Past Presidents 1844 - 2023

Presidents of the Markham and East York Agricultural Society since 1844 

1844 William Armstrong – Farmer, Hotel Proprietor* 

1845 – 1855 – No Information 

1856 Salem Eckhardt – Implement MFG & Auctioneer* 

1857 Salem Eckhardt – Implement MFG & Auctioneer* 

1858 Salem Eckhardt – Implement MFG & Auctioneer* 

1859 David Reesor – Senator, Cheese Factory Proprietor, Founder of Markham Newspaper* 

1860 Thomas Milne – Farmer, Mill Operator* 

1861 Thomas Milne – Farmer, Mill Operator* 

1862 Thomas Milne – Farmer, Mill Operator* 

1863 William Eakin – Lumber Mill Proprietor* 

1864 Henry Jennings – Farmer, Stock Raiser* 

1865 Henry C. Marr – Grocer, Flour and Feed Merchant* 

1866 Henry C. Marr – Grocer, Flour and Feed Merchant* 

1867 James Tran – Farmer, Stock Producer* 

1868 William Padget – Farmer* 

1869 James Eckhardt – License Inspector and J.P.* 

1870 James Eckhardt – License Inspector and J.P.* 

1871 James Tran – Farmer* 

1872 Robert Marsh – Farmer* 

1873 Robert Marsh – Farmer* 

1874 Edward Eckhardt – Farmer* 

1875 Thomas Martin – Farmer* 

1876 Robert Marsh – Farmer*  

1877 Robert Marsh – Farmer* 

1878 Henry T. Robson – Farmer, Gardener* 

1879 Alex Pingle – Farmer* 

1880 William C. Lundy – Cooper and Mill Owner* 

1881 John Gormley – Farmer* 

1882 Foster B. Hemingway – Farmer* 

1883 William Milliken – Farmer, Postmaster, Champion Plowman* 

1884 Arthur Quantz – Farmer* 

1885 John Crawford – Farmer, Purebred Horses and Cattle* 

1886 Henry R. Corson – Newspaper Publisher* 

1887 James Gilmour – Commissioner of Affidavits* 

1888 James Gilmour – Merchant* 

1889 John Patterson – Farmer* 

1890 Alex Russell – Farmer* 

1891 Alex Pingle – Farmer* 

1892 George Gormley – Farmer* 

1893 James J. Grill – Farmer* 

1894 Lem. Summerfelt – Farmer* 

1895 Peter W. Boynton – Farmer* 

1896 Wm. Grant – Farmer* 

1897 John Miller – Pure Bred Cattle Importer* 

1898 Garrett Vanzant – Merchant, Gov. of Toronto Jail* 

1899 Dr. Russell C. Tefft – Veterinarian* 

1900 John Lawrie – Farmer* 

1901 John Isaac – Farmer, Cattle Importer* 

1902 John W. Cowie – Farmer* 

1903 James E. Eckardt – License Inspector and J.P.* 

1904 Tom Hood – Farmer* 

1905 Jonathan B. Gould – Farmer* 

1906 Jonathan B. Gould – Farmer* 

1907 William Harper – Blacksmith* 

1908 James Malcolm – Merchant and Insurance Agent* 

1909 Edward D. Kirk – Butcher* 

1910 Dr. N. James Armstrong – Veterinarian* 

1911 Robert Ormerod – Farmer* 

1912 Capt. H. S. Adam – Bank Manager* 

1913 James Torrance – Farmer, Hotelkeeper* 

1914 James Torrance – Horse Importer* 

1915 Walter Milne – Farmer* 

1916 George Scott – Farmer* 

1917 Thomas Hargrave – Farmer* 

1918 Robert Cunningham – Farmer* 

1919 Peter H. Reesor – Farmer* 

1920 Fred E. N. Reesor – Locust Hill Creamery Proprietor* 

1921 George Tran – Farmer* 

1922 James Gleason – Farmer, Early Fire Chief* 

1923 D. Everton Jones – Mill Operator* 

1924 John Couperthwaite – Farmer* 

1925 G. Arthur M. Davison – Motor Car Agent, Post Office* 

1926 G. Arthur M. Davison – Motor Car Agent, Post Office * 

1927 John (Jack) H. Gowland – Farmer* 

1928 George Cowie – Farmer* 

1929 J. Wilmot Warriner – Farmer* 

1930 Edward (Ted) Mason – Farmer* 

1931 Robert C. Davidson – Farmer* 

1932 Wesley C. Gohn – Farmer, County Warden* 

1933 Robert P. Armstrong – Farmer* 

1934 Robert P. Armstrong – Farmer* 

1935 Robert P. Armstrong – Farmer* 

1936 George L. Hambly – Farmer* 

