Books

There are literally hundreds of books that have been written about the history and people of Simcoe County. This section is intended to provide a partial listing of those books, to show a cross-section of what is out there. We have tried to include some of the major works, as well as books that contain local family histories, or lists of early residents. We have listed a few Tweedsmuir Histories. Some historical books may now be viewed online and we have provided links to some of those sites.

For more comprehensive listings, see the publications of the Simcoe County Historical Association and the Barrie Public Library genealogical and local history collection. For publications of the Simcoe County Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society see Publications.


SIMCOE COUNTY


A HISTORY OF SIMCOE COUNTY
By Andrew F. Hunter
Barrie: The Historical Committee of Simcoe County, 1948
(Originally published Barrie, Ontario: The County Council, 1909)
Part 1, 335 p.; Part 2, 323 p.
Includes appendix with list of settlers in each township before 1837, 48 p.

EAST GEORGIAN BAY HISTORICAL JOURNAL
By the East Georgian Bay Historical Foundation
Meaford, Ontario: East Georgian Bay Historical Foundation
Vol. I, 1981; Vol II, 1982. 258 p.; Vol. III, 1983. 230 p.; Vol. IV, 1985. 201 p.; Vol. V, 1989. 149 p.

FIGHTING MEN
Leslie Frost
Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1967. 262 p.
History of the Simcoe Foresters, 35th Regiment 1914-1918
Includes a list of the 393 men of Company C of 157th Battalion

GAZETTEER AND DIRECTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE: Including the District of Muskoka and the Townships of Mono and Mulmur for 1872-3
Produced by East Georgian Bay Historical Foundation, 1985. 283 p.

HURONIA: Cradle of Ontario’s History
Herbert Cranston. Drawings by C.W. Jefferys
1949. 10th printing, 1997. 80 p

ILLUSTRATED ATLAS OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE, ONT. 1881 AND HOGG’S MAP OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE, 1871.
H. Belden
Reprinted, 1975

INDEX TO THE ILLUSTRATED ATLAS OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE
By Sally Walsh
1987

INDEX TO PROBATE & SURROGATE RECORDS FOR SIMCOE COUNTY 1828 – 1929
Compiled by Jack Purvis
1990

COUNTY MARRIAGE REGISTERS OF ONTARIO, CANADA, 1858-1869 – Volume 12: Simcoe County
By W.E. Britnell
Agincourt, Ontario: Generation Press, 1983. 112 p.

MONUMENTAL TRANSCRIPTIONS – Volume. I: Records of 60 Burial Grounds in Central North Simcoe County
Edited by Eldon D. Weber
Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1977. 163 p.

SIMCOE COUNTY BOOK OF DAYS – Volume 1: Beginnings to 1919
Compiled and edited by B.E.S. Rudachyk 1998. Unpaged
A history of the County presented through the events of each day.

SIMCOE COUNTY MILITIA 1837: Muster Rolls and Pay Lists of the Volunteers
By Helen A. Wanless
Barrie: Ontario Genealogical Society – Simcoe County Branch, 1990. 28 p.

SIMCOE COUNTY PIONEER PAPERS, 1908 – 1917
Compiled by the Simcoe County Historical Society, 1974.
Reprinted 1995. 6 sections. approx. 350 p.
Includes a collection of articles written by Ardagh, O’Brien, Soules, Williams, and Osborne.

SIMCOE COUNTY: The Recent Past
By John Craig
The Corporation of the County of Simcoe, 1977. 306 p.

THE HISTORY OF CAMP BORDEN, 1916 – 1918: Land of Sand, Sin and Sorrow
By William Chajkowsky
Jordan Station, Ontario: Station Press, 1983. 106 p.

THE VISIBLE PAST: The Pictorial History of Simcoe County
By Adelaide Leitch
Originally published 1967. Republished 1992. 305 p.


BARRIE


BARRIE: A Nineteenth Century Town
By Gary French, Su Murdoch and Irene Perri
Rev. ed. 1993. 120 p.
A pictorial history, showing the buildings of Barrie as they were in the last century.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF BARRIE
Prepared for the occasion of Laying the Memorial Stone of the new Post Office, Customs House and Post Office Inspector’s offices, by Hon. Sir Hector Langevin, C.B., K.C., M.G., Minister of Public Works, Dominion of Canada, Wednesday October 8th, 1884.
Reprinted by the Simcoe County Historical Association, 1978. 18 p.

ADJALA

ADJALA
By Francis V. McDevitt and Mary Margaret Munnoch
Boston Mills Press, 1993. 256 p.
Includes family histories.

