Settlement, Education, and Social and Political History
The American Revolution and Planting the Seeds of a Community, 17901814
The American Revolution (1775-1783) had a
great impact on the development of Vaughan.
It shaped the character of the first major
immigration wave to the area and therefore
determined the nature of the community that
the immigrants were to build. Vaughan's first
European settlers were refugees who had
remained loyal to the British Government
when the 13 American colonies (later the
United States of America) rebelled against
King George III in 1775. In the aftermath of
the war, thousands of these Loyalists left their
homes and immigrated to British territory in
Upper Canada. Many settled in Vaughan
Township. Others followed between 1812 and 1814, when Britain and the United
States once again went to war. Of British and German Protestant descent, these
early pioneers laid the groundwork for the Vaughan community.
Immigration Patterns, 1815-Present
Following the War of 1812-14, immigration from the British Iles predominated,
spurred on by such events as the Potato Famine in Ireland and the economic
and social upheaval wrought by Industrial Revolution, until approximately 1850,
by which time the best agricultural land was gone. Immigration from then on was
fairly low, with a moderate increase being experienced after WW I, and a large
influx after WW II. The new arrivals to Vaughan were for the most part displaced
Eastern and Southern Europeans seeking to build new lives in Canada. From the
1960's, immigration patterns again reflected the national experience with a
diverse ethno-cultural mix of émigrés joining Vaughan's major population groups:
British, Italian and Jewish. Most of the post-war immigrants ultimately settling in
Vaughan first lived and worked for some time in Toronto.
Early Vaughan: The Nature of Pioneer Life
Early settlers in Vaughan Township faced tremendous hardships and challenges.
Much of Vaughan was wilderness. Land had to be cleared for farming, and
roads, schools, and churches built. There were no hospitals, and stores to
provide even basic amenities were few and far between. The early pioneers of
Vaughan were therefore extremely tough and self-reliant, producing much of their
own clothing, food, and building materials. By 1840, one-third of Vaughan
Township had been cleared for agriculture, with the remaining two-thirds of
available land comprising bush.
Local Government, 1850-Present
Municipal government was established in
Vaughan in 1850 with the election of the
community's first Council and the formal
establishment of Vaughan Township. Much like
the present municipal government, the original
system was designed to facilitate maximum
input by local residents. Representatives from
the community were elected by their peers to
govern local affairs.
In 1971, Vaughan Township united with the
Village of Woodbridge to form the Town of
Vaughan. At the same time regional government
was introduced, with responsibilities such as
policing and welfare being assumed by the
government of the Region of York. In 1991, the
Town of Vaughan, due to population growth,
achieved city status.
Photograph of John Gamble,
First Reeve,
Township of Vaughan, 1850
Business and Industry: Farms, Heavy Manufacturing and Socialism
Like most Ontario municipalities, Vaughan began as an agricultural community,
with a variety of villages and hamlets developing around mills and small
businesses, such as general stores and blacksmith shops that provided services
to local farmers.
However, Vaughan was unique in that it had two major industrial operations
located within its boundaries. The first, the Woodbridge Agricultural Machine
Works was owned and operated by John Abell. Established in 1849, the factory
produced steam engines and agricultural equipment of such high quality that
Abell's firm earned a number of international awards of excellence for its
products. By 1873 the plant employed over 200 men and was a major economic
force in Canada.
Patterson & Brothers Manufacturers even exceeded the size and
accomplishments of its Woodbridge counterpart. Established in 1850 by the
Patterson brothers two kilometers east of Maple, this company specialized in
agricultural equipment and was the most significant industrial enterprises in
Vaughan Township, until its relocation to Woodstock in 1891. Patterson catered
to an international market and was highly successful. The firm's success rested
with a concern for the interests and well being of its workers. In an age of
unbridled economic exploitation, the Patterson brothers built excellent living
quarters, a school, church, and post office for their employees on the factory site.
Patterson was a unique socio-economic experiment on the North American
industrial scene. Principal owner, Peter Patterson, was no socialist, however. He
was simply a savvy, but fair, businessman who recognized the importance of a
satisfied, loyal and motivated workforce possessing a personal stake in their
employing company to the success of any business venture.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was one of the most significant events of the twentieth
century. People lost their savings, their jobs and their property. As an agriculturebased local economy, with many of life's necessities produced on local farms,
Vaughan was not quite as hard hit as the nation's urban areas. Nevertheless, its
people felt the Depression's impact, with the situation growing so grim by the
early 1930's that Township Council was compelled to implement a welfare
system for providing money, food and clothes to residents who were unable to
support themselves (at this time, there were no social welfare programs in
Canada). The emphasis for assistance was families, particularly children.
Vaughan Council was very innovative and responsive to the needs of the
community, and even managed to secure various large-scale make-work projects
from the federal government. Highway #7 was one such project; constructed in
1930-31, it provided much-needed local employment, as well as an excellent
transportation route.
Vaughan's Contribution to Canada's Military Achievements
Many of Vaughan's first settlers were Loyalist soldiers who had fought for the
British Crown against the American rebels during the American Revolution, 17751783. Vaughan residents also fought in the Boer War, 1899-1901, World War I,
World War II, Korea, and took part in numerous Canadian peace keeping
operations.
Perhaps Vaughan's most famous soldier was Alexander (Lex) Mackenzie. Major
Mackenzie served in the Canadian Expeditionary Corps during WW I, receiving
the prestigious Military Cross for gallantry under fire at the Battle of the Somme
from King George V of Britain. Mackenzie took part in the stunning Canadian
victory at Vimy Ridge in April 1917, where Canadian forces captured an
extensive fortified position from German troops where all previous Allied efforts
had failed. Major Mackenzie was severely wounded in this action and would
spend almost two years recuperating in hospital. He recovered, however, and
returned home to serve his community and country on the Municipal Council of
the Village of Woodbridge for 13 years, during nine of which he held the office of
Reeve (Mayor); in 1945 he was elected to the provincial legislature, where he
held a seat for the next 22 years.
Another notable serviceman was John H. Thompson of Woodbridge. Thompson
was a Flying Officer with the British Second Tactical Air Force. Flying a Typhoon
fighter-bomber equipped with 20 mm cannon and air-to-surface rockets, he and
his comrades accounted for numerous German armoured vehicles, gun
emplacements, bridges and trains. Because Typhoons fought at low levels
(sometimes as little as 300 feet above the ground), where parachutes couldn't be
used, they were among the most dangerous aircraft to fly during WWII.
Thompson survived 100 of these harrowing missions between 1942 and 1945.
Education in Vaughan
From the early 1800's to the 1960's,
most schools in Vaughan were
cramped one or two-room affairs,
where strict discipline and moral
instruction were the orders of the
day. By 1885 there were 21 schools
in the community, each with its own
elected Board of Trustees
responsible for administering the
business of their school. At this time,
male teachers were paid $425 a
year, with female teachers earning
$265. Most students received a
typically rudimentary education, with
the realities of rural life necessitating
that the needs of the farm took
precedence over those of the
scholar. In 1960, the Vaughan
Township Public School Board
replaced individual school boards.
Schools then came to be
administered by the York County
Board of Education, and then the
Region of York in 1971.
VAUGHAN POPULATION FIGURES 1801 to 2001
(Information Provided in Part by the Vaughan Development Services Dept.)
DATE
POPULATION
DATE
POPULATION
1801
1805
1817
1825
1842
1871
1881
1921
1931
1935
1941
1951
1956
1960
1961
1966
31
203
510
947
4,300
7,657
6,828
6,080
5,468
4,873
5,829
9,966
13,843
15,957
16,701
19,022
1971
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1996
1998
2001
15,839
25,044
29,041
36,815
40,833
48,200
56,766
65,460
80,012
88,475
101,050
102,600
111,400
132,549
162,000
185,100