Owen Sketch 53

The First Regular Baptist Church of Charlotteville, in Vittoria, is the pioneer society of that denomination in Norfolk County. True, the old Boston church assumed a definite form the same year, 1804, yet it was not formally organized until the following year, when a delegation from Charlotteville were in attendance. In 1798 Elder Titus Finch came to the settlement. Previous to this he had joined a Baptist church in a back settlement in Nova Scotia,[1] and had been ordained by them to preach the gospel. When he settled in Charlotteville the settlers were few and far between; but he was an indefatigable worker in the Master’s vineyard, and for six years following the date of his arrival, he co-operated with the American missionaries that occasionally visited the settlement, in the promulgation of the Gospel. In fact, during these years Elder Finch did not purely missionary work, but in 1804 a sufficient quantity of material had been gathered to form a Baptist society and the organization became a matter of history.

Unfortunately, the minutes of this old pioneer church, for the first sixteen years of its existence, have not been preserved; and that portion of its history, therefore, which is most essential to the purposes of this work, has disappeared with those who made it.[2] Among the few old papers which have not been lost are a number of receipts for payments of subscription sums on “meeting-house account,” and a deed for the acre of land on which to build a “meeting-house,” and in which to bury the dead. The deed bears date, January 3rd, 1807, and was made by Oliver Mabee, to Peter Teeple and Lawrence Johnson, Trustees, in consideration of two pounds and ten shillings, to be used by the Baptist Society of Charlotteville in connection with the Shaftsbury Association, for church purposes solely. The conveyance was witnessed by Richard Lanning and Joseph Merrill.[3] The subscription receipts are dated in Woodhouse and signed by Daniel Ross, and are as follows: “Samuel Smith, 527 lbs. of wheat; Oliver Mabee, five bushels of rye; Thomas Smith, £3, N. Y. currency; Lawrence Johnson, £1 16s.; Robert Shearer, £8, and another for £14 7s. 9d.; John Gustin, £5; Joseph Merrill, 28s. 2d., and two others in favor of Samuel Smith. These receipts bear the date, 1809; but there is nothing to show when, by whom, or at what expense, the “meeting-house” was built. It was a commodious structure for those times, however, and superseded the original log structure. It was furnished with a three-sided gallery. The young people who used to attend the singing schools in that old meeting-house were the parents and grandparents of our fathers and mothers, and they lived in a world that passed away before our world came into existence.

Among the constituent members of 1804, were the following: Elder Finch and wife, Lawrence Johnson and wife, John Gustin and wife, Peter Teeple and wife, Oliver Mabee and wife, Richard Lanning and wife, Joseph Merrill and wife, Samuel Smith and wife, Thomas Smith, Robert Shearer and wife, Abraham Smith and wife, Solomon Smith, Andrew McCleish and wife, and Levi Montross and wife. It was the custom in these days for Elder Finch to preach a “harvest sermon” each season, at which time the sturdy settlers held a “harvest festival” of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the in-gathering of the harvest. This is a grand old English custom, and is celebrated at the present time by numerous Baptist churches in the great American Republic.

In the early days of the settlement, His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, who sat on the judicial bench in the kitchen of Job Loder’s tavern at Turkey Point, commissioned to administer the affairs of London District according to law, refused to grant licenses to marry to all dissenting ministers of the Gospel. This caused a good deal of hard feeling, which paved the way for a more liberal construction and administration of the laws. The old court journal contains the following entry bearing date June 9th, 1807.

“Lawrence Johnson, John Gustin, Samuel Smith, Robert Shearer, Robert Henderson, Thomas Smith and John Stone, members of the Baptist society, declare the Rev. Titus Finch to be their ordained minister.

“The Court unanimously agree that the Rev. Titus Finch shall have license to marry people agreeable to the statutes of the Province in the case made and provided.”

From the old church book, commencing in June, 1820, the following historical matters have been gleaned:

June 2nd, 1820—Church granted liberty to George J. Ryerse to exhort and expound the Scriptures when he thought proper. Oliver Mabee was church clerk from 1820 to 1827, and was succeeded by Geo. J. Ryerse.

August 4th, 1827—Liberty was granted to Lawrence Johnson, junior, to exhort and expound the Scriptures when he felt it his duty to do so.

October 6th, 1827—Resolved, “Not to receive an accusation against any member but in writing, signed by the complainant, and that after the regular steps had been taken as pointed out in Matthew, 18th chapter.”

November 8th, 1827—Lawrence Johnson, sen.; Lawrence Johnson, jun.; Samuel Smith; Ben. Palmerston; Oliver Mabee; and Geo. Ryerse were delegated to attend an ordination council at Catfish Creek church, to ordain Samuel Baker.[4]

In the fall of 1827, and following winter, a large number were added to the church by the evangelizing work of Elders William McDermand, Joseph Merrill and Simon Mabee.

October 6th, 1828, the Walsingham church was organized and set off. Council convened at the house of Michael Troyer. Elder McDermand preached the sermon and Elder Merrill gave hand of fellowship.[5]

June 6th, 1829—George J. Ryerse was ordained. Southwold church was represented by Elder McDermand; Walsingham church by Deacon M. Troyer; Bayham church by Elder Merrill; Malahide church by Elder Baker, and Townsend church by Elder Harris. After ordination the newly-made Elder baptized Hannah Clark.

June 5th, 1830—Thirteen members were set off and organized into a new church at Stony Creek.

July 28th—It was resolved, “That any member absenting himself from covenant meeting or communion (which is to be held monthly) shall be enquired after or visited by order of the church.” It was also resolved at this meeting that the deacons be authorized “To tax the members according to their ability.”

September 1st, 1832—Elder McDermand was engaged for one-third of his time at the rate of $100 per annum.

January 26th, 1835—Elder J. Stewart was engaged for the ensuing year at $150, with house and garden.

March 28th—A petition was received from Peter Mabee, Fred Sovereign and twenty-three others, praying to be set off as a separate church in Middleton—Fredericksburg.[6]

January 20th, 1836—A request was granted to a number of members in the Kern settlement to be set off as a separate church. This church was organized Feb. 27th, with forty-one members.[7]

December 5th—It was resolved “To give Elder William Smith a call to preach every other Sunday for one year at not less than $50.” Elder Smith replied as follows: “Will not engage for any length of time or for any fixed sum of money; but will endeavor to attend every first and third Lord’s Day in the month as long as the church manifests a disposition to attend the ministry and God is pleased to bless it to the good of the people; and whatever the church feels disposed from time to time to give me, while my circumstances require it, will be received with thankfulness.”

August 27th, 1837—Oliver Mabee, Levi Churchell and David Bowers were appointed delegates to sit in council with Bayham church in the ordination of Shook McConnell.

March 13th, 1839—Elder Mabee was engaged as pastor for one year at $150.

November 1st—A council was convened for the ordination of Samuel Smith. Walsingham sent Elder McDermand, Deacon M. Troyer, Deacon Cornelius Dedrick and Tyler Brown. Middleton sent Deacon F. Sovereign, Deacon William McLennen, and John Putman. 2nd Charlotteville sent Deacon Ben. Palmerston, Deacon Lawrence Johnson and Deacon Joseph Kitchen. It was decided not to ordain Mr. Smith at that time. Shortly afterwards he was granted a travelling letter.

February 1st, 1841—Elder McDermand was engaged to devote two-thirds of his time with the church for one year at $150.

November 27th—A. C. Barrell, of Fredonia, N.Y., was engaged for one year at $300, with house, garden and fuel.

In the winter of 1842-3 a series of “exhibitions” were held in the neighborhood, and the Church took exception to them as evidenced by the following resolutions: Resolved, “That the exhibitions performed of late in some of the school-houses, by the youth of our country and some of our church members, are very detrimental to the peace and progress of religion in the human heart:

Resolved, “Therefore, that every member performing or attending any of the above-mentioned exhibition, will be considered guilty of committing capital crime against the Church and will be treated as such.”

