²). Opened in 1798 and named from a town in the Lincolnshire fens. Community centre: Marshville.
Willoughby Township: Area 18711 acres (75.7 km²). Opened in 1787 and named from an English Village. Chippawa and others had settled in the region as early as 1784. Navy Island
the scene of William Lyon Mackenzie
's exploits in 1837 is within this township.
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto
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 county was formed in 1851 from Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Ontario
Lincoln County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was formed in 1792. In 1845, the southern portion of Lincoln County was separated to form Welland County....
. The county was named from the Welland River. The river got its name from John Grave Simcoe who named it after a stream in Lincolnshire, England. Niagara Falls, and the Townships in this county were among the earliest settlements in Upper Canada.
In some census and election records from the late 19th century, the townships of Pelham and Wainfleet (which can be seen on the map below) were enumerated as part of Monck County. However, Monck never existed as a county in the political sense, but only as an electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
.
In 1970, Lincoln and Welland Counties were amalgamated to form the Regional Municipality of Niagara
Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Niagara , also known as the Niagara Region, or, colloquially, "Regional Niagara", is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada....
.
Historic Townships
Bertie Township, Area 34486 acres (139.6 km²). Organized in 1784. Named in honour of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and KestevenPeregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 3rd Marquess of Lindsey, 6th Earl of Lindsey, 19th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven....
. Community centres: Fort Erie, Bridgeburg and Ridgeway.
Crowland Township, Area 18871 acres (76.4 km²). Organized in 1788 and named from an ancient town in Lincolnshire. Veterans of Butler's Rangers
Butler's Rangers
Butler's Rangers was a British provincial regiment composed of Loyalists in the American Revolutionary War, raised by Loyalist John Butler.Most members of the regiment were Loyalists from upstate New York...
were the first settlers. Community centre: Welland.
Humberstone Township, area 29477 acres (119.3 km²). Opened in 1787 and named from the Lincolnshire town.
Pelham Township. Area 23394 acres (94.7 km²). Opened in 1790 and named in honor of the Duke of Newcastle
Henry Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne
thumb|right|"The Return From Shooting" by [[Francis Wheatley |Sir Francis Wheatley]] depicting The Duke of Newcastle, his friend Colonel Litchfield and the Duke's gamekeeper, Mansell along with four Clumber Spaniels....
; Pelham is one half the family name of Pelham-Clinton. Community centre: Fonthill, North Pelham, Ridgeville, and Fenwick.
Stamford Township, Area 20876 acres (84.5 km²). Opened in 1784 under the name of Mount Dorchester. John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
changed the name in 1792 honouring an old town in Lincolnshire. Community centres: Niagara Fall (which was first called Clifton), Drummondville and Stamford.
Thorold Township. Area 21853 acres (88.4 km²). Settled by Butler's Rangers in 1784, but officially set apart in 1788. Named in honour of Sir John Thorold, M.P. for Lincolnshire (1734–1815). Community centres: Thorold, St. John's, Allenburg, Port Robinson.
Wainfleet Township, Area 49805 acres (201.6 km²). Opened in 1798 and named from a town in the Lincolnshire fens. Community centre: Marshville.
Willoughby Township: Area 18711 acres (75.7 km²). Opened in 1787 and named from an English Village. Chippawa and others had settled in the region as early as 1784. Navy Island
Navy Island
Navy Island is a small island in the Niagara River in the province of Ontario, managed by Parks Canada as a National Historic Site of Canada. It is located about upstream from Horseshoe Falls, and has an area of roughly...
the scene of William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
's exploits in 1837 is within this township.
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto