COLUMN: Meet the man behind naming of Newton Robinson

Unlike so many in the 19th century who had the privilege of naming their villages, William Nathaniel Chantler resisted urge to immortalize himself, columnist says Newton Robinson owes its name to William Nathaniel Chantler. Unlike so many in the 19th century who had the privilege of naming their villages, he resisted the urge to immortalize himself. Ironically, a look at the man's life suggests that William Chantler was worthy of such an honour. William Nathaniel Chantler was born on Oct. 14, 1813, in Surrey, England, the eldest of seven children of Moses and Sarah Chantler. He was raised a Quaker in a strict household and as an adult was noted for his piety. William also received a fine education so that as a young man he found employment with a Manchester merchant, under whom he learned the intricacies of the retail business of the day. Around 1832, he accompanied his parents and siblings as they said goodbye to England and boarded vessel for Canada. Moses and Sarah settled near Meaford, and William seems to have stayed with them for a while, farming and milling with his father. For 27-year-old William, 1839 was a big year. First, he married 25-year-old East Gwillimbury lass Margaret Booker on June 6. Around the same time, he found employment as a clerk at Bigelow's Mills in Tecumseh Township. The sawmill and gristmill had opened in 1832 and were thriving, necessitating a full-time clerk. Bigelow also ran a store, which William, with background, was tapped to take charge of. Three years later, William opened his own store in the village of Latimer's Corners on the northwest corner of what is now the 10th Line and Highway 27. Both the business and the man prospered. The village William served was growing rapidly as well from just a handful of homes to a bustling village that included a tannery, blacksmith, wagonmaker, shoemaker, tailor, church and school. By 1850, the community had grown large enough to warrant a post office with William as the village's first postmaster. As postmaster, William had the privilege of naming the community. He wanted to call in Springville but listened to his friends and neighbours who were pushing to honour William B. Robinson, who represented the riding in the legislature from 1839 to 1857. The community became known as Newtown Robinson; somehow, in the decades that followed, Newtown was contracted to Newton. While William gets the lion's share of attention in historiography, Margaret played an important role in the young community as well. A skilled herbalist and midwife, she assisted in the birth of numerous children and with the herbs grown in her garden and gathered in the wild she assisted the ill. William and Margaret had five children, blessings as he likely called them. When William decided to retire to his farm in 1865, he sold the store to his eldest daughter Eliza and her husband Joseph Robert Hipwell. They'd run the store for another decade before selling out to Eliza's younger brother, James. William and Margaret, meanwhile, spent their days in contentment. William tended to crops and livestock during the day and studiously read his bible at night. Margaret's deft fingers worked her knitting needles. Together, they attended services at the Quaker meeting house at Dunkerron, five miles to the south. William and Margaret lived long enough to celebrate their 60th anniversary with a family that had swelled to include 19 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. William died on May 15, 1904, five years after this milestone. Margaret passed away on Feb. 4, 1907. Their one-time store still stands at the heart of Newton Robinson, a physical reminder of their pioneering spirit.