Essa Historical Society looks at hamlet names
by Florence Blanchard

Essa Historical Society held its May meeting at the Thornton library. President Brian Baker welcomed all and opened our meeting with prayer. Secretary Olive Lee read the minutes of April meeting and these were approved.

Roll call was answered by giving names for lost or

former hamlets. Interesting names were Lennoxville, Strongville, Grumble Hill, Airlie and Boothville. Arnold Banting will welcome Innisfil Historical Society's bus tour and discuss how the Egbert Cemetery was honoured with a historical plaque.

We regret to inform that that the plaque honouring T.P. Loblaw has been delayed until next year.

The society was asked to have a display in the Ivy Orange Hall on Saturday, June 3 when they celebrated one hundred years. Members contributed many things and were present to meet and greet visitors.

On August 18 and 19, Pine River Days will be held in Angus and Joan Truax is searching for pictures of schools in Essa Township.

Our guest speaker at our meeting was Dorothy Cilipka who takes a keen interest in the names of the hamlets and villages in South Simcoe. She researched those in Essa and we learned about the origins of their names.

Some are quite obvious such as West Essa and

Elmgrove named because of its elm trees though it was first known as Elm Flats. Cedar Grove was named for similar reasons. Clover Hill denoted a geographical formation and Nicolston was originally called Carluke and then was named after the Nicol family.

Major Cook sold lots in the village so he registered the plans under the name of Cookstown in 1847.

Egbert was first called Morrisburg after early pioneer, Henry Morris. To avoid confusion with over places of the same name, the Post Office department requested that the name be changed to Egbert.

Alliston was named in 1856 by William Fletcher after his birthplace in Yorkshire, England. When Ivy was first settled in 1849, George Davis, John and James Lennox, Bill McQuay, Thomas Parker and Hugh Speers arrived and found agreat deal of poison I=ivy as they cleared the land. Hence the name, Ivy.

As for Utopia, the first Eugene Smith was said to have chosen the name from the book written by Thomas More. It portrays a community in which everything is shared and where there is no want.

Angus was first known as Pine River Village but was renamed after Angus Morrison, the first MP of Simcoe Count. Baxter was called Cob Coy and then Essa Centre but confusion in the delivery of mail led to the the changes in name.

Thornton was first called called Henry's Corner after John Henry. The name had to be changed so Mr. Henry choose a friend's name.

Our society is now over twenty five years old and we recognize and cherish all that we have learned in that time.