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Picture

Zion Presbyterian Church

Begun: 1859
Closed: after 1928

This congregation, in the southwestern section of the Township on the 3rd line, was organized in 1859 by Rev. James Boyd who ministered to it in a joint charge with the Presbyterian Church in Crosshill. The first church was a log house, followed by a stone church which was built in 1868 on the same site. Rev. Boyd died on June 10, 1888, and at a meeting on October 8th, 1888, Crosshill was placed with Knox Presbyterian Church, Millbank, and Zion was placed with Burns Presbyterian Church, Milverton. According to the Session Minutes Book for Milverton and Zion, the decision to be joined with Milverton was given formal approval at a meeting of Stratford Presbytery held at Atwood on November 13, 1888. It was also agreed that "the salary promised by Wellesley shall date from first November 1888." On December 6, 1888 the session of Zion Presbyterian Church, Wellesley Township met in the church "and was constituted." The last meeting held at Zion, as recorded in this particular Session Minutes Book was on October 30, 1908.

Zion Presbyterian church split over union in 1925; some members remained Presbyterian, others joined Union United Church in Wellesley. Zion Presbyterian Church later closed and was removed. Of interest: Zion cemetery was begun in 1847.

Records:
Baptism dates:  unknown             Location of records: unknown
Marriage dates: unknown             Location of records: unknown
Burial dates: unknown                  Location of records: unknown

The Session Minutes Book, June 1856-February 1916, for Burns Presbyterian Church, Milverton and Zion Presbyterian Church, Wellesley Township is at the United Church Archives. References to Zion are from November 13, 1888 to October 30, 1908. The book includes names of new members as well as several notations of deaths of members.

References: Boyd c.1934; Maple Leaf 1983:93.

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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