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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2098ALTONA CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY CHURCH 565 Uxbridge-Pickering Townline Concession 9, Lot 30 City of Pickering PIN 612 March 2003 by John W. Sabean Historical Consultant Altona Christian Missionary Church 565 Uxbridge-Pickering Townline Concession 9, Lot 30 City of Pickering PIN 612 PROPERTY HISTORY Amarilla McKay, a United Empire Loyalist of Fredericksburgh, Lennox and Addington, Midland District, received the patent for Lot 30, Concession 9 on 6 July 1807. The grant had actually been made by 1801, and by an Order in Council, dated 8 July 1801, Amarilla was exempted from having to perform settlers’ duties to confirm the grant.1 In February 1809, Samuel McCay, presumably either husband or son of Amarilla, sold all 200 acres to Simeon Morton.2 Two months later Morton resold to Abraham Stouffer.3 Christian Stouffer, Abraham’s son and heir, sold 50 acres to Peter Ramer and 100 acres to Jacob Stouffer in 1843. These two parcels were purchased by Abraham Reesor in 1850- 1851. At the north end of the lot Reesor built two mills. When he died the land passed into the hands of his widow, Christina, who leased it to her new husband, Joseph Monkhouse, when she remarried.4 Monkhouse ran the mill until Christina died, then the land was turned over to Abraham and Christina’s son Abraham Reesor, Jr., known as Abram. The Abstract Index to Deeds does not record a grant from Abram to the Altona Union Church. PERSONAL HISTORY Stauffer Abraham Stauffer (1780-1851) immigrated to Upper Canada in 1804 with the Reesor family. His wife was Elizabeth Reesor, daughter of Christian, the head of the Reesor clan.5 Before Justice of the Peace William Willcocks, Abraham made the following affirmation of allegiance: ABRAHAM STOUFFER late of Pennsylvania Farmer, Hazel Eyes brown Hair Six feet One Inch high, born in Pennsylvania 28 Years Old a Menonist having taken the Affirmation & made the declaration prescribed by Law Do subscribe the Same at York the 28th day of December 1804.6 Abraham Stauffer and Elizabeth Reesor settled in the northeastern part of Markham, on Lot 35, Concession 9. The community that formed near their land took their name: Stouffville. Abraham purchased other land as well, including Lot 30, Concession 9 in Pickering Township. He was one of the first trustees of the Altona Mennonite Meetinghouse. Both he and his wife are buried in the Altona Mennonite Cemetery, on land that he once owned. His wife’s stone is the oldest in the cemetery, dating from 1835. Reesor Peter Reesor, brother of Elizabeth, and son of Christian, also made the trek to Upper Canada in 1804. Abraham Reesor (1815-1855) was his son. Abraham farmed Lot 34, Concession 3 in Pickering Township—near Cherrywood. But in 1850 he built a flour mill and a saw mill at the north end of Lot 30, Concession 9. Five years later he died, leaving his land first to his widow, and secondly to his son Abram (Abraham, Jr.) after her death. Christina died in 1865; Abram took over the property and the running of the mills. Of the Altona Mills Ross Johnston, writing for the Whitby Chronicle in 1884, invited his readers to Just come over with me and have a look through the 'Altona Mills' close by on the south side. Here we are, and here too is Mr. Abram Reesor the occupant, busy making repairs in the mill-race. Building frame, three and a half stories, water power, old process, machinery complete, mill been running about 20 years, capacity about 40 bbls. a day. Three run of stones, business chiefly gristing and chopping at present, but intention is to do more extensive business by and by. You have our best wishes Mr. Reesor for the success both of yourself and your mill.7 In 1875 Abram Reesor donated the land on which the Altona Union Church was to be built. Union Church On 22 April 1872 two elders of the Brougham Christian Church—Jesse Tatton and Elder Shoultz—came up to Altona to organize a satellite congregation in the northwest corner of Pickering Township. The congregation they formed, with 16 members, held its services in the Temperance Hall, which was situated on the northwest corner of the Altona intersection (in Uxbridge Township). Up until this time these members of the “Christian Church” denomination either worshiped in their homes or travelled all the way to Brougham.8 At the same time there were in the Altona area adherents of the “Mennonite Brethren in Christ” denomination, a sect of Mennonites, but differing in beliefs and practices from the members of the Altona Mennonite Meetinghouse. Their nearest place of worship was at Dickson Hill in Markham. A unique experiment was tried when these two denominations decided to build a union church that would