ESSA


A CENTURY OF PROGRESS: The Centennial Review of the Township of Essa, 1850-1950
By Essa Township Council
Reprinted by Simcoe County Historical Society, 1999. 141 p.

EARLY HISTORY OF IVY
By Essa Historical Society, 1997.


FLOS


BEYOND THE BUILDERS PLAN: Centennial History of Knox Presbyterian Church, Flos, Ontario 1878 – 1978
By Knox Presbyterian Church
Published by the Church, 1978
Available at Barrie Public Library in the Simcoe County Branch, OGS Collection

MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SHILOH UNION CHURCH, NEW FLOS, ONTARIO
By Gladys Train
1970, 24 p.

YEARS OF WITNESS – Elmvale Presbyterian Church
By John C. Cooper, research by Margaret I. McGuire, appendices by Gary E. French
Published by Elmvale Presbyterian Church, 1985. 286 p.
Includes detailed history of the Scotch Settlement of Flos and surrounding townships in north Simcoe County plus 35 pages of Presbyterian pioneer families.


INNISFIL


AN INDEX TO INNISFIL HISTORICAL REVIEWS, 1951, 1967, 1984
Compiled by Elinor Sullivan
1993. 99 p

INNISFIL HISTORICAL REVIEWS: 1850 – 1950
Supplement , 1967; Ontario Bicentennial Edition, 1984
Includes Family Histories

SKUNKS AND SCHOLARS: Memories of Growing up in Innisfil Township before 1940
Compiled by the Innisfil Historical Society
1987. 240 p.


MATCHEDASH


MATCHEDASH MEMORIES: 1888 – 1988
By Historical Committee of Matchedash Township
Moonstone, Ontario: 1988, 156 p.
Available at Barrie Public Library in the Simcoe County Branch, OGS Collection

MARA


THEY CAME TO MARA. . . Pioneers of Mara Township Circa 1829-1900
Published by the Corporation of the Township of Mara, 1993. 886 p.
Contains copies of family trees, obituaries and newspaper articles.

MEDONTE


HILLSDALE PAST & PRESENT: A History of Hillsdale, Ontario
By Hillsdale Historical Committee
Midland, Ont.: Midland Press, 1998. 173 p.
Available at Barrie Public Library in the Simcoe County Branch, OGS Collection

MEDONTE – A Township Remembered
Compiled by Mary Garbutt
Published by The Township of Oro-Medonte, 2003. 616 p.
Includes 377 pages of Medonte families.

THE REGULATION PLACE “HILLSDALE”: The story of one Ojibway Family
By Frances Collins and Sylvia Holderny. Illustrations by Lois Hawkes
1997. 130 p.


NOTTAWASAGA


COLLINGWOOD HISTORIC HOMES AND BUILDINGS
By Laurel Lane-Moore, Photography by Eileen Crysler
1989. 111

LET’S CELEBRATE NOTTAWASAGA’S SESQUICENTENNIAL AND ONTARIO’S BICENTENNIAL
By Historical Committee
Published by Nottawasaga Sesquicentennial Celebration, 1984. 268 p.


ORILLIA


THE OLD BREWERY BAY: A Leacockian Tale
By James A. “Pete” McGarvey
Dundurn Press, 1994. 120 p.
The story of Stephen Leacock’s home in Orillia from his first ownership of the land to the opening of the museum.

THE ORILLIA SPIRIT: An Illustrated History of Orillia
By Randy Richmond
Dundurn Press, 1996. 144 p.


ORO


HILLS OF ORO AND OTHER PIONEER LANDMARKS: Part of Oro’s History
By The Township of Oro History Committee, 1993. 149 p.

KITH ‘N KIN: Reminiscences, Biographies, Genealogies, Photographs
Compiled and edited by Joanna McEwen
Published by The Corporation of The Township of Oro, 1978. 409 p.
This book of family histories includes many of the pioneers of Oro

KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1845 – 1986
By Oro Township History Committee and Knox Church Trustees
Published 1986. 50 p.

MEN OF COLOUR: An Historical Account of the Black Settlement on Wilberforce Street and in Oro Township, 1819 – 1949
By Gary E. French
Stroud, Ont.: Kaste Books, 1978. 182 p.

OUTHOUSES AND APPLE PIE
By Loreen (Rice) Lucas
1996. 171 p.

THE STORY OF ORO
By The Township of Oro History Committee
2nd ed. 1987. 344 p.


