In November 1794, William von Moll Berczy (1744-1813), colonizer, road builder, architect and painter, brought the first settlers to Markham Township. This group had originally emigrated from Germany to New York State, but moved to Upper Canada in 1794 and acquired extensive lands in this area. In 1795-96, sickness and famine reduced their numbers, but those who remained or returned to their holdings laid the foundation for the rapid development of Markham Township after 1800. Berczy, having exhausted his resources on the settlement, went to Montreal in 1805 where he achieved some success as a portrait painter.

Location

At Bethesda Lutheran Cemetery, in the vicinity of the former settlement, Kennedy Road, just north of Unionville

Themes

• Agriculture
• Communities