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Archiver > CAN-ONT-HALDIMAND > 2006-09 > 1159681901


From: "Nelson Denton" <>
Subject: [CAN-ONT-HALDIMAND] Haldimand churches.
Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 01:51:41 -0400
References: <JAEHIIJJGKAMJEBLOBOPKEFEFCAA.YankeeDD@twmi.rr.com>


Just a quick warning for those wishing to find their families' churches. Be
prepared to do a lot of digging.

The Hamilton Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Canada has over 50
different historic churches attached to it and 3 different denominations of
Presbyterians ( Church of Scotland, Free Presbyterian & The American
Presbyterian Church.) And many of the old Presbyterians are now part of the
United Church of Canada. The Presbytery covers Wentworth country and the
parts of Haldimand County south of Hamilton.
The Anglicans, Methodists, Congregationalists, Disciples of Christ, Mormons,
Lutherans and dozens of others had similar numbers of churches at one time
in the same area.. Every little village of 100 people or more had at least 3
churches! Haldmand is home to hundreds of churches and many many more are
long gone.

Some "Meeting houses" hosted 3 or more congregations at the same time and
many preachers did multiple duty at a group of churches covering a wide
area.

"Saddle Bag Preachers" were very common so you may find a marriage/burial
performed by the same minister listed in several churches by mistake or by
intent.
Even today many of the smaller congregations have only part time ministers
who preach at multiple churches every Sunday. In several cases the minister
and organist travel about together perform the same service 3-4 times a day.
(One notable Haldimand pair ran off together a few years ago after a
service and were not seen again for years. - much to the dismay of their
spouses!!).

Thus you will often find the same names of Ministers and some lay people
connected with more than one church separated by many miles.. The
boundaries of the various denominations hierarchies also changed with time
so depending on the period of time you may find records scattered over
several regional headquarters.

I have one German Roman Catholic church where the minister is actually a
married Ukrainian Eastern Orthodox Priest! (There are no German speaking
Roman Catholic Priests available in the Hamilton Diocese so the Bishop has
given the congregation special leave to hire him.) The R. Catholics love him
even if he does have a thick accent and that he brings his wife and kids to
church on Sunday! This is more common than you would think.

Back in The Good Old Days it was much the same thing.. People made due with
whatever they had and you may find your kinfolk married or buried by a
minister of a denomination your ancestors would never have approved of in
other times or places.

They also fought tooth and nail over church buildings and dogma. U.S. &
Canadian tension throughout the 19th century also caused a lot of problems
and you will find many American based denominations competing for footholds
with British based counterparts and upstart radicals who formed their own
branches of theology.
One local church was moved from one lot to one across the street on a
weekly basis by a feuding congregations who each claimed the building as
their own. The men of each group would sneak up at night and drag the frame
building back and forth with horses.

Another local church was founded by a trumpeter in the Salvation Army Band.
When he was passed over for promotion to Lead Trumpeter he decided to start
his own church!

The only thing truly carved in stone is their epitaphs.


Nelson Denton
( I spend far too much time behind stained glass in organ chambers - I need
a life!!!)

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