Rev. James Kidd "Kidd" Smith

1827 - 1905  (77 years)

• Name	James Kidd "Kidd" Smith
  Prefix	Rev.
  Born	11 Apr 1827	Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	pioneer, story, religion
  Name	J. K. Smith
  Occupation	1865	Knox Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	minister (Minister)
  Occupation	1881	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Clergyman
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-421830
  Died	2 Feb 1905	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 4]
  	Cause: Bronchopneumonia (2 weeks)
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3]
  Person ID	I421830	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Christina Cumming,   b. 1837, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 6 Nov 1917  (Age 80 years)
  Married	20 Oct 1857	Williamstown, Glengarry, Ontario, Canada
  Children	1. Ann Smith,   d. 2 Jan 1858   2. William A. Smith   3. A. Ernest Smith,   d. Yes, date unknown   4. Rev. James Cumming "Cumming" Smith,   b. 1 Sep 1858, Brockville, Leeds & Grenville Co's., Ontario ,   d. 7 Jul 1904, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States  (Age 45 years)   5. Christina Edith Smith,   b. 7 Nov 1863,   d. 7 Aug 1889  (Age 25 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F271869	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Knox's Galt Presbyterian Church This was the Rev. John Bayne's church, a Free [Presbyterian] Church which was founded by him in 1844 with a majority of the members from his former church, St. Andrew's. Dr. Bayne died on Nov. 3, 1859 and in 1861 the Synod of the (Free) Presbyterian Church of Canada of which he was said to be the founder joined with the United Presbyterian Church in Canada to become the Canada Presbyterian Church. Ministers who followed Rev. Bayne were Revs. John Thompson (April 18, 1861-March 9, 1864) and James K. Smith (September 28, 1865-c.1885). In 1875 church union created the Presbyterian Church in Canada from all remaining divisions of the Presbyterian Church. In 1925 the congregation voted 548-363 to remain a Presbyterian Church rather than join the United Church. After Rev. Dr. Bayne and his followers left St. Andrew's Church, they worshipped in William Biggar's barn until the first Knox Church building (of stone) was erected at the north-east corner of Ainslie and Dickson Streets in 1845-1846. This church was sold to the Wesleyan Methodists in 1872 for their use. It was removed in 1879. The present Knox's Galt Presbyterian Church was built in 1869 (the cornerstone laying ceremony was on June 18, 1869) and opened for worship on September 11, 1870. The cornerstone was laid on May 25, 1908 for a large Sunday School addition which was completed in 1909. Fire on April 16, 1989 gutted the entire Christian Education/office wing and damaged the church itself; the reconstructed wing (within the original stone walls) and the repaired church were reopened on Sunday, April 7, 1991 Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose _____________________________ Smith, James K., M. A., Galt, Ontario, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on the 11th April, 1827. His father, Alexander Smith, was a successful and highly respected merchant, and burgess of Aberdeen, and his mother was Ann Johnston. There were four sons, all of whom entered the ministry of the Church of Scotland. John, after a brilliant course at college and in theology, died ere taking license. Another, William, after a distinguished course at college, was minister of a congregation in the Church of Scotland for several years in Blairgowrie, Scotland, where he was associated with the sainted R. M. McCheyne, of Dundee, and Dr. Macdonald, of Blairgowrie. Another, Alexander, is now occupying a mission field in Brandon Presbytery, North-West. The fourth is the subject of this sketch. James K. Smith spent five years at the Grammar school in Aberdeen, the two last under the celebrated Latinist, Dr. Melvin. Thereafter he took the four years' course at Marischal College, Aberdeen, obtaining a scholarship of $45 (£9 stg.), at the entrance by competition, and taking the degree of A.M. at the close. He then pursued medical studies with the view of following that profession, but changing his mind, took a full theological course of three years at the Free Church Divinity Hall, Aberdeen, and one year at the New College, Edinburgh, under the celebrated divines, Drs. Thomas Chalmers, William Cunningham, and John Duncan. Thereafter he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the presbytery of Aberdeen. For three months he assisted the Rev. S. O. Dods, in Maybole, Ayrshire, and received a call to the Free East Church of Forfar, which he declined, as he desired to visit his friends in Canada. In the fall of 1852 he received a call to the Free Church in Ramsay, Canada West, and was ordained to that charge in 1853. In 1856 he became pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Brockville, and remained there till 1865, when he succeeded Dr. Bayne, the father of the Free Church in Canada, and Dr. Thomson (who had returned to his former congregation in New York city), in the charge of Knox Church, Galt. In 1872 he became the first pastor of the newly-formed congregation of Fort Massey, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, one of the leading churches, if not the leading one, in the lower provinces. Being recalled to his former church in Galt, he became for the second time (a very unusual circumstance in pastorates) pastor of that church, which has at present