The village of Ballycroy took its rise at an early date in the same neighborhood where the above-mentioned settlers had been amongst the first to take up lands.

A serious fire occurred in Ballycroy in 1875, in which three young women met their death. A marble headstone in the graveyard of St. James' Church, four miles north, recalls the event with this inscription: - "To the memories of Mary A. Fanning, aged 32 years; Margaret H. Daley, aged 24 years, and Bridget Burke, aged 28 years, who perished in the conflagration which, on April 29th, 1875, destroyed the village of Ballycroy, this monument is raised by their afflicted relatives in grateful recollection of their estimable qualities and early lives." These young women were milliners in the store of Peter Small, which was one of the buildings destroyed.

Near this place, the Hunber River, which takes its rise in this county, passes from it into the adjoining County of Peel.

In the south west, in the vicinity of Mono Mills, a few settlers arrived about the year 1820, and within the next few years the following took up lots in the adjacent parts of Adjala: - John Cobean, con. 3, lot 3, Jones Hall, con. 3, lot 6, James Darraugh, con. 2, lot 5, Stewart Mason, con. 2, lot 1, James McKenna, con. 3, lot 7.

The first named, John Cobean, was the constable of his neighborhood in the early years, having been appointed to that office in 1836 or perhaps earlier.

A sad misfortune overtook the family of the second person (Jones Hall) named on the above list in the early years of the settlement. He sent his son, Joseph, a young man, for a froe (a tool used by the pioneers for splitting shingles), to a settler's in a part of the adjoining Township of Tecumseth, near the eighth and town line corner. Joseph lost his way in the forest and did not return home at night as his father expected. Next day the father called out the settlers to search for him. Many turned out to give help, and one of them, James M. Tegart, of Tecumseth, came upon his lifeless body lying in the woods; he had perhaps died through fear of exhaustion. They brought his remains to the house of one of the Tecumseth settlers, Mr. White, and buried him in front of Mr. Tegart's farm. This became the first burial in the cemetery a mile east of Tottenham; other graves soon were added, and a regular graveyard began. This was more than eighty years ago, and he was perhaps the first white man who died in Tecumseth. No stone marks his resting place, but settlers of the locality for many years lamented the untimely end of poor Joseph Hall.

The last named person on the above list, James McKenna, died May 12th, 1885, aged 89 years.

To the northward of the Ballycroy settlers, a few others arrived about the year 1828. Among these were: - John Headon, con. 7, lot 10, Harvey Huntley, con. 7, lot 14, Owen Keough, con. 5, lot 10, Henry McCullough con. 7, lot 11, Patrick Patton, con. 6, lot 9, Daniel Small, con. 7, lot 11.

James Hart, who took up lot 8 in the 7th concession, was also one of the early settlers in this neighborhood, his house being about two miles from Keenansville. From an early year he was Township Clerk until his death, which occurred February 9th, 1869, at the age of 48 years.

At Keenansville, which took its rise on Bailey's Creek at an early period, as there was good water power on the stream, Harvey Huntley was said to be the first settler, having arrived about 1828, and took up the east half of lot 14 in the seventh.

Owen Keough was a native of County Cavan, Ireland, and reached a ripe age, his death having occurred April 2nd, 1876, at the age of 96 years.

Henry McCullough, the fourth on this list, was District Councillor for Adjala in 1842-3.

Patrick Patton, the next on the list, was Division Court Clerk for a time, and otherwise took part in the public affairs of the township.

Daniel Small was one of the first settlers, a patent for the lot above mentioned having been issued in the name of his brother, James, in 1828. He hewed out a home for himself and children; and near the same place he breathed his last, September, 5th, 1890, at the advanced age of 98 years. Peter Small, his son, became a merchant in Ballycroy, and a reeve of Adjala for nine years (1867-1875). Afterwards he resided in Toronto, where he was bailiff of the Division Court. Another son, Patrick, was also a memeber of the Township Council on different occasions.

James Duross (lot 12, con. 8), one of the pioneers, lived to be 113 years of age, having survived unti May 15th, 1896. The reader may observe, from these notes on the Irish pioneers of Adjala, how many of them reached great ages -- in the case of Mr. Duross, far beyond the century mark, and many other cases nearly the century. Whatever the cause, the facts show great strength of nerve and constitution on the parts of these Irish pioneers.

