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Books

Resources for Genealogy in York Region, Ontario (2nd edition), by Ruth Burkholder and the York Region Genealogy Group, 1995. It does not include Metro Toronto, but covers all the other areas. It goes separately by township and lists many resources available for each area, including mailing addresses (just remember that mailing addresses can change). The Illustrated Historical Atlas of York County, published in 1878, reprinted in 1969 by Peter Martin Association, Inc. This atlas is useful if your ancestor was a landowner or farmer, since it contains maps of each township with names showing owners of lots. It is also useful if your ancestor came from a prominent family, or was a prominent businessman - however, the operative word there is "prominent"! Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, published in 1907 by J. H. Beers Co, is very useful. It has character sketches of hundreds of prominent people. It's rather an old book, but many libraries still have it. The index is in a separate volume. Directory of Cemeteries in the Municipality of Metro Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, published by Toronto Branch OGS in 1989. This will tell you what cemeteries exist (or once existed), where, when the cemetery was in use, and if a transcription exists (unfortunately it is currently Out of Print). Its companion book is Accessing Burial records for Large cemeteries in Metro Toronto and the York Region. This one is mostly for Toronto. It was published by Toronto OGS in 1993. Methodist Baptisms in Northern York County: 1842-1896, by Ruth Burkholder, covers Aurora, Georgina, East Gwillimbury, North Gwillimbury, King, Newmarket, and some parts of Simcoe County. York County Men and Women who gave their lives in World War 1, Volume One: York County excluding the City of Toronto, by Norm Jolly and the York Region Genealogy Group. York County Men & Women Who Gave Their Lives in World War I, Vol. 2: City of Toronto, compiled by Norman Jolly Inhabitants of York County in 1850 was published in 1988 by Norman Crowder. It's a reprint of an 1850 county directory. History of Toronto and the County of York by C. Blackett Robinson. It's rather old, published in 1905. The Settlement of York county is by John Mitchell, published in about 1950. Pioneer Life in the County of York by Edwin C Guillet is a good one to check for early settlers. Pioneer Hamlets of York and More Pioneer Hamlets of York, published by the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society. Local History of the Regional Municipalities of Peel, York and Durham by Patricia Warburton Hart was published in Richmond Hill in 1980. Return to Top

Aurora Aurora, published by Aurora and District Historical Society in 1972 Aurora, its Early Beginnings A Place in Time: Aurora's First Century Return to Top

East Gwillimbury East Gwillimbury in the Nineteenth Century, by Gladys Rolling, published by the Ryerson Press, 1967. Our Early Pioneers by the Johnston family and friends, no date Return to Top

Georgina Lake Simcoe and its Environs by A. F. Hunter is a history including the area of Georgina. It was published in 1979 in Toronto, Coles Publishing. Return to Top

King Early Settlements of King Township by Elizabeth McClure Gillham, published in 1978, gives lots of local history, especially of the hamlets and small towns of the township. The book Genealogy in the York Region says that the LDS has this, LDS #0982391, item 23. King township, York County by Mary Garbutt was published in 1960. Return to Top

Markham Markham 1793-1900, Elizabeth Champion, editor, was published by the Markham Historical Society in 1979. Thornhill, An Ontario Village 1793-1963, by Doris Marion Chapman Fitzgerald, was published in 1964. Wesleyan Methodist Baptisms in Markham Township, 1843-1899 is compiled by Ruth Burkholder, published in 1995. It can be purchased from York Region OGS. A Story Of The Markham Berczy Settlers, 200 Years In Markham, includes stories of the original 64 families, map and list of family contacts. Published and sold by Stewart Publishing and Printing. Return to Top

Newmarket Newmarket: The Heart of York Region, by Robert Carter, 1994, takes quite a good look at the town, and has lots of photos. Newmarket Centennial: 1857-1957 has biographies of prominent men. It may be a good place to look if your ancestor ran a business in Newmarket in or before 1957, since many of the businesses paid for advertising here, and some of the more prominent businesses have short profiles. The Memorable Merchants and Trades: the Main Street Story, in two volumes (vol. 1: 1930-1950; vol. 2: 1950-1980), by Eugene McCaffrey and George Luesky. It is much more than the title says, and has lots of local news and social history. It's arranged in chronological order but has no index. Newmarket: Some Early Memories by Elman W. Campbell, contains a collection of articles originally published in the Newmarket Historical Society's newsletter under the title Chaff and Chatter. Reflections on the Pioneer Settlement of Newmarket by two Yonge Street Quakers, by Clayton Webb and Rachel Webb Haight, published by Newmarket Historical Society. It's two recollections of pioneer life, originally written in the late 1800's. Return to Top

Richmond Hill Historic Richmond Hill 1800-1975, by Helmut Haessler, gives a history of "the town and some of its houses, churches, schools, and stores." Early Days in Richmond Hill, a history of the community to 1930, by Robert Stamp, published by the Richmond Hill Public Library Board, 1991. It has been digitized and put online at the Richmond Hill library website. Later Days in Richmond Hill: a history of the community from 1930 to 1999. This book is a follow-up to Early Days in Richmond Hill. The author are Marney Beck Robinson and Joan M. Clark, and the book was published jointly by the Town of Richmond Hill and the Richmond Hill Public Library Board in 1999. $ It can be purchased from the library. Return to Top

Vaughan Methodist Baptisms in the Township of Vaughan, 1842-1893, compiled by Ruth Burkholder, 1996. History of Vaughan Township, by George E. Reaman, published by the University of Toronto Press, 1971. Return to Top

Whitchurch-Stouffille Whitchurch Township Residents: 1837-1891, compiled by Ruth Burkholder, contains the following: extracts from directories for 1837, 1846-7, and 1850-1; indexes to the censuses of 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891. Methodist Baptisms in Whitchurch 1843-1899, compiled by Ruth Burkholder Stouffville, 1877-1977: a pictoral history of a prosperous Ontario community compiled by Jean Barkey, 1977. Pine Orchard History 1800-1936 by the Women's Institute. Those Who Served: Dedicated to the Men and Women of Whitchurch Stouffville Area who Served Their Country compiled by Marion Lewis, Aurelia and Walter Smith, 1999. This lists all who served in the military, starting with the war of 1812 and ending with those who were overseas with peacekeeping forces in 1999.

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