Page 6 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

Little action seems to have been taken towards the erection of a solely
Presbyterian church until 1812. I\t the congregational meeting of February 15. 1875,
a Conlmittee war appointed to oversee the building of a new church. This church,
completed the following year, ir the one which still stands by the roadside.
Burials had been made on the rite as early as 1857. Presbyterians Pollock (U57).
Gilbert Nelron (UnS), and Sarah Ann Nelron (U45)--all had been interred in what
became the Presbyterian burial ground before the land war actually donated to the
congregation. Over the next hundred yearr, burials took place in the little section
available to the Presbyterians, and, after 1925, United Church congregation. The
19301; raw a move towards beautifying and cleaning up the cemetery.

Following the donation of land to the Presbyterians in 1860, the Anglican
congl-egatian made full use of the property to which they would receive title sixteen
Year!; later. The land that the An~licans received was already beino used for inter-
ment!; before 1876. The earliest known burial, John Bell (~13j. tooi place in thir
section. Other early burials here included those of Phiceas and Robert Hulvagh, two
children who died in 1849 and 1854 respectively (A51), and those of the firrt Urthur
HoDD~?~ Merivale and his wife. Anna (A79, A8DI: At least one Presbvterlan. however.
of
seem!; to have slipped in; ~ndrew Davidson, who died in 1864, was buried in d plot
that became part of the Anglican Church property (A76). (5)
Historical accounts of the Church mark 1873 as the year when the Unglican con-
greg.ltian erected its awn place of warrhip.(6) The first service in the new church
was held on Friday, March 20, 1874, by the Rev. .lenmett of RacherterviIle.(7) The
chur8:h was apparently consecrated on May 14 of that year.(81
The land occupied by the Anglican church and cemetery war donated after these
events had taken place. The Anglican Diocese of Ontario received a gift of three-
Quarters of an acre of land fran William Ho~~er his wife. .lane. in a deed dated
and
~8y lo, l876.(g) This property was situatebadjacent to the Presbyterian Church
ProPl?rty which William had previously donated.
The first St. John's Church war apparently free from debt from the start and
was financed by the Anglican residents of the area.(lO) At the time it was part of
the liirrion of 'lepean formed in 1873 which also included St. Paul's (now St. Luke's
Ottawa) and All Saints, Wertboro.(ll) Between 1893 and 1898, St. John's became a
separate parish.
The Hoppers continued to play an important part in the church and cemetery:
lihen the church war clared for repairs about 1902 rervicer were occasionally held in
the parlour of the home of George 8. Hopper. The church war repaired by Arthur
Hopp?r and rervicer rerumed in the sacred place in 1903. Vestry minutes point to
furt'ler renovations being made in 1905 and 1926.(12)
Cemetery lot raler varied considerably over the years. In 1910, lots sold in
the 4nglican cemetery totalled 421 .(13) They amounted to $147.50 in 1915. Proceeds
~~ . ~. .~
for 1923 were $46. $53 for 1424. $70 far 1925. and 941 far 1926. Anolicans could
.~
~-
-,
~
~
either ~urchare and maintain loti in the Unalican section or lots in the
privateiy-operated Merlvale Cemetery sectioi which had more room to spare