Vaughan Township Residents from A History of Toronto and County of York

Simon Shunk, lot 8, concession 4, is the eldest son of the late Jacob Shunk. His father was a native of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, who emigrated to Canada shortly before the War of 1812, and immediately after his arrival in York purchased the farm on which Simon now lives, and which he remained upon until his death in 1880, at the venerable age of ninety-seven. He was a Mennonite in religion, and an elder of the Church. Our subject was born in the old homestead in 1814, and married in 1835 Susannah White, daughter of the late Hiram White, of Vaughan, by whom he has six children, all living. Mr. Shunk has taken a lively interest in agricultural matters, having especially turned his attention to the breeding of horses, and having sold some very fine teams. On one occasion he sold a single horse for the high price of $700, which sufficiently proves that the time and care he devotes to stock raising is justified by results. His farm is considered one of the finest and best cultivated in the section. He is an adherent of the Methodist Church, and in politics a Conservative. (vol. II, p. 364)

William Simmons, hotel proprietor, Thornhill, was born in Nottinghamshire, England, April 11, 1844. He emigrated to Canada in 1867, and first located at Belleville, where he was employed on the Grand Trunk Railway. He then went to Michigan, where he remained two years; and the subsequent seven years he was employed as engineer on the Great Western Division of the G.T. Railway. In the year 1884 he purchased his present hotel in the Village of Thornhill, where he has excellent accomodation for the travelling public, including good stabling. He married Mary Ann Callasas, of Lincolnshire, England. Mr. Simmons has done a large amount of foreign travel, and possesses at the present time some property in New Zealand. (vol. II, p. 364)

David Smellie, lot 8, concession 3, was born in the Township of Vaughan in 1833, on the farm on which he now resides, being the eldest of the family of the late David Smellie. The latter emigrated from Lanarkshire, Scotland, in the fall of 1830. He came alone, and for the first year after his arrival worked at York Mills; he then purchased the farm in Vaughan now owned and occupied by his son, where he lived until his death in 1860. He was a man well-known in the surrounding townships and exercised considerable influence in municipal matters, and was for a number of years a member of the Township Council. He took a leading position in all matters relating to Agriculture,and was generally recognized as being of great service to the different societies. He took prizes at all the township fairs, his specialities being Leicestershire and Cotswold sheep, and Ayrshire Cattle. At his death, the loss to the community was felt to be great, and his memory is still cherished by some of the old inhabitants independently of the surviving members of his family. His son, David, on his father’s death, came into possession of a very handsome heritage, and it may be fairly stated that without exception he owns the finest farm in the township. It is compact and neat in every particular, and the grounds and surroundings bear ample proof of the care and labour lavished upon them; the style of cultivation is also greatly above the average. Mr. Smellie married in the year 1873. His wife was Martha Jane, born in York Township, and sister of William James, of that section; they have a family of three children. Mr. Smellie is an adherent of the Presbyterian Church, and a Reformer in politics. (vol. II, p. 364)

Jacob Smith, lot 15, concession 5, was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1817, being the eldest son of the late John Smith mentioned elsewhere. He was but twelve months old when he came to Canada with his parents, with whom he continued to live until 1845. He then moved on to lot 16, concession 5, where he remained until 1869, in which year he located in the Village of Maple, where he still resides. He married in the year 1845, his wife being Elizabeth, daughter of the late John White, of this township. He is a Mennonite in religion, and a Conservative in politics. (vol. II, p. 365)

Samuel Smith, lot 7, concession 4, is the third son of the late Jacob Smith, who emigrated from Pennsylvania in company with his parents shortly after the American War of 1812. They settled on the farm now owned by our subject. Samuel’s grandfather belonged to the Mennonite Church and took considerable interest in its welfare, and having received a good education he often in his younger days exhorted the members of the church. Samuel was born on the old homestead in 1833, and was married in the year 1866 to Sarah, daughter of Mr. Samuel Snider, by whom he has four children. He belongs to the old Mennonite Church, but takes very little interest in politics, giving his support to good measures rather than party. (vol. II, p. 365)

John Snider, lot 17, concession 5, is descended from a family who emigrated from the State of Pennsylvania (near the Susquehanna River) in the year 1800. He is the eldest son of the late Jacob Snider, who was born during the journey his parents made from the States to Canada. Jacob Snider settled on the farm now owned by his son John, and in the early days of settlement proved very useful amongst his neighbours (on account of his skill in surgery) before the advent of the medical profession which is now so ably represented. He died on the farm in 1864, at the age of sixty-four years. His wife’s name was Fanny Mussulman, who is still living being about eighty-four years of age. John, the subject of this sketch was born in 1821, near the Village of Maple, and was about nine years of age, when his father located on the farm now in his own possession. He has a lively recollection of the hardships to which they were in the early times subjected, and remembers when the first trees were cut on the lot for building purposes. He was married in 1852 to Mary Sturp, by whom he has three children living. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and a Conservative in politics. (vol. II, p. 365)

