Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

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

Canadian militia The Canadian Militia is a historical title for military units raised for the defence of Canada. The term has been used to describe sedentary militia units raised from local communities in Canada; as well as the regular army for the Province of Ca ...

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 outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...

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 is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...

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), an alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * "Cooper", a song by Roxette from ...

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 o ...

in 1795. With the end of the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

and not being an active

United Empire Loyalist United Empire Loyalist (UEL; or simply Loyalist) 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 Ameri ...

, Button would not begin the process of migrating north to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

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 () was a Province, part of The Canadas, 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 Province of Queb ...

. 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 (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 ( ') 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 Great Lakes#Geography, Upper Great Lakes. Ontario's first colonial administrator, ...

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

York, Upper Canada York was a town and the 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 fo ...

. He later sold this grant, moved north to

Markham Markham may refer to: Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * Markham's grass mouse (''Abrothrix olivaceus markhami''), a rodent subspecies found on Wellington Island and the ne ...

in 1803 and obtained 200 acres (81 ha) around the area now known as Buttonville, Ontario 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 Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

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 Battle of Detroit during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

and later in the

Rebellion of 1837 Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...

where he saw action at the

Battle of Montgomery's Tavern The Battle of Montgomery's Tavern was an engagement which took place on December 7, 1837 during the Upper Canada Rebellion. The abortive revolutionary insurrection, inspired by William Lyon Mackenzie, was crushed by United Kingdom of Great Brita ...

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 Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

) 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 a royal guard regiment of the Canadian Militia that formed part of the country's Household Division, household troops. The Body Guard was the senior regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia and the equival ...

. 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: Buttonville, Ontario was established as a post office by Button and friend William Morrison with the name provided by Morrison. Buttonville Airport 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 Markham Village ( 2006 population 6,090) is the historic town centre of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Originally settled in 1825, the village, which was originally named Reesorville (in reference to the Reesor family of settlers) sometime after 180 ...

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