George Washington Post was born in Hebron, Tolland County, Connecticut on August 26, 1779. His parents, Jordon Post, a clockmaker, and Abigail Loomis, immigrated to the Town of York in 1790.[1]
Records list George as a bachelor living in York from 1799 to 1802.[2] He relocated to the Township of Scarboro (Scarborough) in 1802 or 1803 and by 1804 he is recorded as a resident.[3] He married Elizabeth Anna Knowles (1786 -1833) in 1805 and they had ten children: John, Asa, George Washington II, Jordan, Robert, Hiram, Henry, Sybil, Anna and Sarah.
George apprenticed as a barkeeper to William Moore in York as early as 1802[4] before receiving a license for an inn at Highland Creek in 1811, which was the first inn in Scarborough.[5] He purchased land in Pickering along Kingston Road in 1812 and built a large brick family home. This home also served as a stagecoach stop and was optimally positioned given its location along the most significant east-west route in the province’s early history, which linked York and Kingston.
During the War of 1812, George served as a private in the 3rd Regiment of York Militia. This regiment mustered from the present-day City of Toronto (Scarborough, York and Etobicoke), Region of York (Markham) and Region of Durham (Pickering and Whitby).[6] He served in Captain Thomas Hamilton’s Company from November 25 to December 24, 1812,[7] and was on duty at Scarborough with a cavalry company as a courier from April 25 to 24 Aug 1813.[8] His brother, Jordan Post, was captured at Fort York on 27 Apr 1813, while also serving in the 3rd Regiment of York Militia.[9]
George Washington Post contributed greatly to the local community. He is first listed as an elected assessor in Pickering at a Township meeting on March 6, 1815. He subsequently held many other important township offices.[10]
He died on 22 Sept 1828 at 49 years of age. His wife, Elizabeth, died a few years later on 21 Oct 1833 at 47 years of age. They are both buried in the Ley Family Cemetery and Potters Field in Ajax, Ontario. It is unknown why this is the location of their burial, but sons Asa and Henry, as well as a granddaughter, are also buried in this location.
The Post name continues to have prominence in the Ajax and Pickering area. George’s son Robert built an inn around 1831 near the location of the inn formerly operated by his father. This building, which survives today at 365 Kingston Road East, continues to be known as the “Old Post Inn” and was designated by the Town of Ajax under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 148-92) as a property that is architecturally and historically significant to the community. George’s son Jordan built Post Manor at the intersection of Kingston Road and Brock Road in the City of Pickering. It continues to be an important landmark in the community and is also designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Post Cemetery is located adjacent to Post Manor on the southwest corner of Kingston Road and Brock Road and is the final resting place of Jordan Post and his wife Matilda. George’s son George Washington Post II built a residence, known as “Post Hill” or “Field House,” at the crest of Kingston Road (132 Kingston Road West) in Ajax, which is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture and continues to be an important landmark in the community. George’s grandson Albert Asa Post (son of Asa) became a prominent architect in the late 19th century and designed numerous institutional buildings across Ontario and New York State.
