Wentworth County, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Wentworth County, area 269057 acres (1,089 km²), is a historic county
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
.
It was created in 1816 as part of the Gore District in what was then Upper Canada
and later Canada West. It was named in honour of Sir John Wentworth
Last Governor of colonial New Hampshire, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1792 to 1808) and intimate friend of William Jarvis, the first Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada. The Wentworth County originally consisted of seven townships
which formerly belonged to Haldimand
, Lincoln
and York
Counties.
For a brief period between 1850 and 1854, Wentworth County and Halton County
were joined for government purposes as the United Counties of Wentworth and Halton, although for administrative purposes they remained distinct.
In 1973, Wentworth County was replaced by the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth. In 2001, the Regional Municipality and its six constituent municipalities were amalgamated as the "megacity" of Hamilton
.
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....
.
It was created in 1816 as part of the Gore District in what was then 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 later Canada West. It was named in honour of Sir John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
Last Governor of colonial New Hampshire, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1792 to 1808) and intimate friend of William Jarvis, the first Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada. The Wentworth County originally consisted of seven townships
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
which formerly belonged to Haldimand
Haldimand County, Ontario
Haldimand is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie, and on the Grand River. Municipal offices are located in Cayuga....
, Lincoln
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....
and York
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...
Counties.
For a brief period between 1850 and 1854, Wentworth County and Halton County
Halton County, Ontario
Halton County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is also one of the oldest counties in Canada.-History:Halton County is named after Major William Mathew Halton who was appointed in 1805 as Secretary to the Upper Canada provincial Lieutenant-Governor Sir Francis...
were joined for government purposes as the United Counties of Wentworth and Halton, although for administrative purposes they remained distinct.
In 1973, Wentworth County was replaced by the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth. In 2001, the Regional Municipality and its six constituent municipalities were amalgamated as the "megacity" of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
.
Constituent townships
Each township that was ever part of the county is listed alphabetically below along with its years of existence, and its previous and subsequent configurations.- AncasterAncaster, OntarioAncaster is a picturesque and historic community located on the Niagara escarpment, within the greater area of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This former town was founded officially in 1793 and was one of the oldest European communities established in present day Ontario along with Windsor...
,, area 44946 acres (182 km²), (surveyed 1798), 1816–1973, later became a village then town and part of township to Town of DundasDundas, OntarioDundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley... - Barton, area 9958 acres (40 km²). The township was surveyed 1792 and named after the English town. The township included Hamilton and existed from 1816–1973, later became Village and City of HamiltonHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
- BeverlyBeverley Township, OntarioBeverley Township was a township established in 1792 in Home District in the then Upper Canada, today Ontario, Canada. It was named for the town of Beverley in Yorkshire, England, by John Graves Simcoe....
, area 69920 acres (283 km²). Surveyed and opened for settlement in 1798. The five northern concessions were surveyed in 1794 and the southern part in 1797. The Township was named from the town in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Community centres were: CopetownCopetown, OntarioCopetown is a community that is east of Brantford in the southern region of Ontario, Canada. Dundas Hill is located nearby, signifying its closeness to Dundas. There are a various number of golf courses within the local area.-General summary:...
, Lynden, Rockton and Westover. The Township existed from 1851–1973, later divided with one part to North Dumfries, OntarioNorth Dumfries, OntarioThe Township of North Dumfries is a rural township in Ontario, Canada, part of the Region of Waterloo. Its 2006 Census population was 9,063.The township includes the communities of Ayr, Branchton, Clyde, Reidsville and Roseville.-History:...
and majority to Town of FlamboroughFlamborough, OntarioFlamborough is a former town near, and a current community in, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.... - Binbrook (surveyed 1798), existed from 1816–1973, later one half of Glanbrook Township
- Caistor, existed from 1845–1851, earlier and later part of Haldimand CountyHaldimand County, OntarioHaldimand is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie, and on the Grand River. Municipal offices are located in Cayuga....
and then Town of West LincolnWest Lincoln, OntarioWest Lincoln is a township in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. Main urban areas are located along the former provincial Highway 20. The administrative centre of West Lincoln is the community of Smithville, situated halfway between Hamilton and Pelham.... - Flamborough East, , area 33815 acres (137 km²). Both East and West Flamborough were surveyed and opened for settlement in 1792. The Township existed from 1851–1973, later divided with one part to City of BurlingtonBurlington, OntarioBurlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
and majority to Town of FlamboroughFlamborough, OntarioFlamborough is a former town near, and a current community in, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.... - Flamborough West,, area 31028 acres (126 km²) Both East and West Flamborough were surveyed and opened for settlement in 1792. The Township existed from 1851–1973, later divided with one part to Town of DundasDundas, OntarioDundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
and majority to Town of FlamboroughFlamborough, OntarioFlamborough is a former town near, and a current community in, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.... - Glanford, area 23527 acres (95 km²) Was surveyed and opened for settlement in 1798. The township was named from Glanford-BriggGlanford Brigg Rural DistrictGlanford Brigg was a rural district in Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey from 1894 to 1974.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 from the Glanford Brigg rural sanitary district...
in Lincolnshire. Community centres were Glanford and Fenton. The Township existed from 1816-1974. The Township was later the other half of Glanbrook Township - Onondaga, existed from 1816–1851, home of the Six Nations of the Grand River
- SaltfleetSaltfleet Township, OntarioSaltfleet Township was a township in Upper Canada, later Ontario, on the south shore of Lake Ontario.In 1974, it was amalgamated with the village of Stoney Creek to form the town of Stoney Creek....
, area 28321 acres (115 km²). Was surveyed and opened in 1792. The name was suggested by the existence of several salt water springs. The Township existed from 1816–1973, later the town and city of Stoney CreekStoney Creek, OntarioStoney Creek is a community in Ontario, Canada.Note: This article will only deal with matters up to its amalgamation with Hamilton.-Geography and population:... - Seneca, existed from 1816–1851, later part of Brant County
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto]