For more than a century and a half, the Markham Fair has grown and thrived thanks to the dedication, vision, and leadership of its presidents. Each president has played a vital role in guiding the Fair through changing times, strengthening its agricultural roots, and supporting its commitment to community.
This page honours those individuals whose contributions have helped shape the Markham Fair into one of Canada’s oldest and most celebrated agricultural events. Below is a historical listing of the men and women who have proudly served as President of the Markham Fair.
Past Presidents of Markham and East York Agricultural Society since inception till date:
| Year | Name | Occupation |
| 1844 | William Armstrong* | Farmer Hotel Proprietor |
| 1845 – 1855 | No Information | No Information |
| 1856 | Salem Eckhardt* | Implement MFG Auctioneer |
| 1857 | Salem Eckhardt* | Implement MFG Auctioneer |
| 1858 | Salem Eckhardt* | Implement MFG Auctioneer |
| 1859 | David Reesor* | Senator, Cheese Factory Proprietor, Founder of Markham Newspaper |
| 1860 | Thomas Milne* | Farmer, Mill Operator |
| 1861 | Thomas Milne* | Farmer, Mill Operator |
| 1862 | Thomas Milne* | Farmer, Mill Operator |
| 1863 | William Eakin* | Lumber Mill Proprietor |
| 1864 | Henry Jennings* | Farmer, Stock Raiser |
| 1865 | Henry C. Marr* | Grocer, Flour & Feed Merchant |
| 1866 | Henry C. Marr* | Grocer, Flour & Feed Merchant |
| 1867 | James Tran* | Farmer, Stock Producer |
| 1868 | William Padget* | Farmer |
| 1869 | James Eckhardt* | License Inspector & JP |
| 1870 | James Eckhardt* | License Inspector & JP |
| 1871 | James Tran* | Farmer |
| 1872 | Robert Marsh* | Farmer |
| 1873 | Robert Marsh* | Farmer |
| 1874 | Edward Eckhardt* | Farmer |
| 1875 | Thomas Martin* | Farmer |
| 1876 | Robert Marsh* | Farmer |
| 1877 | Robert Marsh* | Farmer |
| 1878 | Henry T. Robson* | Farmer, Gardner |
| 1879 | Alex Pingle* | Farmer |
| 1880 | William C. Lundy* | Cooper & Mill Owner |
| 1881 | John Gormley* | Farmer |
| 1882 | Foster B. Hemingway* | Farmer |
| 1883 | William Milliken* | Farmer, Postmaster, Champion Plowman |
| 1884 | Arthur Quantz* | Farmer |
| 1885 | John Crawford* | Farmer, Purebred Horses & Cattle |
| 1886 | Henry R. Corson* | Newspaper Publisher |
| 1887 | James Gilmour* | Commissioner of Affidavits |
| 1888 | James Gilmour* | Merchant |
| 1889 | John Patterson* | Farmer |
| 1890 | Alex Russell* | Farmer |
| 1891 | Alex Pingle* | Farmer |
| 1892 | George Gormley* | Farmer |
| 1893 | James J. Grill* | Farmer |
| 1894 | Lem Summerfelt* | Farmer |
| 1895 | Peter W. Boynton* | Farmer |
| 1896 | Wm Grant* | Farmer |
| 1897 | John Miller* | Purebred Cattle Importer |
| 1898 | Garrett Vanzant* | Merchant, Gov of Toronto Jail |
| 1899 | Dr. Russell C. Tefft* | Veterinarian |
| 1900 | John Lawrie* | Farmer |
| 1901 | John Isaac* | Farmer, Cattle Importer |
| 1902 | John W. Cowie* | Farmer |
| 1903 | James E. Eckhardt* | License Inspector & JP |
| 1904 | Tom Hood* | Farmer |
| 1905 | Jonathan B. Gould* | Farmer |
| 1906 | Jonathan B. Gould* | Farmer |
| 1907 | William Harper* | Blacksmith |
| 1908 | James Malcolm* | Merchant & Insurance Agent |
| 1909 | Edward D. Kirk* | Butcher |
| 1910 | Dr. N. James Armstrong* | Veterinarian |
| 1911 | Robert Ormerod* | Farmer |
| 1912 | Capt. H. S. Adam* | Bank Manager |
| 1913 | James Torrance* | Farmer, Hotelkeeper |
| 1914 | James Torrance* | Horse Importer |
| 1915 | Walter Miner* | Farmer |
| 1916 | George Scott* | Farmer |
| 1917 | Thomas Hargrave* | Farmer |
| 1918 | Robert Cunningham* | Farmer |
| 1919 | Peter H. Reesor* | Farmer |
| 1920 | Fred E. N. Reesor* | Locust Hill Creamery Proprietor |
| 1921 | George Tran* | Farmer |
| 1922 | James Gleason* | Farmer, Early Fire Chief |
| 1923 | D. Everton Jones* | Mill Operator |
| 1924 | John Couperthwaite* | Farmer |
| 1925 | Arthur M. Davison* | Motor Car Agent, Post Office |
| 1926 | Arthur M. Davison* | Motor Car Agent, Post Office |
| 1927 | John (Jack) H. Gowland* | Farmer |
| 1928 | George Cowie* | Farmer |
| 1930 | Edward (Ted) Mason* | Farmer |
| 1931 | Robert C. Davidson* | Farmer |
| 1932 | Wesley C. Gohn* | Farmer, County Warden |
