Teeswater Tweedsmuir History, p. 11

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Mention has already been made of the early arrival of Methodism in Teeswater. There were two branches repâ€" resented here: the Wesleyan and the Episcopal. Rev. Thos. lladan was here in ’56 . He was followed by Reverends Eduard gallows and VV illiam Sutton. Services were held in various shanties, and also in the log school and Orange Hall. The Wesleyans, about 1869, built their first church, which is now the homelcf James Reid, Jr. Here they worshipped Reverends J. Davy and J. M. Collins followed Mr. Maidens during the ’50’s. In 1860, Rev. Joseph H. Hilts was stationed here. He was a very fine man and deservedly well thought of. He may yet be heard speaking in two books which he wrote â€"â€" “The Backwoods Preacher” and “Among 1h ‘ Forest Trees” â€"- in both of which references are made to this community. He was always a welcome visitor; Prob- ably his last public address was at a tea meeting held in the )I. E. church, his subject being “Climbing and Sliding". In 1873, the Methodist Episcopals, built a stone church which is now George Nixon’s home. The building it much the same as when opened, except for a spire that adorned it. The church was opened in the same year, Rev. Mr. Carson conducting the opening services. It was named Grace church. and is said-to have been a very com'fortab‘e place of worship. The union of all branches of Methodism in 1853. caused this church to be c.‘osed. In 1862. the Rev. Mr. Hurlburt came in and conducted services in the old log school, and also at Smith’s school house on the 10th. Concession, for the Baptist denomination. He was followed by the Reverends Ratcliffe, Stewart,‘Sin-â€" clair, Trotter (afterwards Prof. Trotter of McMaster Univerâ€" sity, who died recently) and Tapscott, who was here when the Baptistichurch was opened on Dec. 31, 1876. Reverends John Alexander, Thomas Sinclair, of Vittoria, S. Tapscott, the pastor, and his sons, assisted at the opening services. A very successful tea meeting was held in the Town Hall the following night. This denomination was never very strong here ,and of late years, no regular services have been held. Speaking of the opening, the paper said at that time that there were only eight families here, and congratulated them on the success which had crowned their eforts.. Some until 1979, when they moved to their present church. When first opened for service the o'd church had only planks on blocks of wood for seats. This church becoming too small under Mr. Stafford’s pastorate, steps were taken in '7>< to erect a new church. The corner stone was laid, on July 15, 1879, by His Honor. Judge Jones, of Brantford. The building was opened for worship on Dec. 7 of that yer Rev. W. S. Griffin officiated at morning and evening ser4 vices; and Rev. Dr. Williams in the afternoon. On the following Sunday, Rev. Coverdale Watson, of Toronto, preached morning and evening, and Rev. D. Wardrope in the afternoon. I It is a matter for deep regret that no picture is extant, so far as we can learn, of the old church which was pulled down in 1W7; and most regretfully do we have to chronicle in.- fact that the place which knew it once knows it no more. Any reader wishing to get an idea of what this church was like, will get a very fair one from the old l’x~e<l>y.erian Church at Greenock Post Office, After the union between Zion and Westminster had lweli consumated. as already said, in May, 1891, there were some in both congregations who dissented from it. These people established the Reform Presbyterian Congre- ga‘ion. Westminster church was purchased for a place of worship. and Rev. H .VV Reede was called to the pas- torate. He was here for 10 years. No one succeeded him. The congregation as at present constituted is very small, and services are seldom held. The first settled M. E. minister was Rev. William Maidens, who also came in ’56. As there were no churches, the ser- vices were, no doubt, held in the homes of P. B. Brown and the Fairbairns; people who were prominently identified with this church in those early days. The Orange Hall was used by them while their own church was being built. Reverends Williams, Potter, Sparling, McLachlan, Birks, Muxworthy, Wi‘loughby, Kerr, Wilson, Baker, Ford, Fear, Durant and Robinson followed in the pastorate of this denomination. Other ministers Who were associated with the \Ve‘7e'72n“ in the early days w;ere Reverends Hough, Watson, ,Cragg McCartney, Laird. Thompson, Stafford and Harris. Mulcoim preached in the morning, and Rev. Dr. Perrie, of Wingham, in the evening. Mention may be made in passing. that the spire on Knox church is said to be 108 feet high. The bell which calls her members to worship was the gift of J. K. McLean; and the ground on Which the church stands was the gift of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. Gibson. “Cobbler’s Inn kept by D. R. Wilson . The T . The building beyond was used as a shoe store 1886, and here the first drug store was opened *‘i‘a‘i’ifiéi‘fimfio have ‘IiVeâ€"Jfihere since are: * Reverends Tinkham, McKinnon, Walker and Murdock. The pulpit has been supplied for the most part by students. 3 "he Church of England was represented here in the.3 60’ s by the Rev. Mr. Smythe who came up from the South 3{I‘he church was opened, October 29, 1876, Reverends COOper, 3. , .- .5 gr. ,, 1131.1 . .. 11,, , , ,_ I ~ This store was known as the “Ontario House" and was kept by John Oliver. It stood where the Presbyterian church stables now stand. The man with the beard, leaning against the building, is Dr. Fleming; and the man in the White vest is W. McVety, Tceswater’s first village Clerk. The small building in the centre was erected in r863 and was used as a store by J. K. McLean. Ison . The building adjoining was formerly next to the hotel a shoe store by Joseph Agnew. A new addition was built in ” *‘A ’2“. . 3:4

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