Abraham Stouffer (January 8, 1781 – October 27, 1851) is the founder of the town of Stouffville, Ontario.[1]
Abraham Stouffer was born January 8, 1781, near Chambersburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Abraham Stauffer (1747–1809) and Barbara Hershey (1750–1795). Abraham was a descendant of Christian Stauffer (1579–1671), a fugitive "obstinate" Anabaptist (Mennonite) preacher in Switzerland.[2]
In October 1804, Abraham Stouffer emigrated to Upper Canada from Pennsylvania with his wife's family, the Reesors.[3] Their entourage of five Conestoga wagons reached Markham Township after a six-week journey. The information on Stouffer's Affirmation of Allegiance states: "farmer, hazel eyes, brown hair, six feet one inch high, born in Pennsylvania, 28 years old, a Menonist."[4] Abraham and his wife Elizabeth initially settled north of Cedar Grove on the Little Rouge River, but soon acquired 400 acres of land on the Markham-Whitchurch Township Line. In 1805, Stouffer purchased Lots 1 and 2, Concession 9, on the Whitchurch side of the township line, and soon after he acquired lot 35 on the Markham side.[5] Stouffer, who had learned milling from his father, built a saw and a grist mills on Duffin's Creek (near what is today Mill and Main Streets), and a village soon developed around the mills. The settlement became known as "Stoufferville".
Abraham Stouffer was a leading figure in the larger community. In 1825, he became a director of the Farmers' Storehouse Company, an enterprise of millers formed to counter the power of the York merchants.[6] In 1832, when a post office was established, the name of the village was shortened from "Stoufferville" to Stouffville.[7] Stouffer was also one of the first trustees of the Altona Mennonite Meeting House.[8]
Abraham Stouffer died October 27, 1851, and is buried at the Altona Mennonite Meeting House
Today, the coat of arms of the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville includes a star and chalice which come from the Stouffer family (Swiss) coat of arms.[9]