Burford is in the County of Brant and is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London.
In 1793 Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe granted to Abraham Dayton the entire Township of Burford. Dayton was a native of Milford, Connecticut. The township was to become the “new Jerusalem†for a religious sect with which he was affiliated. Dayton broke his ties with the sect and settled just west of the present village of Burford. He was responsible for bringing several families into the township and by the spring of 1797 the new settlement consisted of twenty-one families. Abraham Dayton died March 1, 1797 after a prolonged illness. Abigail Dayton, Abraham’s widow, later married Colonel Joel Stone and moved to Gananoque where she lived until her death in 1843 at the age of 93.The Dayton’s only child, Abiah, was the wife of Benajah Mallory and she and her husband followed her parents into this township. Benajah Mallory became a man of considerable influence and by 1805 was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada representing Norfolk, Oxford, and Middlesex. In June 1812, war was declared against Upper Canada by the United States. During the course of the war, Mallory accepted a commission in the U.S. forces and was considered a traitor back home. Benajah Mallory became outlawed and his land was forfeited to the Crown.
John Yeigh, his wife Mary and their children Jacob, John Junior, Adam,Henry and Eva arrived in Burford from Pennsylvania by covered wagon in June1800. The family cleared land, farmed and established the first pottery in the Burford area. Jacob and Adam distinguished themselves in the War of 1812 and were also active participants in the 1837 Rebellion.
Mount Vernon was originally named Springfield and subsequently Chequered Sheds because the posts were painted in black and white checkerboard fashion to mark several parking spots for rigs at the hotel across from Kenny’s Store. The present name, according to oral history, was given by a railway company in honor of the home of George Washington, the first president of the United States.
Thomas Perrin laid out the village. He established the first store in 1835, built the first sawmill in 1840 and the first gristmill in 1845.
Bishopsgate is located on Highway 53 between Mount Vernon and Burford.
Langford is located on Highway 2/53 east of Fairchild’s Creek about three kilometers east of Cainsville. The village was named for Jacob Lang, an early settler who came from Pennsylvania to this area bout 1807. United Empire Loyalists settled here in the late 1700s. Several streams flowing south gave power to saw and grist mills in the area. A brickyard and a blacksmith shop were established here. The first post office was called Lang’s Ford as all of the travelers had to ford the swampy stream in the hollow just east of Jacob Lang’s farm. Later the name was changed to Langford.
