The community started as the neighboring community later to be called Champion grew. When the original log church of St. Joseph at Champion was destroyed by fire in 1874, a dispute then arose between the Flemish and the Walloon Belgians, as to where to rebuild the church.
[5] As a result of the disagreement, the Flemish Belgians built their own church on the site of St. Martin Catholic Church, Tonet.[6]
Initially when it was established as a community, the place was known as Martinsville, after St. Martin's church.[7] Prior to this it was referred to in letters as "Aux Flamands."[8]
The proposed post office in 1887 was supposed to be Jonet, after Peter Jonet the first postmaster. However the clerk in charge of postmaster appointments department mistook the J for a T.[9][10]