The following is based on information contained in Jo-Anne Brownlee’s excellent booklet, A Self-Guided Historical Tour of Clarendon, published by the Municipality of Clarendon in 2005, and Noms et lieux du Québec : dictionnaire illustré, published by the Commision de toponymie du Québec.
Austin: Located at the corner of Sand Bay and Front roads, the hamlet of Austin was formerly known as Cotie’s, after pioneer Andrew Cotie, who donated land for a school in the vicinity. The community changed its name to Austin in the 1880s when the Methodist Church was built. The Austin United (formerly Methodist) Church, which no longer holds regular services, and the adjacent Cemetery, are quite picturesque.
Stark’s Corners: This community was once known as Murphy’s Corners, but was renamed Stark’s Corners after the Stark family took up residence in the vicinity. The Starks donated land for a schoolhouse, cemetery, and Presbyterian Church. Stark’s Corners once boasted a number of amenities, including a general store, a cheese factory and a post office.
Parkman: This tiny hamlet at one time had its own post office. Today little remains of the settlement.
Radford: Formerly known as Brownlee’s Corners, Radford was re-christened after Capt. Walter Radford, a retired army engineer who, in recognition of his many years of service, received a government grant of 283 hectares in this area. Radford, who served as Crown Land Agent and justice of the peace, settled here in 1831. He built a grist mill in 1851.
Moorhead: Formerly called Clark’s Settlement, Moorhead was named for Janis Moorhead, the wife of William S. Clark, who founded the Pontiac Agricultural Society and helped to finance the first Shawville Fair.
Charteris: Archibald Angus was the first postmaster and storekeeper in this area. A post office operated in Charteris up until 1970.
Yarm: Originally known as Hodgins Corners, the name Yarm was chosen by the first postmaster, Robert McJanet, a native of Yarmouth, England. McJanet wanted to name the village after his hometown, but was told that there was already a Yarmouth in Nova Scotia. His solution: to shorten the name of the village to Yarm. The Yarm post office operated for nearly a hundred years, closing in 1967.