accommodate both groups, who would share facilities but hold separate services. For this purpose Abram Reesor donated land at the north end of his property. A brick church was erected in 1875. The two congregations organized a building fund and in a small book each subscriber wrote his or her name and the amount they wished to contribute. Ninety-two names are recorded in this document with pledges ranging from $200 to 80 cents, the total coming to $867.80. Among the subscribers were two women who signed themselves as the Widow Wideman and the Widow Ramer. As these pledges were paid they were recorded in the book—some in the end contributing more than originally pledged. On the very first page of this little book is a statement of intention, which reads: We the undersigned hereby agree to give the sums opposite our respective names for the purpose of building a “Union Church” at Altona, to be built east of the creek and on property of Abram Reesor, and to be opened for the use of Congregationalists, Christians, Mennonites and other Orthodox denominations, and for Sunday School. Sums to be payable on the 1st of November next 1875. Provisional committee Daniel Barkey Abram Reesor Menno Nighswander9 The earliest extant Minutes regarding administration are dated 10 February 1876; they are headed: “Meeting of the Stockholders of Altona Union Church to elect a trustee.” The Rev. Mr. Day was appointed chair, and Y. Millard was elected trustee. Trustees were elected for a three-year term, a new one elected each year. Elected from both denominations, their object was to look after the business of the church building. Each denomination paid half of the yearly expenses for upkeep. In 1895, twenty years after the church was erected the record shows that the annual expenses were $16.60. The Sunday School was a joint effort of the two congregations and was held on Sunday mornings. Church services were held Sunday evenings on an alternating basis. Each denomination had its own executive to deal with business within its own group. So well did this arrangement work that the two denominations continued side by side for 80 years. And at the end of that period no split occurred, rather one denomination was subsumed under the other. In November 1955, the members of the Christian denomination asked to join with the Brethren in Christ (now renamed United Missionary). The combined church, known as the Altona Christian United Missionary Church, began its life in June 1956 with about eighty members. The denomination itself later dropped the word “united” from its name, and in 1968 became “The Missionary Church.” BUILDING HISTORY A date stone high in the gable end of the building, which faces the Uxbridge-Pickering Townline Road, reads “Union church erected 1875.” The builder was William Feaster, a local builder who had also built the brick school in 1859. This contract, however, proved his undoing as he caught a cold while working on the church and died as a result. Some renovations have occurred over the years. In 1937 a basement was dug under it and a new heating system installed. Shortly thereafter changes were made to the entrance and to the pulpit area. The work was done by volunteer labour under the direction of the contractor Norman Bunker. In 1952, with Stan Thompson as contractor, a new roof was installed. Major changes came in 1968 when the new Sunday School auditorium was added under Harold Lewis as contractor. At the same time improvements were made to the main auditorium and a new foyer entrance was added. The original entrance was now closed and a new entrance put in between the new addition and the rear west side of the original structure. As well the main sanctuary arrangement was reversed. Much of the cost of these renovations was paid for by a sizable legacy left to the church by Fred Ramer; the entire cost was paid off by 1971. For some years after expropriation the church stood empty. It is now used as a school by the Stouffville Christian School. Notes 1 Abstract Index to Deeds; Pickering Township: Index to Land Patents, MS 693, reel 157; Pickering Township Papers, MS 658, Reel 395, p. 1782. Names are spelled as they are found in the various documents. Thus “McKay” for Amarilla and “McKay” for Samuel. Abraham and his son Christian spelled their name Stauffer; but other family members spelled it as Stouffer. 2. This transaction was not registered until 1825. 3. This transaction was not registered until 1816. 4 Census of 1851; Tremaine (1860). 5 Reesor Family in Canada (2000), p. 5. 6 York Pioneer (1961), p. 29, #48. Mennonites and Quakers did not take Oaths of Allegiance, but rather Affirmations. 7 Traveller (1884). 8 Much of what follows is dependent on Byer (1975). See also Gauslin (1974), Nighswander (1985). 9 Byer (1975), p. 1.