From the beginning – Churches in Hemmingford

by Myrna Paquette April 2023

Prior to 1800 the Lower Canada Settlements from along the Canadian – U.S. Border were visited by ‘Itinerant ministers, mostly Methodists, known sometimes as ‘Saddlebag Preachers’.

The Anglican Church of Canada was established in 1787, followed about 5 years later by a diocese supporting Upper and Lower Canada under the direction of the Right Reverend Jacob Mountain. ‘The Honourable and Reverend Charles Stewart’ from Missisquoi Bay, travelled a seldom used trail with his protégé, Reverend Micajah Townsend, administering to the homesteaders around Odelltown, Roxham, Scriver’s Corners, Covey Hill and as far west as Huntingdon. They often baptized several children in a family on the same day, as well as joining couples in matrimony. Reverend Townsend, in 1837, pointed out to Bishop Mountain that congregations should be organized in the settlements west of the Richelieu. Reverend William Dawes spent 1837 and 1838 holding services in areas between the Richelieu River and Covey Hill, resulting in the building of Anglican churches in Sherrington and Hemmingford.

The Anglican church of St. James, the Apostle in Sherrington was erected on Lot 42 of the 2nd range in 1843 with a mainly Irish congregation of 150. Henry Hazard was ordained as Deacon and became the permanent minister. The last service was held at St. James’ Church on June 11, 1872 for the wedding of Christina Sophia Busby and John Albert Cookman. By 1918, the crumbling walls were removed and the land sold on the condition that the cemetery part would be fenced off and protected. Today there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of this agreement.

St. Paul’s Anglican church was built in 1845 on Napper Road, 3 miles North of Hemmingford Corners. It was officiated by Reverend Henry Hazard. The Anglican services were transferred to the Village of Hemmingford in 1860. Poorly constructed, it wasn’t long before the stone walls of St. Paul’s started to crumble. Today there are only remnants of broken walls and tombstones. During the year 1856 – 1860, through the effort of Reverend Edward Duvernet, three new Anglican churches were being built.

St. John, the Baptist church was built on Bogton Road near a school house already in existence, (area later called Hallerton, which was a mistake in spelling of the Ellerton family name). It was consecrated on October 18th, 1980 by Bishop Fulford.

The ‘Church of St. Luke’ at Hemmingford Corners was consecrated on October 17th, 1860 by Bishop Fulford. A community hall added in 1932 was paid for by a donation from Forrest Figby, a wealthy American, formerly from Hemmingford. The Hall is in use today for many social activities. St. Luke’s is the only Protestant church in operation today in Hemmingford. A third church was built at Roxham to be shared by Anglican, Presbyterian and Adventist sects. Known as the ‘Union Church’ it was never consecrated.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian church in Hemmingford was founded in 1823 by Rev. John Merlin, a Presbyterian Minister from Ireland. The first services were held in the school house where he also taught classes. Failing to obtain financial support from Ireland, in 1841 he transferred to the Presbyterian Church of Canada connected to the Church of Scotland. This enabled him to obtain financial support from the Clergy Reserve Fund. In 1842, a stone church was built a bit north of the village. This would have been on the left corner of what is now Margaret Street and Frontier Street. The final St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was consecrated on December 11, 1872. The steeple was struck by lightning in 1906 and 1926 and never replaced. For many years it was the custom for each family to have its own pew in the Church. Some of the pews were purchased by families with a deed showing the transaction. Donated to the Hemmingford Archives in August 2022, plans are underway to renovate the building to become a local Cultural Centre.

St. Romain Catholic Church was built in 1841, between the present church and the convent, and was replaced in 1894 with the first mass taking place in the new church on Christmas Eve, 1894. The convent was built in 1865. Prior to 1841, the Catholics were served by travelling missionaries in private homes.

The Westley Knox United Church, originally Methodist, located on Covey Hill, first served as a school built in 1873. It then became a church for a mixed congregation of Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterians, becoming part of the United Church in 1926.

The Methodist Church was built in 1834 on the site where its successor, the United Church now stands. A new church was built in 1886. The Methodists Canadian Conference in 1902 started the campaign to join with the Presbyterians to become the United Church of Canada.

St. Andrew’s United Church – In 1926, an Act of Union was proclaimed that amalgamated the Methodists and the Presbyterians. All possessions of the Methodist church became the property of the United church. The Presbyterian’s bought their church back from the United Church in 1929 for $3,000. The building is no longer used as a church. This is just as summary of extensive information held in Hemmingford Archives.