This page has been created to educate residents about Essa's rich and diverse history and provide residents with some FUN FACTS about Essa.
The settlement of Egbert was developed in approximately 1830 when Henry Morris cleared some land for the Whiteside, Mooney and Holt families. Robert Whiteside donated land in 1850 for a church which was constructed in 1877 on Lot 11, Con. 8. Industries in Egbert during that timeframe were farming, preparation and sawing of lumber, and the grinding of grain which took place at the local saw mill as well as the local planing mill.
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The settlement of Elmgrove was first developed by settlers of English and Irish descent in approximately 1840. A corduroy road made up of tree trunks was built (which is now the 5th Sideroad) and the nearest market was Angus. Elmgrove consisted of a school which was built in 1899, a methodist church which was built in 1882, a store, a blacksmith shop, a shoemaker's shop, a wagon-maker's place, a hotel, a post office and a few private homes.
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Essa was created when an act of Legislature in 1849 provided for the constitution of a Township Municipal Council. On January 21, 1850 the Township of Essa Town Council met for the very first time and elected Mr. Henry Morris as the first Reeve of Essa. Before Essa had a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and a modern council, it was governed by a Reeve and Deputy Reeve. A Reeve is an elected official that is selected annually to govern a municipality. Typically in today's era, Councils are mostly comprised of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council Ward representatives.
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Essa was named after a Native American Chief's daughter, and is older than Canada itself. Essa was originally pioneered by 3 families (George Dinwoody, Thomas Duff, and Samuel McClain) who lived together in a log shanty. The log shanty was utilized for religious services, school and Council. The Township of Essa was comprised of 6 communities during this time (early 1862)
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The Essa Centennial Library officially opened on September 10, 1967. For more information on the formation of the Essa Library check out the document below.
The History of Essa Library
