The lost hamlet of Hawkins’ Corners, once at the intersection of Tomken Road and Eglinton Road, is unfortunately one of the few places of Toronto Township that has been almost completely lost. Very little remains in existence beyond a list of family names that once called Hawkins’ Corners home. The community most likely was centered on the business provided by the blacksmith shop that once operated there. It may never be known, however, whether or not the residents of Hawkins’ Corners acted as a close community. This does make what little stories could be preserved all the more valuable.

Squire John Hawkins originally settled at what would come to be called Hawkins’ Corners in the 1820s, on 100 acres of Lot 1 Concession 3 east of Hurontario Street, the current intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road and Eglinton Avenue. In 1852 the land passed on to his son William Hawkins, for which the crossroads community was named.

John Hawkins, born in 1792, emigrated from County Tyrone in Ireland in the early nineteenth century. He mostly lived in Dixie, and may have owned land in Albion as well. His son, William Hawkins, was born in Ontario around 1823. William, who lived at the Corners, had a blacksmith shop and carpentry shop on the northwest corner of Lot 8, Concession 2 north of Dundas Street. He hired men to help tend to it. William Hawkins was married to Elizabeth Price and had two daughters: Maria and Jennie – Jennie, also known as Mary Jane, later married John Hurst Price. After Elizabeth died in 1865, William married her sister, Maria Price, and they had one daughter, Annie. Both of William Hawkins’ wives were daughters of Colonel Samuel Price, who also resided at Hawkins’ Corners, along with his family. William Hawkins was described by one local resident as a “big swarthy man and everybody was a little afraid of his gruffness”. He died in 1898 at age 75.

Major Samuel Price along with his wife, Sarah Charters, and four of their children came to Canada in 1817, and settled in Toronto Township on the northwest corner of Hawkins’ Corners in 1822. Samuel and sons spent the first several years clearing their new land and constructing the barn and fences, and by the early 1830s they were ready to start work on a more permanent dwelling: “The Mud House”. With the help of the ox and his sons, Major Samuel Price built the two-storey house using moulded clay bricks, and then covered it with pine sheeting. “The Mud House” passed from Major Samuel to his son Alexander Price briefly, before going to Jackson C. Price, another son of Major Samuel. Jackson C. Price kept the house for almost fifty years, and after passing through a few more Price family members, it at length made it to the Cook family. The house would last 140 years, the longest of all the Price family homes, until it was finally torn down in the late 1970s.

Another family present in Hawkins’ Corners was the Craig family. Robert Craig was born in Ireland in 1810 and immigrated to York in 1825, at age 15. At first he worked for Dr. McCuaig. He would ride the doctor’s horse around collecting the patients’ accounts and often returned with livestock and other farm produce as payment. After his marriage to Margaret McConnell in 1836, the couple settled in Lampton Mills and Robert started up a cooper shop. Around 1842, Robert Craig moved to Toronto Township. In the early 1860s, Robert Craig helped establish the Cheese Factory along with Robert McKay, who was the owner. Craig also apparently gave land to the Irish Catholics near Dixie (Irishtown) to build a Church as well as houses, although he was Methodist himself. That area would become home to families such as the Mahars, Carrigans, Markys, Curtises, Hickeys and Longs. Robert Craig was very well liked in the community and soon became known as “Father Craig”. Two of his eight children also lived at the Craig homestead at Hawkins’ Corners: John R. and William W. Robert Craig and his wife are buried at Trinity United Church Cemetery, at Britannia and Dixie roads, in nearby Hanlan.

According to Colonel Kennedy, who resided in Dixie and was also a hotel proprietor, the Dixie McCarthys kept a hotel at Hawkins’ Corners, on Lot 1, Concession 3 east of Hurontario Street. There is also a record of Henry Berry, who lived near Hawkins’ Corners, being granted a tavern license in 1843.

There is mention of a few other buildings which were located at Hawkins’ Corners; however, there is little surviving documentation to confirm their existence. There was reportedly a school located on the southeast corner. As well as Orange Lodge warrant no. 1027. The first master was Alexander Davis. The lodge was dormant in 1862, but revived in 1866 by Francis Shaver. William Hawkins apparently then succeeded Francis Shaver as master.

Today, there is nothing left of the community of Hawkins’ Corners to mark its place. Stories and memories too, are scarce. Please help keep the memories alive of the family names such as Allison, Craig, Hawkins, King, McKinney, Mercer and Price, by sharing your stories.