Ontario's Historical Plaques 


Discover Ontario's history as told through its plaques


2004 - Now in our 12th Year - 2016


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The Berczy Settlement 1794

The Berczy Settlement 1794

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted April, 2004

Bethesda Church and Burying Ground

Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted November, 2010

Plaque Location

The Region of York
The Town of Markham
In Unionville, at the end of the southern entrance to the
William Berczy Settlement Historical Cemetery
on the east side of Kennedy Road
.4 km north of 16th Avenue


Coordinates: N 43 53.007 W 79 18.888

Map

Plaque Text

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 exhausting his resources on the settlement, went to Montreal in 1805 where he achieved some success as a portrait painter.


Another plaque at this location
Bethesda Church and Burying Ground

Related Toronto plaque
William Berczy
The Don River Bridge, 1803

More
Information

More
Settlements

More
Markham Plaques




Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted February 21, 2015
Could someone please tell me where the old Philip Eckhart house is moved to from Frank Becketts farm in Unionville? We lived there back in the 1960,s and 3 of my girls were born in that house.
Thank you, Marilyn Hill

> Posted December 15, 2014
Hi. I have a quick question. There are townhomes being build on the back of the cemetery where the homes are directly facing it. My question is, is the cemetery planning to put up a fence on the back or larger trees to border around?
Thank you, Shaline Chandrarajan

> Posted January 20, 2013
We once rented the old Philip Equart house in Unionville. Maybe 49 years ago now, I understand it has recently been moved to some historic site.
M Hill




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