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The Gooderham & Worts families emigrated from the Scole / Bungay area of England in the early 1830s, arriving in York, (now Toronto, Canada). First came James Worts, accompanied by his 13 year-old son, James Gooderham Worts. They built the windmill near the mouth of the Don River. They were followed in 1832 by William and Ezekiel Gooderham, their sister, Elizabeth (James Worts' wife) and 54 extended family members. Over the following 75 years, these families created the largest distillery in the world, as well as contributing to milling, banking, railways, shipping, farming and other essential components of the growing industrial country. They were active in the church and in various communities, as well as in health care and even in our political institutions. In 2013, descendants of the Gooderham and Worts families created an online website that includes a family tree with photos, documents and stories.
FEATURED STORIES
2024 The Forgotten Cemetery
York Mills Baptist Church Cemetery
In 1948 the York Mills Baptist Church was dismantled, and the tiny cemetery east side of the Church with 38 markers all but forgotten.
After a visit to the cemetery a year or so ago, one could barely find the entrance with vines covering the fence and gate entrance. Once in, such a state of disrepair, overgrown by weeds, downed branches and fallen markers.
Where to begin… many not so successful attempts … then a stroke of luck. Greg Wilkinson a resident of the area also a volunteer and organizer made an inquiry to our website. With his dedication … May 26, 2024 was the first formal ‘clean-up day’ attended by volunteer neighbours, historians, and a representative of the Baptist Ministry.
Members of the cleanup crew
We are very excited that Heritage Toronto is willing to put up a plaque to celebrate the historical significance of the church and cemetery.The Baptist Ministry has agreed to offer donation tax credits to help raise the $4,500 required. If you'd like to contribute you may do so online at https://baptist.ca/give/ with a note that your donation should be directed towards the York Mills Baptist Cemetery.
Submitted by Helen Younder, our cousin and Ezekiel descendant, who attended the cleanup day
We ask you to help! If you are a descendant, historian or some other person with relevant information or material, please get in touch. Nothing related to living descendants will be available to the public. In fact, public information will be limited to people who died in the 19th or early 20th centuries.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or comments about the information on this site, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
