History
of Saint Andrew's Church, Saint John, New Brunswick
by David Russell Jack
1913 book reveals much church history
RUBY CUSACK
Here
it was a beautiful day in May, just perfect for going fishing in the
brook, but Mum had other plans for us. I had the hated task of dusting
everything in the livingroom and cleaning the kitchen windows. Cliff
was to cut off the crusts of the sandwiches Mum was making and then he
was to put icing on the cupcakes.
Once the sandwiches were arranged on the tray, they were covered with a
damp dishcloth and wax paper and put in the outside pantry.
Not a speck of dirt was to be found in the house when the folk on the
committee to plan the church anniversary service arrived at eight
o'clock.
Mum told us to stay in the other room while the meeting took place. She
did not want to hear a sound from us. She suggested we play Snakes and
Ladders.
All went well for the first hour - then I suggested to Cliff we sit by
the hall door and eavesdrop. From what we heard, it seemed they wanted
to have a really good preacher and some special music to attract former
members of the congregation as well as people from other churches.
Cliff whispered that maybe they should ask Wilf Carter to come. I could
visualize him standing at the front of the church with guitar, cowboy
boots and cowboy hat. It struck me as funny and I started to giggle. We
did not realize a hush had fallen over the discussion in the livingroom
until the hall door opened and there stood Mum glaring at us as we lay
on the floor giggling louder than we knew.
I wonder if any of the children of Saint Andrew's Church in Saint John
were listening while a committee planned the 123rd anniversary service
in 1907? The guest speaker was the Reverend C.W. Gordon, pastor of St.
Stephen's church in Winnipeg. To thousands of Saint Johners he was
known for his high position in the literary world as Ralph Connor,
author of such stirring tales as The Man from Glengarry, Black Rock and
The Prospector.
On Friday, May 31, 1907, his series of lectures, addresses and sermons
opened with an evening at the Opera House. On Sunday, June 2, he
preached at both services at Saint Andrew's Church.
This is just one of the many events that was documented by David
Russell Jack in the 400-page book, History of Saint Andrew's Church, Saint
John, New Brunswick that he compiled for publication in
1913.
Not only is this book filled with information, photos of ministers and
parishioners but it has biographical sketches of a few of those who
were prominent at various dates in the work of the church.
William Emslie was a Scotch shoemaker or cobbler. "His purse strings
were always loosened, and the contents freely given to the hungry and
suffering."
James Gordon Forbes was born May 10, 1837, in Pictou County, N.S. He
taught school at Kouchibouguac in the late 1850s. He studied in the law
office of Judge Wedderburn and went into the law business with William
H. Sinnott.
The idea for a history of the church came from Rev. David Lang, who
suggested a history of the church be published for the 125th
anniversary in 1909. The book was not published until 1913 but when one
delves into the amount of material, one realizes this delay proved
advantageous to generations to come.
Queries
Query 1546: Mason: Samuel Mason belonged
to the Loyal Artillery of Saint John in 1795. He died in 1827 in Saint
John. He was born in England about 1761. I'm looking for information
about his family, wife and children.
SUSAN BERRY
124 Providence Blvd.
Kendall Park, NJ
08824, USA
E-mail vonbarm@comcast.net
Query 1547: Gallagher - Gibbons: Looking
for death of Bernard Gallagher 1815-1863 who arrived in Saint John,
N.B., from Mount Charles, Donegal, Ireland in 1863. He died of cholera
soon after his arrival. His wife Anne Gibbons arrived in 1864 with
their 11 children and she died March 18, 1879.
KELLEY O'ROURKE
61 Somerset, Baie D'Urfe
Quebec, Canada, H9X 2V8
E-mail Kelley.orourke@videotron.ca
Query 1548: Woodworth - Blackmore - Pineo:
I am researching the family of Walter Woodworth of Scituate, Mass. Our
research project is stuck on William Woodworth, born circa 1731 at
Lebanon, Ct. putative son of Jedediah Woodworth. He was one of the
grantees at Cornwallis, N.S., in 1760. He arrived with a son born 1755,
and wife Sarah Blackmore and left several children. Sarah died in 1767
and William disappears from records. His son married Mercy Pineo and
had many children at Cornwallis 1779 to 1808. There was a William
Woodworth recorded at Newtown, N.B., 1783 with wife and three children
living in poor log home, who arrived from Cornwallis. Is he the father
William, born 1731, or is he the son William born 1755, or someone
else? There was also William Woodworth with a grant of 200 acres at
Richmond, Woodstock Parish, 1822. Any help or guidance that can be
offered will be most appreciated.
DAN JENKINS
E-mail dan_jenkins66@hotmail.com
Query 1549: Hatfield Point: Does anyone
know how Hatfield Point in Kings County got its name?
DORIS HATFIELD JENSEN
1640 Morris Ave., RR#1 Peterborough
ON, Canada, K9J 6X2.
Email bjensen@lincsat.com
Query 1550: Sloan - Duffy: I am seeking
information on Henry Sloan born circa 1816 in Ireland and his wife
Louisa Duffy, born circa 1821 in Ireland, residence in 1851 in Simonds
Parish, Saint John County.
PAUL MILSOM
76 South Street, Cottingham
East Yorkshire, England HU16 4AT
E-mail paulmilsom50@fsmail.net
