Penville, Ontario
Dispersed rural community in Ontario, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Penville is a dispersed rural community in New Tecumseth, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.[1][2]
History
Penville was settled in 1832 by the Ausman, Dale, and Penfield families, immigrants from Scotland who cleared the land for farming.[3][4]
A municipal government was established in Tecumseth Township in 1842, and Penville was the largest village in the township.[3][5] The early settlement had three taverns and five stores.[4] Black’s Methodist Church was erected in 1850, and a cemetery was established in 1858.[3] That same year, a town hall was built.[5] Penville had a large annual fair, described as having "about eleven entries of fall wheat, ten of spring, and 12 span of working horses that equalled any show in Toronto".[4] A post office opened in 1854.[6] By 1871, the population had grown to 130.[3]
Decline
Penville declined following the construction of the Hamilton and North-Western Railway in 1877, which bypassed Penville in favour of nearby Beeton.[7] Residents began leaving Penville, and by 1900, the settlement was "all but abandoned".[3] The post office closed in 1914.[6]
During the 1950s, the church building—which "hadn't had services in decades" and was being used as a granary—was demolished. The cemetery had 18 recorded interments, the last in 1933.[3] A commemorative plaque describing the history of Penville is located there.[8]
Several newer homes are now located in Penville.[3]