Formerly at 8982 McCowan Road

· This house was constructed by George B. Quantz c. 1964 and is the only surviving remnant of a small hamlet that once existed on the 7th Concession Road, now known as McCowan Road.
· George B. Quantz was the grandson of Melchior Quantz, a soldier in a Hessian regiment of the English army during the American Revolution. After the war, Melchior returned to England but the Quantz family came back to the United States in 1791. There they joined a group of German settlers, led by William Berczy and came to settle in Markham in 1794. Melchior Quantz was granted Lot 13, Concession 2 upon his arrival in the Township of Markham. His eldest son, Frederick carried on the family farm and later passed it on to his children.
· George Quantz Sr. Was Melchior Quantz’ second son. He married Mary Ann Baker in 1807 and together they settled on the east half of Lot 14, Concession 6, having 11 children. In 1854, George Quantz Sr. Began to subdivide this lot for his children. The group of lots soon became known locally as Quantztown, or as Centerville because it was located in the centre between Unionville and Markham Village.

Originally located at 8982 McCowan Road, this house was constructed by the grandson of Melchoir Quantz, one of the earliest British settlers to arrive in Markham Township in 1894.

It is interesting to note that Markville Secondary School was to be named after the Quantz family, but the parents and students of the new school petitioned the School Board to change the name, so it their infinite wisdom, they named the school after the shopping centre to the south. So much for local history.