the largest communion roll, very nearly 1000, in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. In all his charges, his ministry has been successful, but in Ramsay, and Knox Church, Galt, especially, his labours have been crowned with remarkable manifestations of divine power in those spiritual and lasting fruits which constitute a pastor's jury. During his pastorate in Brockville, he was clerk of the presbytery there, and held the position of superintendent of schools, succeeding the Rev. Dr. Lewis, now bishop of Kingston and Ottawa In Galt he has occupied for several years the position of chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Galt Collegiate Institute, one of the most celebrated educational institutions of the province. At the time of the Fenian raid Mr. Smith was chosen chaplain of the Galt infantry company, and accompanied them to the camp at Thorold. For the benefit of his wife's health, the season of 1870-71 was spent in San Francisco, California, on which occasion Mr. Smith visited most of the remarkable places of interest in that state. While in San Francisco he supplied the pulpit of the First Presbyterian church of that city, one of the largest congregations in the state of California, and was invited to become its pastor. Since his return to Galt, he has received several invitations from churches in the cities of Canada and the United States, but has elected to remain with his people. On October 20th, 1857, he married Christina, fifth daughter of James Cumming, Esq., of Williamstown, Glengarry. The issue of this union is four children. The eldest son, James Cumming, who passed through University College and Knox College with honours, is now temporarily supplying the Presbyterian church at Newmarket, Ontario. The Rev. James K. Smith is a man of singular zeal ; he is untiring in his work, and one of the ablest preachers in the denomination. The record given speaks emphatically of the approval with which his ministrations have been met by the important congregations over which he has presided. A cyclopaedia of Canadian biography; being chiefly men of the time. A collection of persons distinguished in professional and political life; leaders in the commerce and industry of Canada, and successful pioneers by Rose, Geo. Maclean (George Maclean), 1829-1898 ________________________ REV. JAMES K. SMITH IS DEAD. Well Known Presbyterian Div ine Passes Away at his His Home in Galt. Galt, Feb. 3. - Rev. James Kidd Smith, D.D., former pastor of Knox Church, died last night at 10.30 o'clock. Some three weeks ago the venerable doctor contracted a cold, which developed into a slight attack of pneumonia, but which, being in an already enfeebled condition, he was unable to throw off. Death came quietly and peacefully to a worn and weary veteran, who had borne the burden and heat of the day in a long life of self-sacrifice and faithful service in the cause of the church to which he had given himself. Deceased is survived by a wife and two sons, William A., of New York, and A. Ernest, of Detroit. The late Rev. Dr. J. Cumming Smith, a noted divine, who died in Indianapolis recently, was his son. Rev. James Kidd Smith, D.D., was the fourth son of Alexander Smith, a merchant and burgess, of Aberdeen, Scotland, and was one of four brothers, who all gave themselves to the Christian ministry. He was born in Aberdeen in 1827, and was, therefore, 18 years of age. He graduated from Aberdeen University with M.A., and studied divinity at the Free Church Divinity Hall there, and for a year under Chalmers at the New College, Edinburgh. He came to Canada in 1856 he was called to Brockville, Lanark County, his first charge. In 1852, and was ordained at Ramsay, where he remained until, in 1865, he succeeded Dr. Bayne as minister of Knox Church, Galt. A happy and successful pastorate of seven years followed, but in 1872 he accepted a call to the Fort Massey Presbyterian Church, Halifax. He was there only two years when his former church in Galt appealed to him to return to them, which he did. His last charge was the First Presbyterian Church, Port Hope. In 1886 he was Moderator of the General Assembly, and in 1887 received the degree of D.D. from the Presbyterian College, Montreal. In 1857 he married Christine, fifth daughter of Jas. Cumming, who, with two sons, survives him. The Chronicle Telegraph 9 Feb 1905, p. 6

  
  

• Sources

  [S336] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1881, Galt Division 1 Page 44. [S2697] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge, Mount View Cemetery Internet Link. [E] Rev. J. Kidd SMITH D.D./ born April 11th 1827/ died Feb. 2nd 1905/ Christina CUMMING/ his wife/ died Nov. 6, 1917/ aged 80 years/ Rev. J. CUMMING SMITH/ born Sept. 1st 1858/ died July 7th 1904/ SMITH/ [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192552084. [S2491] aaa Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate 028435 (1905). Name:J K Smith Gender:Male Age:78 Birth Date:abt 1827 Birth Place:Scotland Death Date:2 Feb 1905 Death Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Cause of Death:Bronchial Pneumonia

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 11 Apr 1827 - Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland Married - 20 Oct 1857 - Williamstown, Glengarry, Ontario, Canada Occupation - minister (Minister) - 1865 - Knox Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Clergyman - 1881 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Bronchopneumonia (2 weeks) - 2 Feb 1905 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth