The Islands: Wolfe Island: Churches: St. Andrews Church

St. Andrews Church

I am looking for more information and photos of this church.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

1839 Religious denominations:
(From County of 1000 Lakes)
Ch of England- 16 families
Ch of Scotland-6 families
Ch of Rome-44 families
Episcopal-15 families
Presbyterian-2 famlies
Universalists-17 families
Apostolic-1 family
Deists-5 families
Nothing-30 families

1842 Religion denominations:
(From County of 1000 Lakes)
Ch of England-239 people
Ch of Scotland-173 people
Church of Rome-406 people
British Wesleyan Meth-48 people
Can Wesleyan Meth-15 people
Episcopal Wesleyan Meth-90 people
Other Methodists-22 people
Baptists-2 people
Lutherans-7 people
Quakers-7 people
Dutch Reform Ch-8 people
Other-57 people

Click on photo for larger version
St. Andrews photo taken May 13 2003 by Jen Wylie

St. Andrews was built as a Presbyterian church. It was constructed on the corner of Lot 1 east �, Con 7 south of baseline.

Before the church�
Before a church was built services were held in a school on the edge of Mr. Spinnings property. Mr. Spinning also set aside the land for Horne Cemetery (also known as Point Alexandria Cemetery). This land was later acquired by the Horne family. At some date Bruce Horne gave the cemetery property to the United Church. A new part of the cemetery is known as the United Church Cemetery.

On June 25 1855 the first meeting was held to discuss the erection of a Presbyterian Church. Donald Ross was elected chairman Pro-tem, a committee was formed and in one month 85 pounds sterling was subscribed. One year later on June 16 1856 one half acre on the corner of 7th concession south of baseline was purchased from Mr. Thomas Tarrant for 25 shillings. In 1973 Eugene Hulton owned this property. The church building committee was made up of William Grant, George Michea, John MacDoanld and Goerge Stoakes. The contractor was Azel Cook, contract signed Sept 15 1856. The basic church dimensions were to be 32 feet by 50 feet.

The first meeting was held in the new church on April 17 1858. St. Andrews Presbyterian Church opened in 1858 with Azel Cook, George Michael and John Unwin (Onwin) as elders. The first board managers were Azel Cook, Daniel Cook, William Henderson, John Horne, John MacDonald, George MacDonald and George Stoakes.

From the 1878 tenants map:
Con 7 lot 1 east1/2 Thos Tarrant 98 acres

On July 8 1878 a special meeting was held to discuss the moving of the church, which had been damaged by wind, to the village of Marysville on lots 11, 12 and 13. With consent of the Kingston Presbyter the property barn and manse were sold to Susan Fargo. The church was subsequently moved to the village, made somewhat smaller and a deed for the land was received from Shirley Going and signed by church trustee Nelson Dean, Dave Donnelly and James Horne.

In 1886 a brick Methodist church built across of it. The Methodist and Presbyterian Church congregations joined and met in the Methodist church. The Presbyterian Church, St. Andrews, now became the United Church Hall or St. Andrews Hall. Its steeple was removed and the hall redecorated in 1946. 1925 the Methodist and Presbyterian churches associated themselves with United Church of Canada

In 1951 the St. Andrews hall was moved and adjoined to the United Church. It was used as a Sunday school for the United Church. On its former site in the village S.S. #4 was built.