September 17th, 1844—It was resolved to send Deacon Joseph Kitchen, Deacon Peter Mabee and Daniel Smith as a delegation to meet sister churches in Oxford, “to organize a system on which to establish an educational institution in this Province.” At this same meeting Deacon Mabee was authorized to procure a candle-box and purchase a half-dozen candlesticks.

In June, 1848—Abraham Duncan was engaged as pastor. Shortly afterwards he was ordained. In this same month Elder Duncan, Deacon Daniel Smith, Deacon Samuel Smith, John Shearer, David Shearer and Oliver Mabee, jun., were deputized to sit in council with sister churches, at the request of the Fredericksburg church, in the ordination of William McLennen. Of this delegation, Oliver Mabee is the sole survivor.

January 3rd, 1849—The following significant resolution was placed upon the church book: Resolved, “That in the exercise of political rights professed by the members of this church, it will from henceforward be no reproach to their Christian standing in the Church.”

January 10th, 1851—The first meeting was called to “take into consideration the necessity and Christian duty of building a new house of worship.” Deacons Smith, Shearer and Mabee were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions. They met with success, and Deacon D. B. Smith, Deacon Oliver Mabee, jun., Thomas Lamport, Alex. Teeple, Peter Young, Albert Terhune, and Wm. H. Ryerse were appointed a committee of seven to superintend the construction of the new church. The new church was dedicated May 30th, 1852. Of this committee, Mabee and Ryerse are the sole survivors.

Previous to June 13th, 1820, about forty names were included in the list of membership. This was the period during which Elder Finch performed the most of his pioneer work. Between this date and June 10th, 1840, 149 persons were baptized—51 by Elder George Ryerse; 44 by Elder Wm. McDermand; 21 by Elder Simon Mabee; 20 by Elder Samuel Baker; 10 by Elder Isaac Elliott; 3 by Elder Joseph Merrill; 2 by Elder William Smith; 1 by Elder Finch; and 1 by Elder Stewart. In November and December, 1848, 62 persons were baptized by Elder Duncan and Elder George Wilson. Between March 16th, 1862, and April 12th, 1863, Rev. T. Baldwin baptized 52 persons; and during January and February, 1867, Elder Vining baptized 14 persons.

Rev. H. Cocks baptized 65 converts between December 26th, 1869, and January 12th, 1873; and Rev. T. Sinclair baptized 34 between April 6th, 1873, and April 23rd, 1875.

Ninety-three years ago the first Baptist church was organized in Norfolk County. To-day, there are thirty Baptist churches in the county, having a total membership of 3,028 persons. From the membership of the old mother church at Vittoria material has been taken from time to time to organize some four or five new churches. To-day, her membership numbers 181. J. W. Chadwick is the present clerk, and Rev. Thomas Shields is the present pastor.

[1] Prior to coming to Norfolk County, Titus Finch settled at Nashawaak, York, County, New Brunswick. Source: Esther Clark Wright, Loyalists of New Brunswick, p.p. (Wolfeville, NS: 1955)

[2] The surviving minutes of Vittoria and Boston Baptist Churches are at the Baptist Church Archives, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. Those for Vittoria Baptist have survived from 1820 and Boston from 1805.

[3] This transfer was recorded in the Abstracts of Deeds Register of Charlotteville Township. A memorial of the deed was recorded by the County Registrar and may be found in the Norfolk County Deeds microfilmed by the Archives of Ontario.

[4] Elder Baker held the early meetings in his barn during the summer and his home during the winter until the Baptist Church was built at Carter’s Corners in Malahide Township, Elgin County. Hugh Joffre Sims, Sims’ History of Elgin County, Elgin County Library, Vol. 1 (St. Thomas, ON: 1984), p. 71

[5] Deacon Michael Troyer afterwards founded the Port Rowan Baptist Church. See Owen, Sketch III.

[6] Fredericksburg was the original name of the present town of Delhi.

[7] This refers to the John Kern family’s area at Forestville, Charlotteville Township southwest of Vittoria.