Playfair Corner was believed to be the second oldest community in the area. The first settlers arrived there in 1860, relatives of Colonel William Andrew Playfair who settled along the Mississippi River west of Lanark where he established the community of Playfairville. Two sons of the Colonel, John J. and Elisha and their family members, moved west to the area now referred to as Playfair. In 1861 John J. Playfair and his son, William Andrew, arrived and took up land on the Frontenac/Snow Road at the junction of these roads. It became known as Playfair Corner due to all the traffic from the East, North and South passed through the corner. John J. Playfair did not stay long but his son, William, stayed long enough to get Playfair on the map.

 

The community was competing with Plevna to get services established. Playfair had the first school, first post office, first hotel, first store and first cemetery.

In a letter dated 1863 James Stalker donated the cemetery site for the sum of two dollars, free of all encumbrances. The letter states: “the above parcel or tract of land to be used by the Wesleyan Methodists for a burial ground and all other Protestant denominations are to have the privilege of burying their dead in said parcel of land. Signed, Sealed & Delivered in the presence of Samuel Conner- James Stalker”.