Here's where you can learn a little Ontario history

The Quaker Settlement at Sparta

Photo by Alan L Brown - August, 2004

Plaque Location

The County of Elgin
The Municipality of Central Elgin
At the cemetery on the south side of Road 27 west of Sparta, street number 46870

Plaque Text

Jonathan Doan (1765-1847), a member of the Society of Friends, came to Upper Canada from Pennsylvania about 1789. He settled first in the Niagara peninsula, and then purchased 80 ha of wilderness here in South Yarmouth Township in 1813. A few years later Doan became a land agent for the Honourable James Baby. He acquired 1215 ha for settlement and revisited Niagara and Pennsylvania to recruit fellow Quakers. A community known as the Quaker Settlement, or Yarmouth Corners developed around Doan's farm, grist-mill and tannery. In 1820 he donated the land for a meeting house and this burying ground. The name Sparta was adopted by the settlement in 1832.

More
Information

More
Settlements

Here are the comments for this page.

Posted February 15, 2010
the picture above is perfect info for me. it's a great way to learn a bit about my relative.

Posted June 18, 2008
Sparta is a lovely town in a beautiful setting and everyone has worked hard to restore and preserve the historically important aspects of it.
My congratulations to you for a job well done. It is a delightful area to visit.
Dee Sager
Neosho, Missouri USA

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).