| 1933 | Robert P. Armstrong* | Farmer |
| 1934 | Robert P. Armstrong* | Farmer |
| 1935 | Robert P. Armstrong* | Farmer |
| 1936 | George L. Hambly* | Farmer |
| 1937 | George L. Hambly* | Farmer |
| 1938 | Anson H. Crosby* | Farmer, Orchard, Prize Poultryman |
| 1939 | William G. Maxwell* | Road Superintendent, Farmer |
| 1940 | Lyman A. Kennedy* | Farmer |
| 1941 | James Rennie* | Farmer |
| 1942 | Orville B. Heisey* | Milk Truck, Planning Mill Proprietor |
| 1943 | John Scott* | Farmer |
| 1944 | Kenneth Deacon* | Farmer |
| 1945 | William Clark* | Farmer, Reeve |
| 1946 | George B. Little* | Farmer, Army Officer |
| 1947 | John (Jack) Torrance* | Clydesdale Horse Importer |
| 1948 | Fred Bagg* | Farmer |
| 1949 | Charles Boynton* | Farmer, Purebred Hogs |
| 1950 | Charles Boynton* | Farmer, Purebred Hogs |
| 1951 | Earl Graham* | Merchant, Postmaster |
| 1952 | Llyod Turner* | Farmer |
| 1953 | Joseph D. Lanthier* | Farm Manager |
| 1954 | J. Gordon Lunau* | Livestock Drover |
| 1955 | George W. Henry* | Farmer |
| 1956 | Alex W. Davidson* | Farmer |
| 1957 | Nick Schouten* | Florist & Nursery Proprietor |
| 1958 | T. Harry Paisley* | Livestock Drover |
| 1959 | David J. Tran* | Farmer |
| 1960 | Raymond Brillinger* | Mill Operator & Farmer |
| 1961 | Harry M. Warriner* | Farmer |
| 1962 | Maurice Hamill* | Farmer |
| 1963 | Dalton Rumney* | Farmer |
| 1964 | Walter Gould* | Farmer |
| 1965 | Howard Cosburn* | Farmer |
| 1966 | Walter Reesor* | Farmer |
| 1967 | William Sutherland* | Farmer, Manager |
| 1968 | Joseph Tran* | Farmer |
| 1969 | Charles E. Reeve* | Court Clerk |
| 1970 | Bert Gardhouse* | Farmer |
| 1971 | Bert Paisley* | Livestock Drover |
| 1972 | Gerald Mann* | Farmer, Manager |
| 1973 | Ellis Britton* | Farmer |
| 1974 | Robert H. Thompson* | Railway Carman Inspector |
| 1975 | Ivan Norton* | Farmer |
| 1976 | Harvey Brown* | Farmer |
| 1977 | Rogers Gardham | Bank Manager |
| 1978 | (Mrs.) Alma Walker* | Social Services Worker, Mayor |
| 1979 | Brian (Mac) Cosburn* | Engineer |
| 1980 | Fred W. Crawford* | Bank Manager |
| 1981 | Dennis Seeley* | Police Sergeant |
| 1982 | William Walker* | Auctioneer |
| 1983 | Barry Little | Dairy Farmer |
| 1984 | Bryan Armstrong | Farmer, Actor |
| 1985 | Harold R. Snowball* | Fire Captain |
| 1986 | Mary (Cosburn) Beare* | Homemaker |
| 1987 | Rick Wannop | Farmer |
| 1988 | David Morrison* | Contractor |
| 1989 | Diane Ward | Homemaker |
| 1990 | Carol Anne White | Weaving Instructor |
| 1991 | Don Miller | Dairy Farmer |
| 1992 | Bob Little* | Regional Waterworks Manager |
| 1993 | Trevor Hurley | Medical Salesman |
| 1994 | Brian Lee* | Businessman |
| 1995 | Doug Savage | Dairy Farmer |
| 1996 | Jan King | Farmer & Businessman |
| 1997 | Carrie Purcell | Research Manager/Veterinary Technician |
| 1998 | David Owen* | Electrician |
| 1999 | Terry Boag | School Teacher |
| 2000 | Chris King | School Principal |
| 2001 | Ray Brown | Auctioneer |
| 2002 | Gord Deacon* | Contractor |
| 2003 | Kim Empringham | Veterinary Technician |
| 2004 | Paul Reesor | Dairy Farmer |
| 2005 | Lynne Harrington | Homemaker |
| 2006 | Paul Donahoe* | Fire Captain |
| 2007 | Blair Purcell | Entrepreneur |
| 2008 | Blair Seeley | Entrepreneur |
| 2009 | Karen Murphy* | Nurse |
| 2010 | Kevin Hollands | Entrepreneur |
| 2011 | Robert Miller | Hydro Supervisor |
| 2012 | Phillip Redshaw | Logistics & Inventory Control Manager |
| 2013 | Lesley English | CFO, VP of Operations |
| 2014 | Kelly Winnitoy | Customer Relations Consultant |
| 2015 | Bryant Hulshof | Farmer / Contractor |
| 2016 | Todd Little | Hydro Utilities / Commodities Farmer |
| 2017 | Darren Little | Golf Course Grounds Manager |
| 2018 | Doug Van Wolde | Website Developer / Professional Photographer |
| 2019 | Michelle Hulshof | School Teacher |
| 2020 | Amanda King | School Teacher |
| 2021 | Amanda King | School Teacher |
| 2022 | Brad Hulshof | Dairy Farmer |
| 2023 | Chris Reesor | Dairy Farmer |
| 2024 | Scott Redshaw | Heavy Equipment Technician Supervisor |
| 2025 | Dylan Armstrong | Mobile Truck & Coach Technician / Entrepreneur |
* Deceased
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