(from Early Settlements of King Township, Ontario by Elizabeth McClure Gillham; published by the Author, 1975)
The hamlet of Eversley was situated at the intersection of concession 3 (Dufferin Street) and sideroad 15, the centre of a fine agricultural district, dotted with small lakes. It is believed to have been named for the village of Eversley, in Hampshire, England, where Charles Kingsley (1819-1875), poet and novelist was curate for the greater part of his life. Possibly an early inhabitant was a great admire of Kingsley’s works.
A store, on of the firs buildings in Eversley, was located on the northeast corner of concession 3 and sideroad 15. James Tinline was the storekeeper, as well as the first postmaster when the post office opened in 1865. Next door to the store was the Gellatly residence , and when the Tinline store burned, the Gellatly family started a store, and took over the post office. The post office closed in 1928, and the store a short time later.
Across the road from the store, on the southeast corner, stood Alex Hurst’s blacksmith shop and charcoal bin. On the northwest corner was a wheelwright shop which produced wagons, buggies, and cutters; its proprietor was Robert Redditt.
In 1847, John Ferguson owned lot 10, concession 3, and built there a sawmill which was kept very busy. The mill pond, which was on the south side of the road, and west of the main corner, was the sit of Ferguson’s sawmill, to which farmers round about, dragged their logs. The mill stood at the south end of the pond, where it served a large area of the surrounding countryside.
In 1828, Joseph Wells bought one hundred and fifty acres, lot 9, concession 3, from Daniel Crossley, and in 1837, he bought one hundred acres west half of lot 10, concession 2, from Joel Richards. In 1869, Job Wells received 95 acres from his father Joseph, who reserved an area on the east side of the third concession whre he and his wife Eliza (Lloyd) later built a retirement home.
A new business began in Eversley in 1878 when Job Wells and his brother James, who lived on lot 9, concession 3, built a cheese factory on the southwest corner of Job’s farm, in partnership with W.G. Lloyd. The fame of the cheese factory spread far and wide…….It was demolished in 1914.
The history of Eversley Presbyterian Church dates back to 1834, when the community was served by a missionary, Mr. Gordon. He was later relieved by a young ordained minister, Rev. John Tawse who served until 1860. He was then replaced by Dr. James Carmichael, who remained a pastor for fifty years. In 1960, the Eversley Church was purchased by Lady Eaton, who placed the building in 1967 in the custody of York Pioneer and Historical Society.
Not to be forgotten is the memory of Henry Frost, 1816-51, the originator of music education in Ontario schools, who taught in the Eversley school in 1850 and 1851. He is buried in Eversley church-yard cemetery, and his tombstone bears a score of music engraved across the base.