Rev. Herbert Francis Thomas

1867 - Yes, date unknown

• Name	Herbert Francis Thomas
  Prefix	Rev.
  Born	1867	Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	1893	Doon Presbyterian Church, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	minister
  Occupation	1897	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	minister
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-151746
  Died	Yes, date unknown
  Person ID	I151746	Generations
  Last Modified	19 Dec 2024

  
  

  Family	Hester Anna Shields,   b. 1863, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1928, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 65 years)
  Children	1. Herbert Francis Scott Thomas,   b. 26 Dec 1897, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Muriel Shields Thomas,   b. 26 Dec 1897, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	19 Dec 2024
  Family ID	F31692	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Knox Preston Presbyterian Church Rev. Charles Freshman, who served as a German Wesleyan Methodist missionary in Preston and area c.1860-1869, stated in his autobiography that the Presbyterian Church engaged a "young Swiss preacher and sent him out to evangelize the Germans in Waterloo County" (Freshman 1868: 284). Dr. Freshman reported that the young Presbyterian preacher preached in the "Lutheran Church in that place [Preston] ... but he failed to establish a cause" (Ibid:285). According to the Minutes of the Second General Assembly (1876) of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, a German Mission was established in Preston on August 10, 1875 and an English one was begun on March 14, 1876. Rev. George Haigh was inducted as Minister to the combined congregations of Preston, Doon and Hespeler on April 24, 1876. Formal organization of this English-speaking congregation was on August 29, 1876. Services at the German Mission were "suspended" in January, 1878, "for want of encouragement", according to the Minutes of the Fourth General Assembly in 1878. Commencing in 1880, services were held by Rev. Haigh in a stone building at the corner of Duke and Argyle Streets in Preston. However, on March 20, 1883 Preston was separated from Doon and Hespeler which remained under the ministry of Rev. Haigh. Preston reverted to a Mission Station at that time, only to be "dissolved" on September 16, 1884, according to the Minutes of the Eleventh General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1885. The congregation was reorganized in 1891 by Dr. James A.R. Dickson of Central Presbyterian Church, Galt; the first church service was held on April 5, 1891 by Mr. P.W. Anderson in the Royal Templars' Hall in the Schultz Block. The Town Hall was then used for a short time; the first Kirk Session was elected there on March 12, 1893. The Lyceum Hall on King Street was purchased in 1893, renovated, and dedicated on July 16, 1893. Preston and Doon were placed on a two-point charge in 1893; the first minister was Rev. Herbert Francis Thomas (1893-1898) who was ordained and inducted into Knox Presbyterian on August 21, 1893. The church was rebuilt in 1938 and was in use until 1965 when the new church was completed; the King Street property was then sold. The cornerstone for a new church on Argyle Street North, between King and Duke Streets, was laid on October 18, 1964. Dedication services for the new building held on March 27, 1965 included locking the door of the old church. In 1973 the name of the church was changed to Knox Preston Presbyterian Church when Preston joined with Galt and Hespeler to form the city of Cambridge. Dates on church: 1893, 1965.1 1Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose

  
  

• Sources

  [S512] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Galt - Central Presbyterian. Herbert Francis Scott Thomas Born 26 Dec 1897 Preston Parents Rev. H. F. Thomas & Esther Anna Shields baptized 01 Feb 1898 Occupation: Minister

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1867 - Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - minister - 1893 - Doon Presbyterian Church, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - minister - 1897 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth