Electricity Rates in Canton, OH

History of Canton

Canton was founded in 1805. Its plat was recorded at New Lisbon, Ohio, on November 15, 1805, by surveyor Bezaleel Wells, who later served in the Ohio Senate.Canton was likely named as a memorial to Captain John O'Donnell, an Irish merchant marine with the British East India Company whom Wells admired. O'Donnell named his estate in Maryland after the Chinese port city of Guangzhou, formerly romanized as Canton. O'Donnell was the first person to transport goods from Guangzhou to Baltimore. The name selected by Wells may also have been influenced by the Huguenot use of the word "canton", which meant a division of a district containing several communes.Through Wells' efforts and promotion, Canton was designated the county seat of Stark County upon its division from Columbiana County on January 1, 1809. Canton was incorporated as a village in 1822 and reincorporated as a city in 1838. Wells donated his personal holdings in the city to Canton; these holdings would become the Christ United Presbyterian Church, Timken Vocational High School and McKinley Park (originally a cemetery).For most of his adult life, Canton was the home of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States. Born in Niles, Ohio, McKinley first practiced law in Canton around 1867 and was prosecuting attorney of Stark County from 1869 to 1871. The city was his home during his successful campaign for Ohio governor, the site of his front-porch presidential campaign of 1896 and the campaign of 1900.