William von Moll Berczy (December 10, 1744 – February 5, 1813) was a German-born Upper Canada pioneer and painter. He is considered one of the co-founders of the Town of York, Upper Canada, now Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Berczy was born in Wallerstein, Swabia, Electorate of Bavaria (part of the Holy Roman Empire and now in Germany) as a son of the Wirklicher Hofrat (Albrecht Theodor Moll) and Johanna Josepha Walpurga Hefele. Berczy was originally named Johann Albrecht Ulrich Moll, but following marriage changed his name. He was baptized on December 10, 1744, in Wallerstein, Germany.
He studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and at the University of Jena in Saxony. His early career was spent in several European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, and Italy. He married on November 1, 1785 to Jeanne-Charlotte Allamond of Lausanne, Switzerland. They had two sons. William Bent and Charles Albert.
In 1792, Berczy sailed for the Americas, settling in Philadelphia, then setting up a business in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto). A few years later, his work took him to Lower Canada (Quebec).
Berczy helped John Graves Simcoe establish a settlement north of York, called German Mills with his migrants under the German Land Company, which later became the town of Markham.
"William Berczy, co-founder of Toronto, along with his German Pioneers, cleared part of the townsite of York (Toronto), erected houses and a magazine, built 15 miles of Yonge street (Eglinton to Elgin Mills some without shoes) in addition to 30 miles of roads in Markham township and also cleared 24 miles of the Rouge river waterway for navigation."
He also was a painter. Best known for his portraits, he also carried out religious paintings and architectural work and was a surveyor.
Berczy travelled to New York City during the War of 1812 and was stranded when attempting to travel. He first stayed in Middlebury, Vermont with friends, then to Albany, New York then to New York City from which he planned to travel to England. He fell ill while in New York and died while in the care of friends. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Trinity Church as William Burksay.
Please note: The portrait of the man in the blue coat is not a portrait of William Berczy. This portrait is of the person Vincenzo Federici painted by William Berczy.
Berczy was born in Wallerstein, Swabia, Electorate of Bavaria (part of the Holy Roman Empire and now in Germany) as a son of the Wirklicher Hofrat (Albrecht Theodor Moll) and Johanna Josepha Walpurga Hefele. Berczy was originally named Johann Albrecht Ulrich Moll, but following marriage changed his name. He was baptized on December 10, 1744, in Wallerstein, Germany.
He studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and at the University of Jena in Saxony. His early career was spent in several European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, and Italy. He married on November 1, 1785 to Jeanne-Charlotte Allamond of Lausanne, Switzerland. They had two sons. William Bent and Charles Albert.
In 1792, Berczy sailed for the Americas, settling in Philadelphia, then setting up a business in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto). A few years later, his work took him to Lower Canada (Quebec).
Berczy helped John Graves Simcoe establish a settlement north of York, called German Mills with his migrants under the German Land Company, which later became the town of Markham.
"William Berczy, co-founder of Toronto, along with his German Pioneers, cleared part of the townsite of York (Toronto), erected houses and a magazine, built 15 miles of Yonge street (Eglinton to Elgin Mills some without shoes) in addition to 30 miles of roads in Markham township and also cleared 24 miles of the Rouge river waterway for navigation."
He also was a painter. Best known for his portraits, he also carried out religious paintings and architectural work and was a surveyor.
Berczy travelled to New York City during the War of 1812 and was stranded when attempting to travel. He first stayed in Middlebury, Vermont with friends, then to Albany, New York then to New York City from which he planned to travel to England. He fell ill while in New York and died while in the care of friends. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Trinity Church as William Burksay.
Please note: The portrait of the man in the blue coat is not a portrait of William Berczy. This portrait is of the person Vincenzo Federici painted by William Berczy.
William von Moll Berczy (December 10, 1744 – February 5, 1813) was a German-born Upper Canada pioneer and painter. He is considered one of the co-founders of the Town of York, Upper Canada, now Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Berczy was born in Wallerstein, Swabia, Electorate of Bavaria (part of the Holy Roman Empire and now in Germany) as a son of the Wirklicher Hofrat (Albrecht Theodor Moll) and Johanna Josepha Walpurga Hefele. Berczy was originally named Johann Albrecht Ulrich Moll, but following marriage changed his name. He was baptized on December 10, 1744, in Wallerstein, Germany.
He studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and at the University of Jena in Saxony. His early career was spent in several European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, and Italy. He married on November 1, 1785 to Jeanne-Charlotte Allamond of Lausanne, Switzerland. They had two sons. William Bent and Charles Albert.
In 1792, Berczy sailed for the Americas, settling in Philadelphia, then setting up a business in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto). A few years later, his work took him to Lower Canada (Quebec).
Berczy helped John Graves Simcoe establish a settlement north of York, called German Mills with his migrants under the German Land Company, which later became the town of Markham.
"William Berczy, co-founder of Toronto, along with his German Pioneers, cleared part of the townsite of York (Toronto), erected houses and a magazine, built 15 miles of Yonge street (Eglinton to Elgin Mills some without shoes) in addition to 30 miles of roads in Markham township and also cleared 24 miles of the Rouge river waterway for navigation."
He also was a painter. Best known for his portraits, he also carried out religious paintings and architectural work and was a surveyor.
Berczy travelled to New York City during the War of 1812 and was stranded when attempting to travel. He first stayed in Middlebury, Vermont with friends, then to Albany, New York then to New York City from which he planned to travel to England. He fell ill while in New York and died while in the care of friends. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Trinity Church as William Burksay.
Please note: The portrait of the man in the blue coat is not a portrait of William Berczy. This portrait is of the person Vincenzo Federici painted by William Berczy.
Berczy was born in Wallerstein, Swabia, Electorate of Bavaria (part of the Holy Roman Empire and now in Germany) as a son of the Wirklicher Hofrat (Albrecht Theodor Moll) and Johanna Josepha Walpurga Hefele. Berczy was originally named Johann Albrecht Ulrich Moll, but following marriage changed his name. He was baptized on December 10, 1744, in Wallerstein, Germany.
He studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and at the University of Jena in Saxony. His early career was spent in several European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, and Italy. He married on November 1, 1785 to Jeanne-Charlotte Allamond of Lausanne, Switzerland. They had two sons. William Bent and Charles Albert.
In 1792, Berczy sailed for the Americas, settling in Philadelphia, then setting up a business in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto). A few years later, his work took him to Lower Canada (Quebec).
Berczy helped John Graves Simcoe establish a settlement north of York, called German Mills with his migrants under the German Land Company, which later became the town of Markham.
"William Berczy, co-founder of Toronto, along with his German Pioneers, cleared part of the townsite of York (Toronto), erected houses and a magazine, built 15 miles of Yonge street (Eglinton to Elgin Mills some without shoes) in addition to 30 miles of roads in Markham township and also cleared 24 miles of the Rouge river waterway for navigation."
He also was a painter. Best known for his portraits, he also carried out religious paintings and architectural work and was a surveyor.
Berczy travelled to New York City during the War of 1812 and was stranded when attempting to travel. He first stayed in Middlebury, Vermont with friends, then to Albany, New York then to New York City from which he planned to travel to England. He fell ill while in New York and died while in the care of friends. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Trinity Church as William Burksay.
Please note: The portrait of the man in the blue coat is not a portrait of William Berczy. This portrait is of the person Vincenzo Federici painted by William Berczy.
Gravesite Details
Buried under the name "William Burksay."
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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