Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Knox 's Presbyterian Church - stone Cambridge

1869 - 1991  (~ 122 years)


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  • Name Knox 's Presbyterian Church - stone Cambridge 
    Church 1844 
    congregation begins 
    • 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.1a

      1aAmbrose, Rosemary. Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide to Churches Established Before 1900. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. [used the kind permission of Rosemary Ambrose 2011]
    Born constructed 1869  2 Grand Ave S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Unknown 
    Church 1869  Knox's Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    construction stone church 
    Former Geographic Area Galt 
    Died still standing 1991 
    Person ID I615  Properties
    Last Modified 17 May 2012 

  • Notes 
    • Knox's Galt Presbyterian Church

      Begun: 1844

      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.

      Records:
      Baptism dates: 1856-1901 Location of records: Cambridge Public Library*
      Marriage dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*
      Burial dates: unknown Location of records: unknown*

      *Please note that some of the early records held at the church were either lost or damaged by fire or water in the fire of 1989. Requests for information from the church are respectfully refused as of this point in time until a complete assessment of the remaining records is completed. Records on microfilm at the Cambridge Public Library: Baptisms 1856-1901. At the Archives of Ontario: Baptisms 1856-1901. Refer also to Huber (1986) for early marriages. Baptisms 1856-1901 and Annual Reports 1889-1900 are available on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints microfilm 0203316.

      [ADDRESS/LOCATION: 2 Grand Ave. S., Cambridge, ON N1S 2L3 - located in the Galt section of Cambridge; 621-8120.]
      References: Canada Presbyterian Church; Cant 1915:30,34,46-52; Cowan, WHS 1969(57):49; Presbyterian Church; Quantrell, WHS 1988(76):121; R. Taylor 1986; Young 1880:198-203.

      Church History: Sanders, Constance, ed. The Story of the Congregation of Knox Presbyterian Church of Galt 1844-1969, 19691a

      1aAmbrose, Rosemary. Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide to Churches Established Before 1900. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. [used the kind permission of Rosemary Ambrose 2011] .

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - constructed 1869 - 2 Grand Ave S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChurch - construction stone church - 1869 - Knox's Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario Link to Google Earth
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