RAMA


REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST: The Story of Rama Township
Compiled and edited by Gabrielle Latimer
Published by Township of Rama, 1989
Includes 125 pages about local families.
Available on line through Our Roots

SUNNIDALE


THE STORY OF SUNNIDALE, 1860-1960
Publisher: Unknown, 1960. 46 p.
Available at Barrie Public Library in the Simcoe County Branch, OGS Collection

SUNNIDALE LOOKS AT YESTERDAY: A History of Sunnidale Township
Stan Cowden, co-ordinator
Published by Sunnidale Township Council, 1985. 339 p.
Available at Barrie Public Library in the Simcoe County Branch, OGS Collection

WASAGA SAGA: A History of Wasaga Beach
By Thelma M. Morrison
Published by Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1994, 90p.


TAY


CHICAGO OF THE NORTH: A History of Port McNicoll
By Mark Bourrie
1993. 120 p.

MIDLAND’S PAST INHABITANTS: Tombstone Inscriptions of the Cemeteries of Midland, Simcoe County, Ontario
Compiled by Stella M. Gianetto
Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1979.
The book is divided into three sections with transcriptions from Lakeview, St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic and St. Mark’s Anglican Cemeteries.


TECUMSETH


A HISTORY OF TOTTENHAM, ONTARIO, AND THE AREA AROUND IT, FROM THE PIONEER DAYS TO THE PRESENT TIME. The Story of a Friendly Fun Loving Village
Edited by Alan Anderson
Published by The Tottenham Women’s Institute, 1980. 462 p.
Includes 138 pages of local family histories
Available on line at Our Roots

ALLISTON TWEEDSMUIR HISTORY BOOK
Published by The Alliston Women’s Institute
Vol.1, 1972. 215 p.; Vol 2, 1987. 99 p.
This is a two volume scrap book that includes newspaper articles, photographs and histories about Alliston and the surrounding area.
Original is on file at the Alliston Memorial Branch of the New Tecumseth Public Library.

BEETON TWEEDSMUIR HISTORY BOOK
Published by The Beeton Women’s Institute
Vol.1, undated. 239 p.; Vol 2, 1976. 180 p.; Vol 3, 2001. 173 p.
This is a three volume scrap book that includes newspaper articles, photographs and histories about residents of Beeton and the surrounding area.
Original is on file at Simcoe County Archives

CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS: Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Townships, Simcoe County (now the towns of New Tecumseth and Bradford West Gwillimbury)
By Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society
2nd ed. 1994. 340 p.
Gravestone inscriptions to 1982
This publication is in it’s 6th printing and is available for purchase from the Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society.

THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ALLISTON, 1891 – 1991
By Alliston Centennial Committee
1991. 88 p.

TOTTENHAM TWEEDSMUIR HISTORY BOOK
Published by The Tottenham Women’s Institute
Vol.1, 1978. 249 p.; Vol 2, 1979. 56 p.; Vol 3, 1979. 71 p.; Vol 4, 1984. 112 p.
This is a four volume scrap book that includes newspaper articles, photographs and histories of over 135 families that lived in Tottenham and the surrounding area.
Original is on file at Simcoe County Archives


TINY


RECOLLECTIONS: Townships of Tiny
By Township of Tiny Historical and Heritage Committee
1995. 189 p.

WYEBRIDGE. . . A Nostalgic Look at Yesterday
By Bonnie R. Reynolds
1985. 69 p.


TOSORONTIO


CENTENNIAL REVIEW OF THE TOWNSHIP OF TOSSORONTIO, 1850 – 1950
Tossorontio’s Centennial Council
1951

VESPRA


A HISTORY OF VESPRA TOWNSHIP: Pioneers and Settlements, Communities, Historic Places, People and Events
By Allan Anderson, Betty Tomlinson Anderson and the Vespra Township History Committee
Vespra Township Council, 1987. 800 p.

PIONEER HISTORY OF MIDHURST
By Midhurst Historical Society
Midhurst Historical Society, 1975. 122 p.


WEST GWILLIMBURY


BRADFORD’S CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
1957
This book includes many school class pictures with all people identified and is available at Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library

CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS: Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Townships, Simcoe County (now the towns of New Tecumseth and Bradford West Gwillimbury)
By Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society
2nd ed. 1994. 340 p.
Gravestone inscriptions to 1982
This publication is in it’s 6th printing and is available for purchase from the Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society.

PINE HILL FARM, WEST GWILLIMBURY TOWNSHIP
Includes two articles:

    • “A Typical Example of Immigration into Canada in 1819”

By Christopher Armstrong

    • “Pine Hill Farm, the first brick dwelling north of the Holland River, 1821-22”

By Margaret Dunham Vanderploeg.
Published 1984. 24 p.

This publication is available for purchase from the Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society.