Who Were The Long Point Settlers?

The Long Point Settlers were the earliest pioneers who opened up Norfolk County, Ontario. This comprised the present townships of Walsingham, Charlotteville, Woodhouse, Townsend, Windham, Middleton and Houghton. Their settlement and designation took this name from Long Point, a prominent sand spit stretching far out into Lake Erie in front of Norfolk County, viewable on all maps of the lake. The earliest mention of Long Point as a desirable settlement came from John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (present day Ontario) in 1792: "Applications have already been made for lands near to Long Point on Lake Erie, where I have always projected to establish a Military Colony as being situated opposite to Presque Isle, the most practicable route from the United States."

On September 20, 1793, Simcoe wrote to Home Secretary Henry Dundas extolling the advantages of the area:

"Long Point is the favorite object of all descriptions of people; Its vicinity is represented as the most desirable for Settlements, and whether the restraint which it has hitherto thought prudent to place upon its colonization seems to enhance its value, or it really possesses great Advantages, there appears to be little doubt but that it will become a flourishing part of Upper Canada."

Some settlers arrived much earlier, one family as early as 1789. During the years down to 1815 many hundreds of families made their way to this destination and carved their homes out of the forest.