Charlottenburgh and Lancaster were two of the original eight "Royal Townships", established along the
Saint Lawrence River in
Upper Canada in the 1780s. This area was first settled by
United Empire Loyalists. The development of this area was encouraged by Sir
John Johnson, then the Superintendent General and Inspector General of Indian Affairs, who had been forced to abandon his land holdings in
New York State during the
American Revolution. Johnson built a house in Williamstown; the home was completed in 1785 and is now a
Canadian National Historic Site, the Sir John Johnson Manor House. A grist mill and saw mill, now gone, were also built on the same location. Williamstown also has the oldest house in Ontario, The Bethune-Thompson House built in 1784. Occupants over the years have included the Reverend
John Bethune (1751–1815), the great-great-grandfather of Doctor
Norman Bethune, and
David Thompson, Canadian explorer. From the late 18th century to the early 19th century, the area was almost entirely settled by
Scottish highlanders, especially from
Inverness-shire, after the
Highland Clearances.
Canadian Gaelic /
Scottish Gaelic had been spoken in Glengarry County since its first settlement in 1784. Some of the main partners of the
North West Company, including Hugh McGillis, lived in this area.
Alexander McMartin, the first person born in
Upper Canada to serve in the
Legislative Assembly, was from Martintown. The Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame is located in Williamstown. The Nor'Westers and Loyalist Museum is also located in Williamstown. Williamstown is also home to Ontario's oldest continuing agricultural fair, which celebrated its bicentennial in 2012. South Glengarry is the location of four
National Historic Sites of Canada: the Bethune-Thompson House, the Glengarry Cairn, the Sir John Johnson House, and the ruins of St. Raphael's Roman Catholic Church. around the turn of the 20th century, Martintown. St. Raphael's Catholic Church was completed in 1821 under the authority of
Alexander Macdonell later Bishop of Regiopolis (now
Kingston, Ontario). This is one of the oldest churches in what was then the colony of Upper Canada. In late 1970, the church interiors, roof and tower were destroyed by fire, but the ruins were preserved. In 1973, a smaller church with the same name was built, attached to the ruins. The township was established on January 1, 1998, with the amalgamation of the former Townships of
Charlottenburgh and
Lancaster, along with the Village of
Lancaster. == Demographics ==