James Hamilton, with his sons, Alexander, Thomas and John, settled early on lot 10, con. 6. This was a Presbyterian family, there being a few such mixed among the Irish Catholics who formed the majority of the settlers in this locality. Mr. Hamilton, sr., died April 12th, 1858, aged 80 years, and was interred in the family plot in the cemetery on the third line of Tecumseth, where they attended church.

Luke Harcourt, an Irish Catholic, also settled in this neighborhood aat an early date. He received a patent for lot 7, con. 8, in April, 1835, but appears to have lived at Keenansville from the earliest years of that village, and worked at his trade as shoemaker, being like most shoemakers, not blessed with a large amount of this world's goods. He subsequently moved to the frontier part of this province. Hon. Richard Harcourt, of Welland, Ont., is a grandson of this pioneer.

Besides the main stream of the Notawasaga, which passes in a northeasterly direction across the township, another branch parallel with the river itself, and crossing the township at a more southerly part, was sometimes known as Bailey's Creek. This made an obstruction for settlers, the earliest and most numerous settlements being south of it. It was not easy to make roads across Bailey's Creek, or in its neighborhood, during the early years; accordingly, in 1843, the District Council of Simcoe expended money for a "trespass" road here.

As early as the year 1828, some settlers had begun to take up lots in the good lands just north of Bailey's Creek. Among these were the familes of Connors, Kelly and Keenan. It was from the last family that the village of Keenansville had its name. Robert Keenan was District Councillor (1846-9), and reeve of Adjala, (1857), for twelve years altogether. He died January 10th, 1903, aged 83 years.

Keran Egan, a native of King's County, Ireland, took up the E half of lot 13, con. 6, in 1829. He had a bed of hemlock boughs for a time, while he prepared a more substantial shelter. He spent his long lifetime near Keenansville, on the place where he first settled, and died January 25th, 1890, aged 95 years. Two brothers of his were also early settlers in the same neighborhood.

Hugh Kelly, a native of County Carlow, Ireland, took up the east half of lot 14, con. 5, in 1828, or the following year, and was a lifelong resident in this locality.

About the same time as the preceding, two pioneers took up lot 14, con. 4., viz., Patrick Feheley, on the west half, and Andrew Goulding on the east half.

Thomas Hollend and his son Felix also settled near Keenansville (on lot 12, con. 7), in the same period.

Michael Haffey settled upon the west half lot 14, con. 5, at this early period. On the opposite lot in con. 6, where John Haffey lived at a later time, Henry J. Peck, of Stanley, N.Y., found, in 1887, parts of the skeleton of a mammoth. This is the only instance known of mammoth bones having been found in Simcoe County. One of the molars is in Elmira College, N.Y. The other bones are in the Geological Museum of Lafayette College, Easton, P.A.

On the lot south of Haffey, George Kidd settled during this first arrival of settlers, and here arose the village of Athlone.

Farther west, on lot 10, con. 1, James Flynn settled at this time. He was an assessor of the township for some years, until he moved to the United States.

In "North Adjala", which is the part of the township north of the wide swamp of the Nottawasaga River, a settlement was made very soon after the southerly parts. Among the first settlers in this part were the following: - William Cassidy, con. 1, lot 29, Matthew Conway, con. 3, lot 28, Michael Healey, con. 5, lot 29, John Hoey, con. 4, lot 32, Thomas Irwin, con. 4, lot 31, Thomas Langley, con. 4, lot 29, John Reilly, con. 6, lot 30, William Ryan, con. 5, lot 26.

As in other townships of this county, there were land grants to U.E. Loyalists in Tosorontio, but in greater numbers, it would seem, than in the others. None of these lands, we may suppose, had ever been seen by those to whom they had been granted. There is much light soil in the township, except toward the south end and a tract at the northwest corner, and although the soil bore a valuable crop of pine timber, this had no value in the earliest pioneer days. Scarcely any of the U.E. Loyalist grantees became actual settlers.

The tract of upland adjoining the West Essa Scotch settlement was one of the first parts of Tosorontio to receive settlers.

One of the earliest was John Hill, who took up lot 8, conecession 7, (a clergy reserve lot), but transferred it to John Reid in 1837. John Reid himself had settled in this part of Tosorontio in 1833. He was a native of Dumfries Parish, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, (born in 1781), had served a number of years in the militia, and then became a cotton weaver in Carlops, Peeblesshire, following this branch of the arts of peace for fourteen years, when he sold his household goods and left for Canada. His sons, James and John, may also be named as among the first settlers of Tosorontio, the latter coming in 1837, and his grandson, E.J. Reid, has been postmaster at Everett for some years.

