March 10, 1805 - October 21, 1884
Married: May 25th, 1836
Burial: Gostick Cemetery
list of cemeteries

As yet the hamlet had no Post Office. The community, thinking they could no longer do without such a necessary institution, began the consideration of a suitable name, for the place had never had an official appellation. Claremont, as suggested by W. H. Michell, was finally chosen, after Clermont in France, where his early ancesters had lived. In 1851 it was so named by appointment of Queen Victoria.

Excerpt from:
Claremont - Past and Present

In 1832 William H. Michell, and his brother John, arrived in Pickering Township and settled on Lot 23, Conc. 8, which at that time was still virgin forest. They had been born in London, England, of Scottish descent but a generation or two had lived in France. William had been in the service of the Bank of England but he and his brother decided to come to America. After having spent thirteen weeks crossing the Atlantic aboard the "Esther", they eventually reached Toronto and made their way to Pickering.

On the voyage William met Ellen Tracy, who with her parents also settled in Pickering. He was so attracted to Ellen that he wrote the following poem on her seventeenth birthday:

Hail, lovely flower of thy sex,
Companion on my way,
I wish thee many glad returns
Of happy firsts of May.
Pardon the stranger who presumes
To write this humble song,
For you have known him little yet
And will not know him long.
But as within the opening rose
New charms each day appear,
So may your share of happiness
Increase from year to year.

"Esther", 1st of May, 1832
William Henry Michell

William, having a business education, handled any land transactions that the settlers were faced with. He would walk to Toronto and back, a distance of some sixty miles for the registration of different documents, carrying a sword-cane for protection. In 1850, he became the first Reeve of Pickering Township. He served for two years and after resigning his position, he was called upon to act as "mediator" in many disputes. He was Magistrate for a few years and after the death of Peter Perry, was elected Member of Parliament for South Ontario, but before he took his seat there was a dissolution and a new election. Amos Wright was the successful candidate.

William wrote a great deal, often until the early hours of the morning, until he lost his eyesight. He resided on the homestead for a number of years, then moved to the village. Because of his handicap, he was unable to handle his business. He died in 1884 and was buried in the Machpelah (now called the Gostick) cemetery, Concession 8, Pickering Township. His wife died in 1891.

Excerpt from:
From Paths To Planes - A Story of the Claremont Area
By: Lillian M. Gauslin