1937 George L. Hambly – Farmer* 

1938 Anson H. Crosby – Farmer, Orchard, Prize Poultryman* 

1939 William G. Maxwell – Road Superintendent, Farmer* 

1940 Lyman A. Kennedy – Farmer* 

1941 James Rennie – Farmer* 

1942 Orville B. Heisey – Milk Truck, Planing Mill Proprietor* 

1943 John Scott – Farmer* 

1944 Kenneth Deacon – Farmer* 

1945 William Clark – Farmer, Reeve* 

1946 George B. Little – Farmer, Army Officer* 

1947 John (Jack) Torrance – Clydesdale Horse Importer* 

1948 Fred Bagg – Farmer* 

1949 Charles Boynton – Farmer, Pure Bred Hogs* 

1950 Charles Boynton – Farmer, Pure Bred Hogs * 

1951 Earl Graham – Merchant, Postmaster* 

1952 Lloyd Turner – Farmer* 

1953 Joseph D. Lanthier – Farm Manager* 

1954 J. Gordon Lunau – Livestock Drover* 

1955 George W. Henry – Farmer* 

1956 Alex W. Davidson – Farmer* 

1957 Nick Schouten – Florist and Nursery Proprietor* 

1958 T. Harry Paisley – Livestock Drover* 

1959 David J. Tran – Farmer* 

1960 Raymond Brillinger – Mill Operator and Farmer* 

1961 Harry M. Warriner – Farmer* 

1962 Maurice Hamill – Farmer* 

1963 Dalton Rumney – Farmer* 

1964 Walter Gould – Farmer* 

1965 Howard Cosburn – Farmer* 

1966 Walter Reesor – Farmer* 

1967 William Sutherland – Farmer, Manager* 

1968 Joseph Tran – Farmer* 

1969 Charles E. Reeve – Clerk of the Court* 

1970 Bert Gardhouse – Farmer* 

1971 Bert Paisley – Livestock Drover* 

1972 Gerald Mann – Farmer, Manager* 

1973 Ellis Britton – Farmer* 

1974 Robert H. Thompson – Railway Carman Inspector* 

1975 Ivan Norton – Farmer* 

1976 Harvey Brown – Farmer* 

1977 Rogers Gardham – Bank Manager 

1978 (Mrs.) Alma Walker – Social Services Worker, Mayor* 

1979 Brian (Mac) Cosburn – Engineer 

1980 Fred W. Crawford – Bank Manager* 

1981 Dennis Seeley – Police Sergeant 

1982 William Walker – Auctioneer* 

1983 Barry Little – Dairy Farmer 

1984 Bryan Armstrong – Farmer, Actor 

1985 Harold R. Snowball – Fire Captain* 

1986 Mary (Cosburn) Beare – Homemaker* 

1987 Rick Wannop – Farmer 

1988 David Morrison – Contractor* 

1989 Diane Ward – Homemaker 

1990 Carol Ann White – Weaving Instructor 

1991 Don Miller – Dairy Farmer 

1992 Bob Little – Regional Waterworks Manager*  

1993 Trevor Hurley – Medical Salesman 

1994 Brian Lee – Businessman* 

1995 Doug Savage – Dairy Farmer 

1996 Jan King – Farmer and Businessman 

1997 Carrie Purcell – Research Manager/Veterinary Technician 

1998 David Owen – Electrician* 

1999 Terry Boag – School Teacher 

2000 Chris King – School Principal 

2001 Ray Brown – Auctioneer 

2002 Gord Deacon – Contractor* 

2003 Kim Empringham – Veterinary Technician 

2004 Paul Reesor – Dairy Farmer 

2005 Lynne Harrington – Homemaker 

2006 Paul Donahoe – Fire Captain  

2007 Blair Purcell – Entrepreneur 

2008 Blair Seeley – Entrepreneur 

2009 Karen Murphy – Nurse* 

2010 Kevin Hollands – Entrepreneur 

2011 Robert Miller – Hydro Supervisor 

2012 Phillip Redshaw – Logistics & Inventory Control Manager 

2013 Lesley English – CFO, VP of Operations  

2014 Kelly Winnitoy – Customer Relations Consultant 

2015 Bryant Hulshof – Farmer/Contractor 

2016 Todd Little – Hydro Utilities/Commodities Farmer 

2017 Darren Little – Golf Course Grounds Manager 

2018 Doug van Wolde – Website Developer/Professional Photographer 

2019 Michelle Hulshof – School Teacher 

2020 Amanda King – School Teacher 

2021 Amanda King – School Teacher 

2022 Brad Hulshof – Dairy Farmer 

2023 Chris Reesor – Dairy Farmer 

*  Deceased