Another pioneer in this locality was John Cody, who settled upon the east half of lot 8, conecession 7. Peter Cody was the District Councillor for the township in 1846-7-8.

John Graham, a native of Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, settled on lot 9, concession 6, quite early. There was a pioneer Methodist Church at this place, and beside it a cemetery is the resting place of several early settlers.

In 1833 and 1834, "The Hills" of Tosorontio began to receive settlers in greater numbers than before. Also, about the same time, along the south of the township facing Adjala, several settlers "located".

In the first mentioned locality, the Latimer family were early residents, James Latimer having been the District Councillor for the township in 1849. Wm. Latimer belonged to the same neighbourhood, and Thomas died January 6, 1904, aged 95 years, having been an early settler on lot 10, concession 7.

John Fisher settled early (before 1837), on lot 10, concession 7, at the side road. The land here being good, he prospered and at onw time owned 400 acres. He became reeve in 1868 and held the position for five years. Walter G. Fisher, the lawyer, of Alliston, is a son of this pioneer.

Wm. Richey was an early settler near the same place, but went west with the Mormon movement in the early forties from West Essa, already mentioned in connection with that township.

A little further north, lot 15, concession 7, Thomas Crosbie was an early settler, having arrived in Canada in 1839, and after living in West Gwillimbury for a short time became one of the pioneers of the high ground in Tosorontio. He died July 1, 1892, aged 80 years.

With the opening of the Hamilton and Northwestern Railway in 1878, Everett became a central village. It was incorporated as a police village, January, 1909.

Furher west, on the third line, and two miles northward, on lot 16, (East half), concession 2, at Brennan's mill, a hamlet arose about the railway time, but it declined with the abolition of the mill. Also at Tioga, lot 17, concession 4, where the Pine River crosses the railway, a saw mill was erected at the same time.

A few took up lots next to North Adjala at an early period. Among these pioneers were the following: - Robert Armstrong, lot 4, con. 1, Robert Fletcher, lot 3 (w half), con. 3, Andrew Murphy, lot 2, con. 2, Robert Murphy, lot 3, con. 2, George McGirr, lot 2, con. 7, John McMulkin, lot 1, con. 6, Timothy O'Hearn, lot 2 (w half), con. 5, John Thompson, lot 3 (w half), con. 5.

Robert Murphy settled in the township in 1828, or soon afterward, and took an interest in its public affairs from the first, having been the first reeve of the township in 1855, and he held that position for several years afterward. A member of the same family was reeve in later years, Robert Murphy, and was warden of the county in 1903.

John Thompson received the patent for the above mentioned land as early as January 13, 1829, and in course of time settled upon the land

George McGirr, who arrived before the rebellion, was reeve for some years in the seventies.

The northerly parts were settled much later than the south, chiefly by Irish Protestants, as in the older parts.

The Cherry family were among the first near Airlie, also the Jones family. Henry, John and Joseph Kidd "located" lands in the first concession in the sixties, having removed from the vicinity of Mono Mills.

Lisle, or Forest Lee, was surveyed into village lots on lots 25 and 26, concession 3, in 1878, on the construction of the Hamilton railway.

Marshall N. Stephens built the first mill at Glencairn in, or about the year 1853, and held a prominent place in the conduct of public affairs in that portion of the county till his death in 1903. He was one of the moving spirits for the construction of the branch of the Hamilton and Northwestern Railway through that place in 1878.

The Pine Plains were covered originally with a red pine forest, which was removed by the lumbermen (wherever it had not been destroyed by fire) many years ago, and the land being to light to cultivate, they were again covered with a second growth of that timber. Coarse grasses also took root and covered it in stinted proportions. One also meets with unusual forms of plant life not found elsewhere in the district, including the sweet fern, which grows in abundance on some of the sandy and rocky tracts in counties north and east of Simcoe.

Starting near the apex of Cornhill in Sunnidale, the Pine Plains extend in a southeasterly direction and cover portions of three townships. In shape the Plains have the outline of a beaver tail, with a length of ten miles, and a breadth of seven miles at the widest part, and as the larger portion lies in Tosorontio, this is the more suitable place to mention this prominent natural feature. Owing to its great size, it has had the usual budget of traditioms of lost travellers, nondescript animals, tame beasts run wild again, all based on more or less foundation of truth.