Elgin County, Ontario

Elgin County
—  County  —
Location of Elgin County
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Organized	1851 from Suffolk County
County seat	St. Thomas
Municipalities	List Town of Aylmer Municipality of Bayham Municipality of Central Elgin Municipality of Dutton/Dunwich Municipality of West Elgin Township of Malahide Township of Southwold
Area[1]
– Land	1,880.84 km2 (726.20 sq mi)
Population (2006)[1]
– Total	85,351
– Density	45.4/km2 (117.6/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	519
Website	www.elgin-county.on.ca/

Elgin County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario with a current population of approximately 46,000. The county seat is St. Thomas.

It consists of:

• Town of Aylmer
• Municipality of Bayham
• Municipality of Central Elgin
• Municipality of Dutton/Dunwich
• Municipality of West Elgin
• Township of Malahide
• Township of Southwold

The City of St. Thomas is now separated, and has no jurisdictional overlap with the county; it remains part of the census division.

Historical Townships

Originally Elgin County was once part of Suffolk County. Elgin County was organized as a separate county in 1851 and named after Lord Elgin, governor-general of Canada. Elgin County has an area of 440,320 acres (688 sq mi; 1,782 km²)

Aldborough Township 75,197 acres (117 sq mi; 304 km²). In the early days it had a forest of oak, chestnut and black walnut. It was first settled in 1804.

Bayham Township 56,350 acres (88 sq mi; 228 km²). Organized in 1810 and became part of Elgin County in 1851. It was named from Bayham Abbey in Kent, England.

Dunwich Township 69,592 acres (109 sq mi; 282 km²) First settled in 1803. During the War of 1812 only twelve families lived in the township. In 1817 a company of Selkirk's Highlander settled in the Township The Township is named after a town in Suffolk, England.

Malahide Township 69,181 acres (108 sq mi; 280 km²) Organized in 1810, named for Malahide Castle in Ireland, the former home of Thomas Talbot, patriot of the region. The Township was first settled in 1810.

South Dorchester Township. 30,560 acres (48 sq mi; 124 km²) Although surveyed in 1798, it was not settled until 1826. This township was part of Middlesex County until 1851.

Southwold Township 72,898 acres (114 sq mi; 295 km²) Opened for settlement in 1797, however the first colonist arrived in 1809. Named for an English town in Suffolk.

Yarmouth Township 69,181 acres (108 sq mi; 280 km²). Surveyed in 1792 and settled in 1810.

Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto

Notable persons from Elgin County

• Horace Harvey - Chief Justice of Alberta
• John Kenneth Galbraith - Canadian/American economist

See also

• List of Ontario Census Divisions
• Talbot Trail
• Southern Ontario

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Community highlights for Elgin". http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=3534&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Elgin&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=35&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 2007-12-29. 

External links

• 1877 Historical Map of Elgin County
• Elgin Connects Portal
• County of Elgin website
• Municipality of Malahide
• Central Elgin
• West Elgin
• Town of Aylmer
• Western Elgin Experience

Coordinates: 42°45′N 81°10′W / 42.75°N 81.167°W / 42.75; -81.167