Rev. Andrew J. MacCauley

1817 - 1864  (47 years)

• Name	Andrew J. MacCauley
  Prefix	Rev.
  Born	11 Jan 1817	Ballybrick, Rathfriland, County Down, Ireland   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	religion, story
  Occupation	1859	Nassagaweya Twp., Halton Co., Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Reverend
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-75114
  Died	10 Apr 1864	Nassagaweya Twp., Halton Co., Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Person ID	I75114	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Diana Ann Strang,   b. 9 Sep 1835, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 9 Aug 1912, Harriston, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)
  Married	8 Mar 1859	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F19640	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  MACAULEY, REV. Andrew J . (d.) While Rev. Mr. Macauley was not a resident of Wellington Co. He is entitled to mention in this work, as he traversed the country on horseback in the exercise of his ministerial duties in early days, and before the advent of churches, and in later years his family became permanent residents of Minto, where they now live respected citizens of the community. Rev. Andrew J. Macauley was b. in County Down, Ire., in 1817. He was educated at Belfast University, and in 1854 came to Canada, set. in Nassagewaya, being the first Pres. minister to settle in that township. There he was engaged in the ministry for ten years, preaching as well in the remote sections as far north as Mount Forest. Rev. Andrew J. Macauley on horseback was a well-known figure in the pioneer days, and he was known and given a warm welcome everywhere. There were few churches at this time, but neither that nor the hardships necessary in picking his own way over rough roads to the pioneer settlements, damped his ardor or lessened his zeal. The log school-house answered the purpose, or even a friendly barn, and the settlers were glad to gather to hear this eloquent man preached the word of God. Many of the older generation were married and many of the present generation were baptised by him. The first sacrament ever administered in Minto was administered by Rev. Andrew J. Macauley in 1857 in Malcolm Wright's barn near Harriston. Mr. Macauley m. Diana Strang, dau. of Rev. James Strang, who came from Stirlingshire, Scot., to Galt in 1833, and was the first Presbyterian minister in Galt. Issue: Henry, James A., and Andrew J. (d.). Mr. Macauley d. in 1864 age 47 years. Three years after his death his widow m. Rev. John Irvine and moved with his family to Mille Isle, P.Q. Issue: John Irvine, C.E. graduate of the School of Practical Science, Toronto University, and Matthew (d.). Rev. John Irvine (d.) 1886. Henry Macauley, m Catharine Harper. Issue: Andrew J. , Annie F., William H., John I., and Margaret Strang. He owns and lives on 100 acres, lot 76, con. D., Minto, while James A. has lot 93, con. D., Minto. The family are active members of the Presbyterian church, and are among the most respected citizens of the community From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906 _______________________________ The Rev. Andrew James MacAulay was born in Ballybrick, Rathfriland, county Down, Ireland, Jan. 11, 1817. His education for the Gospel ministry, excepting one session in Edinburgh, was obtained in Belfast. He was ordained a missionary to British North America, Oct. 12, 1852; and was inducted pastor of the congregation in Nassagaweya, in connection then with the "Presbyterian Church of Canada," March 15, 1854. Mr. MacAuley married, March 8, 1859, Diana Ann, only surviving daughter of the late Rev. James Strang, first pastor of the Associate Presbyterian Congregation in Galt, Canada West. His lamented death took place at his late residence in Nassagaweya, at three o'clock P.M., on Sabbath, April 10, 1864. He leaves his widow with three sons of tender age to mourn their irreparable loss. An attached, sorrowing congregation mourn for him; many of them will bless his memory, as a faithful and laborious, honest and out-spoken pastor. The Presbyteries to which he had belonged record in their minutes of sympathy with the stricken widow and congregation, the mournful emotions with which a large circle of friends heard of his departure. His sun went down at noon. He came young and strong to Canada, a model of manly health, but the anxieties of his charge, and too sedulous student habits, and the great change of climate from that of his fatherland, laid him often low with dyspepsia, whose mastering burdens he bore through the remaining years of his life. This much clouded the buoyance of of his temper and hopes, and somewhat tinged his experiences and expressions. He was intensely in earnest in every thing he believed or undertook, and he grasped what he held to be right with the grip of an old Reformer. He was too honest and out-spoken to escape opposition. He was too conscientious to covet comfort to himself through policy and caution. He was unsparingly in earnest to advance the good cause of the Gospel, in the advancement of education and temperance around him. Notwithstanding his long illness which laid him aside from his cherished work, Mr. MacAulay's death, was, at last, sudden and unexpected. He seemed recovering, was able to be about the house, and hope of recovery had filled many a mind, when, on Friday afternoon before his departure, acute inflammation seized him, and about the usual time of closing his Sabbath service, he fell asleep in Jesus. "Blessed sleep from which none ever wake to weep." We do not need to gather our encouragements from the good words of good cheer in dying, however sweet these may be to the sorrowing survivors of 'good men,' to lead us to have hope in their death, for the past life of faith, and the jewels they got for the Master's crown, are testimonies which praise the grace of God in them. Though often in a wandering state of mind in his long sickness, his ruling passion was strong even then, for with wonderful force he taught, and warned, and rebuked, and entreated those around him, whom he fancied, to be his congregation, and that they were assembled to hear the word from him. When visited many weeks before his death by a brother in the ministry, who had known him intimately, as soon as he saw him, while holding out his hand to him, he broke out with, "I am a dying man; nothing of all that I have done avails for me now; not all my labor for Jesus; there is nothing between me and everlasting perdition but the Lord Jesus Christ." His friend said, 'so he is your Rock, is he bare rock to you? or is he fruitful soil also?" He lowly murmured slowly out, as if gliding into a slumber, 'bare Rock, but safe." May the sown seed of life have fruit manifold in the hearts of the many congregations around, with whom the Lord is seeming to hold a controversy by the removal of the candlestick out of their place; and may those who have pastors make a profiting use of them, lest the Lord leave them to learn their value through losing them. - RECORD Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 13 Oct 1864, p. 4, column 1

  
  

• Sources

  [S1949] News - ON, Halton, Milton - Canadian Champion, Obituary of The Rev. A. J. MacAulay - 13 Oct 1864, p. 4, column 1. [S14] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Chronicle (1856-1860), 15 Mar 1859. 8 Mar 1859 In Galt, on the 8th inst., by the Rev. John Gillespie, of Esquessing, the Rev. Andrew J. Macauley, of Nassagaweya, to Diana A., only daughter of the late Rev. James Strang, of Galt.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 11 Jan 1817 - Ballybrick, Rathfriland, County Down, Ireland Occupation - Reverend - 1859 - Nassagaweya Twp., Halton Co., Ontario, Canada Married - 8 Mar 1859 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 10 Apr 1864 - Nassagaweya Twp., Halton Co., Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth