Civic Holiday in Ontario today

The first Monday in August in Ontario is a Civic holiday. It goes by different names and depending where you are whether businesses and offices are open or closed. Some municipalities may have special events planned. Many head to a beach or a park if they live close to one and the weather is favourable.

In Toronto, it is called Simcoe Day to recognize John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada [later Canada West and then Ontario]. In other municipalities it may have another name to honour one of the founders or it may just be called the Civic holiday.

As a Markham Berczy settler descendant, that is, a descendant of one of the families that came with William Berczy to Upper Canada in 1794, it is important to know something about Simcoe. It is because of the land offered free by the Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe that the group with William Berczy von Moll came to live in Upper Canada. My ancestor, Johan Niclaus Stoeber  [Stiver] came to Markham Township with this group that had travelled from what was to become Germany to the United States and then Canada. The land arrangements in Upper Canada is another story - a post for another day.

Happy holiday!

© 2014 Janet Iles