Wellesley, Ontario that much of the land had been "Queen's Rush, crown land, where fifty acre lots were given away to actual settlers". The Population of the entire township in 1841, was only 254. The area now the village of Wellesley on the Nith River was first settled in 1847, by John Smith and was originally called "Schmidtsville". The post office opened in 1851 and the village was renamed "Wellesley" after Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, the eldest brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The community quickly grew to be the largest economic centre in rural Waterloo County, with a
Lord George Wellesley decorated with the Royal Humane Society Medal. He relinquished his commission in the RAFVR on 10 February 1954, retaining the rank of squadron leader. After the death of his first wife on 21 February 1947, Lord Arthur Wellesley married secondly Jean McGillivray, daughter of John McGillivray and Jane Ann Stuart, on 25 November 1955. He had a son, Richard, with his first wife. Lord Arthur Wellesley died on 31 July 1967. Lord George Wellesley Lord George Wellesley, MC (29 July 1889 – 31 July 1967) was an English soldier and airman. Wellesley was born on 29 July 1889, the son