James Somerville, lot 14, concession 10, was born in 1843 on the lot where he now resides. He is the second son of the late James Somerville, who emigrated from Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1836, and settled in Vaughan on the same land now occupied by James, jun’r. Mr. Somerville, sen’r, took a lively and intelligent interest in the affairs of the municipality, and was a member of the Township Council for some years. He was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church, and was an Elder for about twelve years previous to his death. Before the church was built the religious services presided over by Dr. Jennings were conducted at the house of Mr. Somerville. He died in 1873, being sixty-three years of age. James from his youth upwards resided on the old homestead, and takes considerable pride in the cultivation of the farm. He does a good deal of stock-raising, prinicipally Durham cattle. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and is a Reformer in politics. (vol. II, p. 366)

Robert Somerville, lot 14, concession 10, was born on his present lot. He is the eldest son of the late James Somerville, who was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and emigrated to Canada, locating in the Township of Vaughan at an early day. The late Mr. Somerville took a lively interest in municipal matters, and was a member of the Township Council for a number of years. He continued to live on the farm until his death in 1873, at the age of sixty-two years. He was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church. Robert Somerville was married in the year 1876 to Mary Ann Goodall, by whom he has four children. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and is a Reformer in politics. (vol. II, p. 366)

Robert Somerville, lot 17, concession 9, is the eldest son of the late Archibald Somerville, who settled in the township about 1837. His father was a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland. He lived on the farm in Vaughan until 1876, in which year he purchased a farm in Chinguacousy Township, Peel County, where he lived until his death in 1873, at the age of fifty-seven years. He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Reformer in politics. His wife survives him, and lives in Peel county. Robert was born in 1847, on the lot where he still resides. He married in 1880 Mary Elizabeth, daughter of John Pearson, of Brampton; they have one child. Mr. Somerville is a Presbyterian in religion, and a teacher in Sabbath schools. In politics he is a Reformer. (vol. II, p. 366)

John C. Steele, lot 26, concession 1, hotel proprietor, was born in Vaughan Township, near Atkinson’s Mills, in the year 1837. He is the only son of the late Thomas Steele, who settled in the township at an early day, and followed farming for a considerable time, and in connection therewith also kept an hotel at Bond Lake; he died in Vaughan Township in the same house where our subject now conducts the hotel known as The Green Bush. John C. is a joiner by trade, and worked for a number of years in Toronto. He subsequently commenced in the hotel business in Alma, Wellington County, and continued there for twelve years. He started his present hotel in 1877, where every attention is paid to the travelling public. Mr. Steele was married in the year 1858, his wife’s maiden name being Mary A. Robertson, by whom he has seven children, two boys and five girls. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian Church, and a Conservative in politics. Mr. Steele’s parents were natives of Yorkshire, England. (vol. II, p. 367)

Thomas H. Steele, lot 20, concession 9, was born on the farm he now resides on, being the youngest son of the late Daniel Steele, who settled in Vaughan about the year 1841. He came from Napanee in the Bay of Quinte, and at the time of his first settlement in Vaughan there were no roads, only the old Indian trail. He was an earnest and devoted member of the Methodist Church, and besides being a class leader was also a local preacher. He died in 1873 at the age of sixty-five years. Thomas H. married in 1871, his wife being Mary, daughter of Robert King, of this township; they have a family of five children. Mr. Steele is an adherent of the Methodist Church, and votes with the Reform Party. (vol. II, p. 367)

James A. Stevenson, lot 20, concession 8, was born in 1848 in the Township of Vaughan, on the lot now occupied by him. He is the only son of the late James Stevenson, one of the early settlers, who came from Glasgow, Scotland, and located here when only seventeen years old. He settled on a farm in the township, where he remained quite a number of years, and in 1853 located on lot 30, concession 8, where he died in 1862. Mr. Stevenson, sen’r, was for many years a member of the Agricultural Society. Mr. James A. Stevenson married in the year 1872 Eliza Hartly, by whom he has four children. He belongs to the Congregational Church, and is in politics a Reformer. (vol. II, p. 367)

Joseph Stong, lot 1, concession 5, is a Canadian by birth, being the third son of the late Daniel Stong, who emigrated from Pennsylvania in the year 1809 in company with his parents. They settled in Vaughan on lot 23, concession 3. The father of our subject assisted to brush the town line between York and Vaughan. Joseph was born in the year 1826; he married Elizabeth Snider in the year 1849, who was also born in Vaughan, being a daughter of the late Jacob Snider, who was Collector and Assessor for the Township a number of years. They have a family of five children, three sons and two daughters, all of whom are married and in good circumstances. The family are adherents of the Methodist Church, and Mr. Stong is a Reformer in politics. His mother is still living and resides with him; she is eighty-six years old. (vol. II, p. 368)