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

Happy Halloween

This is my first attempt with posting a video of my own. Sorry it is only one picture and no attached music. I took this picture with my digital camera when my sister and I visited the Village at Blue (near Thornbury) on the Thanksgiving weekend.

I am not big on Halloween. I don't decorate the house. I do have candy to hand out to the few people who will brave a street without street lights. We do not have many children in our area.

When I worked in children's services in the public library, I did have fun with the children who came to my groups in costumes. There were lots of great poems and songs that I could use.

Happy Simcoe Day

Today is a Civic Holiday in most of Ontario. It is a beautiful day here in my part of Ontario. After this quick posting, I am headed out doors.

It is only in recent years that this holiday has become to be known as Simcoe Day. Having a holiday on the first Monday in August is not a new scheme to have a summer holiday. According to the Ontario Archives web site article, Toronto city council declared the first Monday of August as a holiday back in 1875. In 1969, they renamed it Simcoe Day. This naming seems to have been picked up by other communities.

John Graves Simcoe was Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1792 to 1796. My Germanic ancestors Johan Niclaus Stőber [later Stiver] and his family arrived in Canada during this time in 1794. Under the leadership of William Berczy, my ancestors along with about 60 other families received free land promised by Simcoe in Markham Township.

So as I celebrate Simcoe Day, I remember my ancestors who came to Canada when this province was just being settled north east of Toronto in Markham Township. I think of the hardships they endured during those early years. How that area has changed!