Canadian Methodist Historical Society
 

REV. JOSEPH HILTS

Joseph Hilts was born in 1819 in Ontario and Garafraxa's Carmel Methodists were ready for the arrival of him as their first minister, in 1856. He drove with a team and wagon from Smithville in the Niagara Peninsula while his wife and children followed with a horse and buggy.

They seemed to get along quite well until they reached a swamp west of the present site of the Garafraxa Inn, and there the wagon was boggged down completely. A neighbour, William Cassidy, drew them onto high ground with a yoke of oxen. The family spent the night with Felkers and Monkmans, while the neighbours unloaded their possessions at the parsonage.

These episodes and many other are recorded in Rev. Joseph Hilts' book, entitled "Experiences of a Backwoods Preacher", published in 1887, but long out of print. He mentioned that Circuit Riders and Students had been coming to Carmel for about ten years before his arrival.

In 1856, Rev. Joseph Hilts opened a Mission at Hereward, which later became the Victoria Methodist Congregation. From there he went to the home of John Taylor on the 12th line of Garafraxa and held services. Mr. Taylor asked him to go to a new settlement in Luther, and directed him to the home of Samuel Graham where he held meetings every two weeks, although it was a Presyterian group of settlers. These were the first services, in 1856, held at South Luther, which became the mother church of the Grand Valley Presbyterian Church.

One of his stories is about the time he was thrown from his horse, into a mudhole, and arrived at the home of Mr. Taylor on the 12th line, 15 sideroad, for church services, soaking wet.

A frame church was also at Carmel in 1856, when Rev. Hilts arrived. He stayed for two years, then moved to Listowel in March over terrible roads with the furniture loaded on sleighs. Upon his return to Carmel in 1862, they had a stone cottage ready as his parsonage.

Rev. Joseph Hilts stayed until 1865, and was followed by Rev. Robert Tindall.

Buried in Bethel Cemetery, Sunnidale, Simcoe Co.

Charges: 1856-1858 & 1862-1865 Carmel West Garafraxa (Wellington Co.), 1871 St. Vincent (Grey Co.)


Canadian FlagCreated and maintained by: Ken Russell
Questions? E-mail:
[email protected]

Copyright � 2005 Canadian Methodist Historical Society
all rights reserved