Genealogy or Development of Churches

Genealogy or Development of Churches in Glengarry & Stormont Counties

This is an Incomplete outline at present

Our titles in most cases are always available for those interested individuals who desire to purchase a copy & support our efforts. Thanks for this act of Kindness. AWF

The Genealogy/Development of the Catholic Parishes New 3 /2000
in Glengarry, Stormont County

Take the time to read chapter 7 on The Churches page 263 in the history of ----Stormont Dundas and Glengarry 1945 - 1978 by Clive and Frances Marin, 1979. Also read thechapter on Churches in ----Stormont Dundas and Glengarry 1787 - 1945 by Harkness. Both these books should be available on interlibrary loan.

The following is a brief outline with approximate dates for area churches, Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and some successions, that can be used as a guidline for the possibility of finding church records and possibly the ancestor you are searching for.

Before 1784

St. Regis, Quebec & Montreal-- Notre Dame & St. Gabriel's
Contact Quebec Archives, Mullins Street, Montreal for more information.

1784 - 1785

The arrival of the United Empire Loyalists to what is now Cornwall, Ontario
This led to the starting of what is now

St. Andrew's Presbyterian church, now United, Williamstown, Ontario, under Rev. John Bethune.
Church records start in 1779, in Montreal, Quebec, and are on microfilm up to 1914.

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, South Lancaster, Ontario
Early church records to 1840's part of St. Andrews Williamstown, then part of St. Andrews 2nd Concession Lancaster till about the mid 1870's, then also part of Knox Church, Lancaster. The actual church records start about 1927.

Trinity Anglican Church, Cornwall, Ontario.
Church records start about 1804 and are on microfilm up to the mid 1830's and maybe later. From here to the Church of Good Shepherd, Cornwall, circa 1890-1900, Church in the Wildwood, Lancaster, and All Saints in Maxville, Ontario

St. Andrew's Catholic Church, St. Andrew's West, Ontario. Was a mission of St. Regis until about 1807 when the Church records start.

1786

The arrival of Rev. Alex 'Scotus' MacDonell, settling, founding what is now the parish of St. Raphaels, which began with the Blue Chapel. Church records here start in 1804.

1787 -1835

In this same time period North Lunenburg would probably had a church started as well. But for the big part of Stormont & Glengarry counties, north to the Ottawa River, this whole area would have been looked after by the Clergymen of St. Raphaels, Trinity, St. Andrews West, St. Andrews Williamstown, St. Regis & Montreal. There were also circuit riders beginning to show up and cross the area doing/recording baptisms, marriages and probably deaths as well.

After 1825-1830

St. John's Presbytian Church, Cornwall, 1826, Church records I believe began in the 1830's

St. Columban's Catholic Church, Cornwall, 1829, Church records began 1829

St. Andrew's, Presbyterian, now United, 2nd Concession Church, Bainsville, mid 1830's, Church records mid 1830-40's

St. Finnan's Catholic Church, Alexandria, begins early 1830's, Church records start in 1836.

Kirk Hill Presbyterian Church, kirk Hill, goes back to the early 1800's. Church records start about mid 1830's/

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, now United, Stone Church, Martintown, started prior to the mid 1840's, church records, I believe start in the 1850's, prior to this they would be at St. Andrew's Williamstown or Cornwall.
See History of this church by Rhodes Grant 1979.

St. Alexander's Catholic Church, Lochiel, became a parish in the 1860's. Although stories indicate that church services were conducted here from the early 1800's. Church records start in 1863.

Church on the Hill, Alexandria, started in mid 1850's. Church records began in the 1860's

St. Margaret's of Scotland Catholic Church, Glen Nevis, starts about 1880-82. Church records began in late 1882.

After 1875

Additional information re area churches will be added/updated if and when I become aware of such information and which fits into this outline.

Do not forget that some records have been for ever lost. That tracking down the records of any church is not always an easy job, fruitful or rewarding experience. Like wise do not forget that some of these records could have ended up in the respective church archives and easily lost in the shuffle. None of the church records that I am aware of in this area are complete. The Catholic church records the most complete. Likewise do not forget that in the Presbyterian Church history -- Church of Scotland, Free Kirk, Presbyterian there were many divisions between the late 1700's and 1925 and as such church records disappeared with the temperment of the individuals concerned.

To my knowledge since 1971, there has been no consistent effort to put any emphasis on the complete preservation of these records. Yes, some work has been done. We made an effort that was only a scratch on the surface. We have published some of these Church records, complete as we were aware for the period concerned and indexed same on 7-8 area churches and the project is still far from finished. We were also refused access to some of these as well. The Diocese of Alexandria Cornwall Catholic Records, has got most of the parish records microfilmed. St. Andrews Williamstown is likewise been microfilmed up to 1914. My knowledge of what church records in these counties have been microfilmed is by no means complete, but I am not aware of much that has been done in this regard.

Sources to check are, the revelent Archives for The United Church and the City of Ottawa Archives
The Presbyterian Church
The Anglican Church
The Methodist Church
The Catholic Church
The Lutheran Church
The Baptist Church
The Ontario Archives, Toronto, Ontario
The NatiolnalArchives/Library, Ottawa, Ontario

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updated 7/12

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Genealogy or Development of Churches in Glengarry & Stormont Counties

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