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For anyone further interested in the Children of Peace – Sharon Temple, the Ontario Archives has the following fonds:

Fonds F 4177 (1 reel of microfilm) – Children of Peace Collection

Dates of Creation: 1812-1940, predominant 1812-1871

The collection includes several bound volumes of David Willson's writings and the records of the Children of Peace. One volume contains: records of temple construction contributions, 1832- 1842; monthly meeting minutes relating to the purchase of musical instruments; and a religious address, 1844. A second volume contains: records of committee meetings and an address concerning politics, 1843. A third volume contains poetry, hymns, sermons and marriage certificates. A fourth volume, marked "Register of Wills", contains an account of the sect's origins, a membership list, membership meetings minutes, and records of contributions to the Charity Fund and the Alms Society.

The collection also consists of two bound volumes of Willson's sermons and writings, entitled "Confermations of the will and mind of God" and "The Key of Knowledge". Also included are four monographs written by or about David Willson. These are: "Cockburn's Review", "Impressions of the Mind", "Mysteries of the Mind", and "Practical Life of the Author".

In addition to the bound volumes and monographs, the collection also contains various loose materials, consisting mostly of David Willson's hymns, poems and sermons. This material further includes: rules and regulations for the transaction of business at meetings; a testimonial to Committee report of 1844; a record of contributions to the Charity Fund in 1855; and some newspaper clippings relating to David Willson and the Children of Peace.

Biographical Sketch or Administrative History

The Children of Peace were a Quaker sect founded by David Willson in 1812, and built a temple between 1825 and 1835 at Sharon, York County, Ontario.

David Willson (1778-1866) was born in Duchess County, New York and came to Toronto in 1801. By 1811, he had become a Minister of the Quaker faith. However, in 1812, he, along with several others, were expelled from the Yonge Street Quaker group due to doctrinal differences. These individuals soon formed a new sect called Children of the Peace. In 1819, the group built a small temple in what was then known as the Village of Hope and, between 1825-1831, they built Sharon Temple. For half a century, David Willson served as spiritual leader to the Children of Peace. He wrote their sermons, prayers, instructions and hymns, and designed Sharon Temple. After his death in 1866, the society began to disintegrate. In 1882, the heirs of some sect members launched a lawsuit to settle the issue of the group's finances and ownership of the Temple property. By 1890, no new leader had emerged and the Children of Peace disappeared altogether. In 1919, the York Pioneer and Historical Society purchases the Sharon Temple and converted it into a museum.

Other names: Davidites

This link is to photos at the Ontario Archives of the Sharon Temple: http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/150/3/0?SEARCH&ERRMSG=[IMG_WEB]img_simNo.htm

The Temple of the Children of Peace at Sharon, built from 1825 to 1832 - with its Ark of the Covenant, its banners, and its Pipe and Barrel Organs - survives as the centrepiece of the Sharon Temple Historic Site and Museum. Leader David Willson's study of 1829, a smaller architectural gem, echoes the form of a vanished meeting house. The Ebenezer Doan House of 1819, constructed by the Temple's master-builder and relocated from the former Doan farm nearby, has been restored in an early garden setting. And do not miss another of David Willson's architectural curiosities - the round outhouse. There are also two Doan farm buildings being painstakingly repaired and rehabilitated, the small mid-1800s cookhouse, an 1853 log dwelling with pioneer artifacts and demonstrations, and a 1967 museum building houses the permanent displays and reserve collections.

Guided tours explain the background of the Children of Peace, their activities, and their influence in Ontario. There are many special events from spring to autumn. Some, like the Illumination, are inspired by practices of the Children of Peace. For the Illumination - the first Friday evening in September - every window and pinnacle of the Temple is lit by candles to represent the light of the Gospel, and the music resounds. Music, traditional skills and school programs all complement the daily tours offered at the site.

NOTE: Unfortunately, none of the Links in the Paragraphs above work; but the one below to the Sharon Temple does. When you get to the Site, click on "History", then "Resources", where you can download pdf Files of the various Families that comprised the Children of Peace. This includes the Doan, Hughes [there are 12 Hughes People in the Doane WebPages] and the Willson Family. The direct Link to the Resources Page is http://www.sharontemple.ca/History/Resources.php -- Howard Smith, Apr. 07, 2008.

Sharon Temple Historic Site and Museum

http://www.sharontemple.ca/

18974 Leslie St.,
Box 331, Sharon, Ont.,
Canada L0G 1V0

telephone: (905) 478-2389

email: Sharon Temple Historic Site

Admission & Hours: Adults $5.00. Members free. Accompanied children under 16 free. The Temple and site are open from June 3 to September 30, Thursdays & Fridays 10 am until 4:30 pm. Saturdays & Sundays 12:00 noon to 4:30.

Directions:

The Sharon Temple is located on the southwest side of the Leslie St. and the Mount Albert Sideroad intersection (the only stop-light in the village of Sharon). The village of Sharon is located along Leslie Street in the township of East Gwillimbury about 4 kms. north of Newmarket. The site is clearly marked at the northern end of the village of Sharon, next to the East Gwillimbury Municipal Building.

The Sharon Temple Historic Site and Museum has an extensive archives of material related to the 539 individuals who made up the Children of Peace between 1812 and 1889. We are able to provide limited genealogical services for members of the Sharon Temple Museum Society. We have also published the following resources for genealogists whose ancestors may have been members of the group.

Genealogies of the Builders of the Temple (Third Revised and Enlarged Edition) (Sharon Temple Study Series No. 1, 1994)

The Children of Peace Cemetery (Sharon Temple Study Series No. 7, 1995).

Both publications are available from the Museum Giftshop for $12.00 (GST included) plus $5.00 postage and handling. Mail your cheque and request to "The Sharon Temple, Box 331, 18974 Leslie St., Sharon, Ont. L0G 1V0".