Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

John Button (May 18, 1772 – November 9, 1861) was an American-born Upper Canada settler (founder of

Buttonville, Ontario Buttonville is a suburban planned neighbourhood from a former police village in the city of Markham, Ontario, Canada, west of the larger Unionville neighbourhood. the former hamlet and police village named after its founder, John Button. About ...

), sedentary Canadian militia officer and founder of the 1st York Light Dragoons (also as Troop of Markham Dragoons or Captain Button's Dragoons).

Early Years

Button was born in

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...

to Joseph Button and Mary Ann Atwell. He was the fourth generation of Buttons in America (the first ancestor is believed to be Matthias Button (1610–1672), who arrived in the

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the ...

around 1633). In 1790 John Button was working as a

cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ...

and married Elizabeth Williams (1772–1847) in

Dutchess County, New York Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later orga ...

in 1795. With the end of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

and not being an active

United Empire Loyalist United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...

, Button would not begin the process of migrating north to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

until the ratification of the

Jay Treaty The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, commonly known as the Jay Treaty, and also as Jay's Treaty, was a 1794 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that averted ...

in 1795. In 1798 he petitioned the then President of the Executive Council and Administrator of Upper Canada Peter Russell for land in

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...

. Not waiting for the approval of his request his family settled in at Crowland Township (in now

Welland, Ontario Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada. As of 2021, it had a population of 55,750. The city is in the centre of Niagara and located within a half-hour driving distance to Niagara Falls, Ontario, N ...

) in the

Niagara Region The Regional Municipality of Niagara, also colloquially known as the Niagara Region or Region of Niagara, is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada. The regional seat is in Thorold. It is the southern ...

(with family members already residents in the township) from 1799 to 1801. Once the grant was approved in 1801 (by Peter Hunter) they settled on 200 acres (81 ha) of land along

Yonge Street Yonge Street (; pronounced "young") is a major arterial route in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. Once the southernmost leg of provincial Hi ...

(somewhere north of Bloor Street as Park lots ran north–south direction south of Bloor) in

York, Upper Canada York was a town and second capital of the colony of Upper Canada. It is the predecessor to the Old Toronto, old city of Toronto (1834–1998). It was established in 1793 by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe as a "temporary" location for th ...

. He later sold this grant, moved north to

Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...

in 1803 and obtained 200 acres (81 ha) around the area now known as

around 1805.

Military career

Button joined the local militia in 1808 as a

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

with the North York Regiment of Militia and established his cavalry troop, Light Dragoons, in 1810. Despite the end of the War of 1812, Button saw the need to maintain military alertness and requested to maintain his troop's readiness. Button was promoted as

in 1831, had participated in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

(

Battle of Detroit The siege of Detroit, also known as the surrender of Detroit or the Battle of Fort Detroit, was an early engagement in the War of 1812. A British force under Major General Isaac Brock with Native American allies under Shawnee leader Tecumseh ...

) and later in the

Rebellion of 1837 Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

(

Battle of Montgomery's Tavern The Battle of Montgomery's Tavern was an incident during the Upper Canada Rebellion in December 1837. The abortive revolutionary insurrection, inspired by William Lyon Mackenzie, was crushed by British authorities and Canadian volunteer units ne ...

Community Leader and breeder

Besides his military contributions, Button help secure land for a church (he was a Wesleyan

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

) in Buttonville. He would later establish a post office in the community that bore his name. Button was a farmer and bred colts in his early years in Upper Canada and after the 1837 Rebellion.

Later Years and Death

Button began selling off his land holdings in the latter part of his life (1840s) which led to the establishment of Buttonville in 1851. John Button died on November 9, 1861, predeceased by wife Elizabeth, son Newbury (1798–1823). He married Elizabeth Bradley in 1848. His son Colonel Francis Button (1794–1880) and grandson William Marr Button (1816–1908) would become members of his Light Dragoon. His troop is now part of

The Governor General's Body Guard The Governor General's Body Guard was royal guard regiment of the Canadian Army that formed part of the country's Household Division. The Body Guard was the senior regiment of the Canadian Army and the equivalent of the British Army's Life Guards ...

. Button and many members of his family are buried at Buttonville Cemetery. William Marr Button would become reeve of Markham.

Legacy

There are a few places that honour Button in Markham:

was established as a post office by Button and friend William Morrison with the name provided by Morrison.

Buttonville Airport Buttonville Municipal Airport or Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport is a medium-sized airport in the neighbourhood of Buttonville, Ontario, Buttonville in Markham, Ontario, Canada, north of Toronto. It is operated by Torontair. Due to its pro ...

is only land originally owned by Button and named in reference to the community of Buttonville. Major Button Drive is a small residential street in newer section of Markham Village near Highway 7 and Ninth Line. Button had land near Markham Village on lot 8 of 8th Concession (Markham Road) in 1805. John Button Boulevard is another residential street near Woodbine Avenue (or 4th Concession where Button had obtained land grants) and 16th Avenue closer to the area where Button had settled with two connecting roadways, Captain Francis Drive and Colonel Marr Road, are named for his sons and grandson respectively. John Button Waterway North and South are two tracts of greenspace along Apple Creek near Buttonville. Nearby also is John Button Park, a city park bearing Button's name. Buttonville Crescent / Buttonville Street is a short residential street off Woodbine Avenue and located within what was John Button's Markham grant. Buttonville Public School () and the 1872 Buttonville Schoolhouse are named for the community that is linked to his name.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Button, John Canadian people of the War of 1812 Canadian Militia officers Upper Canada Rebellion people People of the War of 1812 Canadian Methodists 1772 births 1861 deaths People from New London, Connecticut