From the Archives

The City of Vaughan’s archives house more than 600 collections dating from the early 1700s to the present day. Within these files are the stories of how Vaughan evolved from the traditional territories of the First Peoples of Turtle Island to the bustling city it is today.

Let’s take a look back at our history and share the stories of the people, places and moments that helped shape the city we know today. This month’s feature is on Henry Howland.  

Henry Stark Howland was born in 1824 in Cape Vincent, New York. He moved to Upper Canada in 1840 and, in 1852, he and his brother Frank bought Lot 24 in Concession 8 (west of Islington Avenue in Kleinburg) from John Kline. At the time of purchase, there was one flour mill on the property. That same year, Henry married Ardelia Sophia Smith. Together, they had 12 children. 

Known as the Howland Mills, it became the largest mill between Toronto and Barrie. It featured the Kline flour mill, a sawmill on the east side of the Humber River and a general store. They could grind 200 barrels of wheat a day, which brought farmers from all around to have their wheat ground into flour. As Howland Mills grew, a cooperage, stave factory and planning mill were added. The development of Howland Mills was accompanied by other local businesses, such as carriage-making shops, blacksmiths, a tannery, a drugstore, merchant shops and hotels – they were instrumental in the growth of Kleinburg.

The Howlands were one of Ontario’s most successful families in both private business and public politics. Henry was the first postmaster of Kleinburg, serving for 18 years, and was elected Reeve (present-day Mayor) of Vaughan Township in 1860 and again in 1864. He also served as Warden of York County from 1865 to 1867. In 1864, Henry sold the general store he operated in the village and moved to Toronto, where he became a co-founder of the Canadian Bank of Commerce and later founded the Imperial Bank of Canada in 1874. He also started Howland Wholesale Hardware and was a Director at the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. 

Henry’s brother William also held prestigious positions during his political career as a representative of Canada West at the London Conference in 1866, Postmaster General of Canada in 1867 and lieutenant-governor of Ontario from 1868 to 1873. After Henry’s retirement, his sons continued to operate the family business, leading to continued growth and economic prosperity.

One of Henry and Ardelia’s sons, Peleg, followed his father into the banking and hardware businesses, while their twin boys, Thomas and William, ran the mill in Kleinburg. In 1902, after inspecting that mill and while waiting at a train station with his son, Henry suffered a brain hemorrhage. He died a few days later in Toronto and was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

VIEW VAUGHAN'S ARCHIVES ONLINE!

Looking for more information about the history of Vaughan? The City's Archival Collection is on digital display for all to explore! The below galleries are available in the City's online gallery on Flickr: 

• From Township to City: The Evolution of Vaughan

• Historical Families of Vaughan

• Historical Photography

• Past Mayors of Vaughan

• Prohibition in Vaughan

• Recollections of Rural Vaughan

• The Great Depression in Vaughan

• The Mary Wood Collection

• The Way We Were: Representations of Vaughan's Past

• Vaughan’s Forgotten Heroes 

• Vaughan Lodge Fonds

• Vaughan Working Environments

• Vaughan Through the Ages: Medicine, Music and Sports and Recreation

• And more! 

A personal Flickr account is not required to access the City's online gallery, which contains only a small selection of the full archives collection. If you are looking for a particular image, original file, primary source record or more, please visit the Archival Database or contact the City by calling 905-832-2281 or emailing archives@vaughan.ca. 

By managing and preserving both City and community records, the City’s Enterprise Information Management Services team ensures that Vaughan's rich and varied history will continue to be available for future generations. Learn more at vaughan.ca/archives.

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