Abraham Stouffer
Abraham Stouffer (January 8, 1781 – October 27, 1851) is the founder of the town of Stouffville, Ontario.[1]
Contents
Background and early years in the United States, 1781-1804
Abraham Stouffer was born January 8, 1781 near Chambersburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Abraham Stauffer (1747–1809) and Barbara Hershey (1750–1795). Abraham was a descendant of Christian Stauffer (1579–1671), a fugitive "obstinate" Anabaptist (Mennonite) preacher in Switzerland.[2]
Immigration to Upper Canada, and the founding "Stoufferville", 1803-1805
In October 1804, Abraham Stouffer emigrated to Upper Canada from Pennsylvania with his wife's family, the Reesors.[3] Their entourage of five Conestoga wagons reached Markham Township after a six-week journey. The information on Stouffer's Affirmation of Allegiance states: "farmer, hazel eyes, brown hair, six feet one inch high, born in Pennsylvania, 28 years old, a Menonist."[4] Abraham and his wife Elizabeth initially settled north of Cedar Grove on the Little Rouge River, but soon acquired 400 acres of land on the Markham-Whitchurch Township Line. In 1805, Stouffer purchased Lots 1 and 2, Concession 9, on the Whitchurch side of the township line, and soon after he acquired lot 35 on the Markham side.[5] Stouffer, who had learned milling from his father, built a saw and a grist mills on Duffin's Creek (near what is today Mill and Main Streets), and a village soon developed around the mills. The settlement became known as "Stoufferville".
Leading figure in Stouffville
Abraham Stouffer was a leading figure in the larger community. In 1825, he became a director of the Farmers' Storehouse Company, an enterprise of millers formed to counter the power of the York merchants.[6] In 1832, when a post office was established, the name of the village was shortened from "Stoufferville" to Stouffville.[7] Stouffer was also one of the first trustees of the Altona Mennonite Meeting House.[8]
Death
Abraham Stouffer died October 27, 1851, and is buried at the Altona Mennonite Meeting House
Stouffer family coat of arms, and the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
Today, the coat of arms of the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville includes a star and chalice which come from the Stouffer family (Swiss) coat of arms.[9]
References
- ↑ Cf. Jean Barkey, ed., Stouffville, 1877-1977: A Pictorial History of a Prosperous Ontario Community (Stouffville, ON, 1977), esp. "About this Book"(images 10-11) and "Introduction," pp. 1-10.
- ↑ Cf. I.D. Landis and Wilmer D. Swope, "Stauffer Family (1959)," Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, accessed 10 June 2011. See also Stouffer & Lee, The Genealogy and Historical Sketch of the Stouffer Family (Toronto: Soole Print Co., 1918).
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Reesor Mill House, Pickering Township Historical Society, 2005.
- ↑ Tweedsmuir History - Altona Women's Institute, Bk. 2, p. 24; Jean Barkey, Whitchurch Township (Toronto: Stoddart, 1993), p. 95; also I. Champion, ed., Markham 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society), p. 55.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ J. Barkey, ed., Stouffville, 1877-1977, p. 6; also Champion, ed., Markham, 1793-1900, pp. 289f.; also Ontario Historical Plaque, The Founding of Stouffville.
- ↑ Register Office of the United Counties of York, Ontario, Peel, Indenture of Bargain and Sale from Christian Stouffer to Trustees for Menonist Society, April 20, 1852, p. 7; also Joseph Nighswander, "A Brief History of Altona Canadian-German Folklore: More Pioneer Hamlets of York, 9 (1985), 21-28; 23; also Lillian Gausline, From Paths to Planes: A Story of the Claremont Area (1974), 97.
- ↑ Cf. Jean Barkey, et al., Whitchurch Township, p. 99. See also: Ontario Plaques - Founding of Stouffville.
