The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

YOUNGSVILLE 1984 The Mayors Welcome: Madam Chairlady: \ Dr. Halliday, Mr. Treleaven, distinguished guests and friends. I wish to thank the ladies of the Brooksdale Women's Institute for the kind invitation to be present at the unveiling and dedication of this historical plaque marking the site of Youngsville. The Township of Zorra as well as many of the communities within the Town-- ship appreciate the work done by the Women's Institutes within the township in preparing the Tweedsmuir Histories which record much of the local history of the various communities as well as pictures of buildings of a bygone era. It is fitting as the Province of Ontario celebrates the bicentennial in Ontario that we are gathered here to remember the past. In the year, 1784 the British government gave the people of New England their independance. Many of the residents of New England States remained loyal to the British Crown and began a mass migration north to land offered to them by the British Government in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec -- south of the St} Lawrence River, and Ontario. Many of the United Empire Loyalists who came into this area crossed the Niagara River and slowly moved north coming to the Beachville area and north up the 3rd and 4th concessions of Zorra. Many of these people were living in the area when it is believed Zorra was first surveyed in 1820. The United Empire Loyalists started schools and churches throughout the area. It is interesting to note that the United Empire Loyalist comprised people of Scottish, Irish, English, German and Dutch origin. Mr. Gabriel Youngs, who purchased 1,000 acres here at the 4 corners now known as Youngsville was one of the United Empire Loyalists who came to this area. It is recorded that he died in 1855 and was buried in the Methodist ceme-- tery, south of Embro. In the year 1829 families from Sutherlandshire, Scotland began to arrive, and a log Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1832 on the 7th line. In 1845 Zorra was divided into East and West Zorra and it is noted that the West Zorra Council met in the Youngsville Hotel for 61 years. I am not certain of the exact dates but an estimate would be from 1850 to 1911 or 1858 to 1919. It is assumed that a hotel was built here in the 1840's or 1850's and the villiage began to grow with several homes, a blacksmith shop and carriage shop and school. As Mayor of the Township of Zorra, and on behalf of the Township Council, I wish to thank the members of the Brooksdale Women's Institute for preparing the Brooksdale Tweedsmuir history which included the history of Youngsville.