Submitted by AM Benson
Transcribed by Dean Snider
Kingston Whig Standard
June 7, 1935 page 10
History Given of The United Church of Wolfe Island
93rd Anniversary of Methodists and 80th of Presbyterian
On June 9th and 10th the United Church, Wolfe Island commemorates the 93rd anniversary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Wolfe Island, and also the 80th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in that locality. While both congregations are known to have existed before that time, yet these are the dates of organization as found in the church records. It was on June 11th, 1842, that the Methodist Church formed itself into an organized congregation. Rev. Thaddaeus Lewis being the first ordained minister. A reference to Alexander Forester, as local preacher intimates that he held services prior to 1842.
It was not until 1855 on June 26th that the Presbyterians met together to deliberate the best schemes for erecting a church. This meeting was presided over by Col. Angus Cameron of Garden Island, who also donated the first Bible used and which still is in the possession of the church. The fact of the nearness of Wolf Island to Queen�s Theological College would suggest that divine services were being held by the Presbyterian Church on Wolfe Island prior to that date. Of the two denominations the Presbyterians were the first to build a church, although in the Methodist records reference is made to the Mount Zion Chapel property, at the north ferry. As this church is not further referred to and owing to the continued use of the school houses for church services, it is thought no such church was built. In 1855 while the Presbyterians were arranging to build their church, an offer was made by the Baroness de Longueuil, who offered the exclusive use of her church in the afternoon of every Sabbath for eight years free of charge, providing the new Presbyterian Church was built on the same side of the island as hers. This endeavor to unite the Presbyterian and the Anglican Churches, so the recorder states, was acted upon with great earnestness at first but, trouble arising, the union was soon dissolved.
Presbyterians Build
The Presbyterians then began to erect their own structure on Thomas Terrent�s corner, the seventh concession base-line. Thus on April 17th, 1858, in St Andrews Church as the new building was called, the Presbyterians of Wolfe Island were organized into a congregation and delegates duly appointed to present their petition to Presbytery. While from 1843 onward reference is made to ordained ministers in the Methodist congregation, it was not until 1850 that the first Presbyterian minister, Rev. Donald Ross, was stationed on the island. Previous to that time various professors of Queen�s had conducted baptisms and students held services, the first of whom mentioned being William Darrach in 1858 and Hugh Cameron in 1859. In the year 1860 a call was extended to George Porteous, a graduating student in divinity at Queen�s. His stay among the people of the island was over a very long period of years.
In 1879 St Andrew�s Church was moved to the village of Marysville, where it now stands, and is used for Sunday school and young people�s gatherings. At the time of writing the sons of the former builders are replacing the shingles with a metal roofing.
Methodist Church
Turning once again to record the progress of the Methodist Church, its first building was erected in 1862. This was built at Big Bay. Thirteen years later at the foot of the Island the present church was built. In 18?? the village church, which has been used by the united congregation since their union, one year previous to the general union in 1925, was erected.
To mention a few names of those far-seeing people can only be done with apologies for omitting others who did much to build up the Christian community in Wolfe Island. Of these the name of George Keyes, who served the Methodist Church as recording steward from 1862 over a long period of years, and who aided in building all three churches in the Methodist congregation: of Woodmans, McCreadys, Grants, Rattrays, Joslins, Nyles, Armstrongs, Davis, MacDonalds, Hinckleys, and a host of others of equal importance, some of whose descendants are still living on the island; others have moved away.
It is needless to refer to the splendid devotion of these people to the United Church into which union they entered voluntarily in 1924. Preparations are being made to have this anniversary long remembered by the people, especially as celebrations for the first decade of church union are being held all over Canada, and in particular as the congregation is entering into its second year as a self-sustaining charge. The present minister is Rev. A.W. March, BA, BD.

Click on Photo for larger version.
St. Andrews Hall

ARTICLE- St. Andrew�s Hall, Wolfe Island, Is Reopened, Rededicated

NEW! Notes given to Perley W. and Claude M. Keil from parish priest so they could travel and be welcomed at their new church-1885-very interesting!

Priests

Donald Ross was the first clergyman followed by Rev. George Porteous who was clergy in 1860.

If you have any information on the priests of these churches please email me!

I am looking for name, dates of birth, death, ordination and when they served the church. Also photos, and anything else interesting during their pastorate.

Church Links

Cemetery Online-Horne (Point Alexandria) Cemetery transcriptions online
NEW! ARTICLESt. Andrew�s Hall, Wolfe Island, Is Reopened, Rededicated

Register

(I don't have this!)

"An annotated index to the marriage, baptism, and death records of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (in connexion with the Established Church of Scotland), Wolfe Island, Ontario (1998)" [Publication. Publisher: Wolfe Island Historical Press Available through National Library of Canada]

Sources:

-1878 Wolfe Island tenants map
-Winston Cosgroves Wolfe Island Past and Present
-Horne and Alexandria Point cemetery transcriptions by Fern Small and Ken Collins 1973
-Ganounkouesnot The Long Island Standing up by Renie Marshall
-County of 1000 Lakes, Chapter 14: Island Communities.
-Wolfe Island Past & Present,Cosgrove, W.M., 1973: Religion Chapter

The Islands: Wolfe Island: Churches: St. Andrews Church