Here's where you can learn a little Ontario history

The Founding of Ancaster

Photo by Alan L Brown - April, 2004

Plaque Location

The City of Hamilton
In Ancaster, on the south side of Wilson Street East
just west of Sulphur Springs Road

Coordinates: N 43 13.531 W 79 58.618

Plaque Text

In 1791 James Wilson in partnership with Richard Beasley built a sawmill and a grist-mill on the site of this community. The mills were sold to Jean Baptiste Rousseaux (known as St. John) in 1794 and developed into a thriving pioneer enterprise. The settlement which grew around these mills became an important trading community known by about 1800 as "Ancaster". In 1805 Samuel and Richard Hatt, who had built the "Red Mill" nearby in 1799, acquired extensive holdings in the vicinity, part of which they subdivided. The combined settlement grew rapidly and became a centre for water-powered industries until the end of the nineteenth century.

Related Ontario plaque pages
"Dundas Mills"

Related Toronto plaque page
Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux 1758-1812

More
Information

More
Settlements

Here are the comments for this page.

(none yet)

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).