- Peel County, Ontario
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The townships which comprised Peel County for much of its existence.
Peel County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1851 from a portion of York County. In 1973, Peel County became the Regional Municipality of Peel, as a result of the Ontario provincial government's regionalization of the rapidly developing counties surrounding Toronto.
Named for Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the county was organized in 1849. Settlers, however, were in Toronto Township as early as 1807. The Credit River was reserved for the Mississaugas, however they sold their land and moved to the Bruce Peninsula.
- Albion Township was opened in 1819 and given the ancient name of England.
- Caledon Township was opened in 1819, named for historic district of Caledonia, Scotland.
- Chinguacousy Township was opened in 1819 and named, probably in honour of a loyal Chippewa chief who fought at the capture of Michilimackinac. His name was Shinguacose, "the small pine." Born to a Scottish officer and Chippewan mother, Shinguacose died around 1858. The name of the township may also be from an Indian word meaning "the place where young pines grow."
- Toronto Township opened in 1806.
- Toronto Gore Township was opened in 1831. Named for Mohawk for "where there are trees standing in the water and Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada Francis Gore
The community of Malton had its beginnings about 1820. Likely named for Malton, North Yorkshire by local settler Richard Halliday.
Other historical communities in Peel County were: Town of Brampton in Chinguacousy Township, opened in 1834 when John Elliott laid out the lots and named the Place. Incorporated as a village in 1852, and as a town in 1873. Named by settler John Eliot and likely linked to Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria in England.
Village of Bolton in Albion Township. James Bolton, the first settler, in partnership with his brother George, built a grist mil in 1824.
Village of Port Credit, in Toronto Township, named for French trading post Port-de-crédit.
Village of Streetsville in Toronto Township. John Barnhart opened the first store in 1821 and Timothy Street built a saw and grist mill.
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto
See also
- List of Ontario census divisions
External links
Categories:- Golden Horseshoe geography stubs
- Former counties in Ontario
- Regional Municipality of Peel
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