Burk also became a supplier of goods to new arrivals settling in the area, and no doubt bought his supplies at Montreal, as was the norm for merchants in the area at that time. It is possible he purchased from a Scottish merchant in that city, Charles Bowman, for it wasn’t long before Bowman purchased Burk’s holdings at Darlington Mills, and set-up his nephew, John Simpson, as manager of the whole lot. This gave rise to the new name of the community, Bowmanville.

The village soon grew, attracting not only settler families but industry as well. Because of Bowmanville’s influence and affluence, Darlington Township was known as The Banner Township of Durham County. Mills, tanneries, furniture factories, brick yards, evaporator plants, a variety of mercantile establishments, hotels, inns and temperance houses were all established.

The best known hotel was The Waverley House, owned and operated by Alphonso Hinds. It was renowned as the best establishment along the York to Kingston Road, because Hinds not only provided clean linen on his beds, but real soap too! Most historians agree that it was his liberal use of soap that give Hinds the distinction of being...."the only hotel keeper on the Danforth Road to survive the cholera epidemic of 1832."