Boyd United Church, Crosshill
The church is located at 2640 Hutchison Road (Regional Road 5) in Crosshill. It is used by the Crosshill Mennonite Church.
Begun: 1859
Closed: 1947
The Crosshill Presbyterian congregation was organized by the Rev. James Boyd on October 26, 1859, the same day he was inducted as its minister. James Boyd was born in Pollockshaws near Glasgow, Scotland on December 13, 1814, and had emigrated to Canada in 1845. Rev. Boyd also ministered to Zion Presbyterian Church which was located on the 3rd concession in the westerly portion of Wellesley Township.
Church services at Crosshill were held in the Township Hall until 1888 when work began on a church. Unfortunately, Rev. Boyd died June 10, 1888; the new church building which was nearing completion at the time was named Boyd Presbyterian Church in his memory. Dedication services were held on October 7, 1888 by Rev. Dr. James A.R. Dickson of Central Presbyterian Church, Galt, and on the next day, October 8, 1888, a meeting was held in Knox Church, Millbank to consider a union of the two congregations under one pastor. This was agreed to and the Rev. William M. McKibbon of Millbank became minister of Crosshill as well as of Millbank. The arrangement with Knox
Church, Millbank was to continue until 1928. Rev. McKibbon resigned in 1897 because of poor health and was succeeded by Rev. William Haig who ministered to the two congregations until July 1911. Rev. Walter Moffat was inducted to the joint charge on Dec. 19, 1911. A fire on March 21, 1913 destroyed the manse at Millbank; the contents, including some church records, were lost.
According to the Session Minutes Book, a congregational vote regarding the proposed union with the Congregational and Methodist churches to form the United Church of Canada was held in late 1915; 22 voted for union; 12 against. No vote was recorded in 1925 regarding union and the congregation therefore automatically went into that union with the result that Boyd Presbyterian became Boyd United Church on June 10, 1925. In 1928 the congregation was separated from Millbank (Stratford Presbytery) and became part of a four-point charge in the Guelph Presbytery with Linwood, Hawkesville and Wellesley.
The congregation disbanded in June, 1947, and at a meeting on October 8, 1947 the "Trustees of Boyd Church of Crosshill" approved the sale of the church building to the Wellesley Township Council for $2200. The proceeds from the sale were spent as follows: Rush's Cemetery, $1000; Hawkesville Cemetery, Linwood United Cemetery, Millbank Cemetery and Wellesley Church, $50 each; Victoria College, $500; and Crosshill Women's Missionary Society, $500. Maple View Mennonite Church, which was the parent church of the present Crosshill Mennonite Church congregation, later bought the church. The former Boyd United Church building became Crosshill Mennonite Church. In 1967, an addition with a new main entrance was built to the back of the church, and the former entrance at the front of the church was bricked over. The datestone "Presbyterian Church 1888" was retained.
Records:
Baptism dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
Marriage dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
Burial dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
*Many of the early records of Boyd Church were lost when the Millbank Manse was destroyed by fire in 1913. Some original records are in private hands. Photocopies of the following are at the Kitchener Public Library: a) the Session Minutes Book 1913-1944; b) the Communion Roll and Register 1888-c.1937; c) five Birth/Baptism records 1935-1946 in the Communion Roll Book (for Shantz, Bigam and Birmingham); d) the Congregational Minutes Book 1912-1947; and e) the Sabbath School Secretary's Record 1897-1900, 1904, 1906.
References: Boyd c.1934; Dick & Longo 1984:12; Linwood W.I.; Maple Leaf 1983:92-93.
Information excerpted from: Waterloo County Churches, A Research Guide to Churches established before 1900, by Rosemary Willard Ambrose © Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. It is reproduced by permission.
For a complete list of resources mentioned above, please click here.
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Begun: 1859
Closed: 1947
The Crosshill Presbyterian congregation was organized by the Rev. James Boyd on October 26, 1859, the same day he was inducted as its minister. James Boyd was born in Pollockshaws near Glasgow, Scotland on December 13, 1814, and had emigrated to Canada in 1845. Rev. Boyd also ministered to Zion Presbyterian Church which was located on the 3rd concession in the westerly portion of Wellesley Township.
Church services at Crosshill were held in the Township Hall until 1888 when work began on a church. Unfortunately, Rev. Boyd died June 10, 1888; the new church building which was nearing completion at the time was named Boyd Presbyterian Church in his memory. Dedication services were held on October 7, 1888 by Rev. Dr. James A.R. Dickson of Central Presbyterian Church, Galt, and on the next day, October 8, 1888, a meeting was held in Knox Church, Millbank to consider a union of the two congregations under one pastor. This was agreed to and the Rev. William M. McKibbon of Millbank became minister of Crosshill as well as of Millbank. The arrangement with Knox
Church, Millbank was to continue until 1928. Rev. McKibbon resigned in 1897 because of poor health and was succeeded by Rev. William Haig who ministered to the two congregations until July 1911. Rev. Walter Moffat was inducted to the joint charge on Dec. 19, 1911. A fire on March 21, 1913 destroyed the manse at Millbank; the contents, including some church records, were lost.
According to the Session Minutes Book, a congregational vote regarding the proposed union with the Congregational and Methodist churches to form the United Church of Canada was held in late 1915; 22 voted for union; 12 against. No vote was recorded in 1925 regarding union and the congregation therefore automatically went into that union with the result that Boyd Presbyterian became Boyd United Church on June 10, 1925. In 1928 the congregation was separated from Millbank (Stratford Presbytery) and became part of a four-point charge in the Guelph Presbytery with Linwood, Hawkesville and Wellesley.
The congregation disbanded in June, 1947, and at a meeting on October 8, 1947 the "Trustees of Boyd Church of Crosshill" approved the sale of the church building to the Wellesley Township Council for $2200. The proceeds from the sale were spent as follows: Rush's Cemetery, $1000; Hawkesville Cemetery, Linwood United Cemetery, Millbank Cemetery and Wellesley Church, $50 each; Victoria College, $500; and Crosshill Women's Missionary Society, $500. Maple View Mennonite Church, which was the parent church of the present Crosshill Mennonite Church congregation, later bought the church. The former Boyd United Church building became Crosshill Mennonite Church. In 1967, an addition with a new main entrance was built to the back of the church, and the former entrance at the front of the church was bricked over. The datestone "Presbyterian Church 1888" was retained.
Records:
Baptism dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
Marriage dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
Burial dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
*Many of the early records of Boyd Church were lost when the Millbank Manse was destroyed by fire in 1913. Some original records are in private hands. Photocopies of the following are at the Kitchener Public Library: a) the Session Minutes Book 1913-1944; b) the Communion Roll and Register 1888-c.1937; c) five Birth/Baptism records 1935-1946 in the Communion Roll Book (for Shantz, Bigam and Birmingham); d) the Congregational Minutes Book 1912-1947; and e) the Sabbath School Secretary's Record 1897-1900, 1904, 1906.
References: Boyd c.1934; Dick & Longo 1984:12; Linwood W.I.; Maple Leaf 1983:92-93.
Information excerpted from: Waterloo County Churches, A Research Guide to Churches established before 1900, by Rosemary Willard Ambrose © Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. It is reproduced by permission.
For a complete list of resources mentioned above, please click here.
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