Microfilm F797-Early Baptist Records of St. George, NB

Microfilm F797

Elizabeth Toy Collection

Provincial Archives New Brunswick

transcribed by Doreen Houston April 2008

St. George Baptist Church Records:

A. Church Register begins 1839; early history, minutes to 1904, baptisms, marriages & deaths

B. Minutes, baptisms, deaths etc 1863-1868

C. Church Records 1904-1928

D. Church Records 1928-1946

E. Church Records 1948-1959.

Early History of the First Baptist Church in St. George

[NOTE: parts of some pages were dark, and therefore difficult to read]

“The Baptist Church in St. George was formed in 1806 by Rev. Isaac Case.

“The Baptist Church in St. George County Charlotte The Province of NB

In 1796 the Rev. Edward Manning came to St. George and Preached the gospel with the Holy Ghost Sent down from Heaven. Soon after his Brother James Manning came also who was of Minister of Christ. A great Revival of Religion took place & many poor Sinners were converted to God. The next year Mr. Manning and Mr. Allin visited St. George & the work of God again revived & many more [were converted?] unto God.

“In 1806 Rev. Isaac Case & Rev. McHale from the United States visited St. George. Elder Case Baptized those who professed faith in Christ and formed them into a Church. The following were the members of the first Church in this place Stuart Seely, Robeca Seely, Da___(?) Milliken, Nancy Milliken, Charlotte Milliken, John Oliver, Deborah Oliver, Polly Boldwen, John Headack.

“In 1820 Rev. Duncan Dunbar re-organized the church & laboured with them for the space of two years. His Ministry was ____(?) Blest in giving instruction to the people of _____(?) In the awakening of souls & in sewing the _____(?) [“of seed” crossed out] of divine truth which sprung(?) of _____(?) Bore fruit in years afterward.

“From the time he left until 1832 the _____(?) Was destitute of a Pastor. During this _____(?) They were almost wholly destitute of the _____(?)ing of the Gospel. The Missionary _____(?) Of Rev. Mr. Ainsley(?) _____(?) about the year 1830. Many were [converted?] & considerable additions were made to the church.

“In the year 1832 the Rev. Samuel Robinson who was formerly a Presbyterian was ordained in(?) August 4^th their Pastor by Bretheren Crandal & McCully. He continued in this office untill the year 1840 when he took his dismission & became the Pastor of the first Baptist church in the City of St. John NB. While Pastor of the church his labours were greatly blessed in the conversion of souls & in gathering in those who had obtained hopes, but had not publickly professed the Savour. Although the branch at Bocabek was dismissed and was organized into a separate church, yet when Brother Robinson gave up the charge of the church it numbered upwards of 300 members.

“May 25^th 1839 St. George 1^st Falls the conference meeting to be held on the last Saturday in each month in future.”

Further on in the minutes: “The months of December [1844] January & February [1845] passed away nothing Special taking place. The Pastor Preaching Twice every Lords day at the Lower Falls and once at the Upper Mills and administering the Cemmunion once every Month in both Sections of the Church when the following application for dismissions was made by a number of members living at Mascarine Letete & Back Bay to form a Separate Church under the Care of the Rev. James Walker.”

The following is taken from a letter to the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, St. George; from Baptist members residing at “Mascareen, Back Bay and Letete”; dated at Letete, March 4^th 1845; signed “In behalf of the Church” by Joseph Catharine, Clerk; contained the names of 137 members:

“ ... we want to have out Names in one Book and act for ourselves and be organized into a Church by ourselves so We want you to send the Dismission of the Names sent with this Letter ....”

1. Flora Sutherland

68. Richard Cook 2nd

2. Andrew Sutherland

69. John Cook 3rd

3. Catherine Sutherland

70. Richard Cook

4. Elizabeth Rourke

71. Eliza Cook

5. Margaret Rourke

72. William Harris

6. Susan Rourke

73. Matilda Harril

7. Deborah Low

74. James Palmer

8. Jane Low

75. Hepsthibeth Palmer

9. Archibald McDiarmid

76. Betsy Palmer

10. Margaret Henderson

77. Nancy Palmer

11. Duncan Stuart

78. William Hopper

12. Mrs. Duncan Stewart

79. Hannah Hopper

13. Peter Cameron

80. Benjamin Hopper

14. Elizabeth Cameron

81. Catharine Hopper

15. Francis Low

82. HenryCook

16. Elizabeth Low

83. Jane Cook

17. Alexie McCloud

84. Peter Cook

18. Robert Low

85. Hannah Cook

19. Frances Walker

86. John Cook 2nd

20. Jamew Low

87. Ann Cook

21. Richard Randal

88. Thomas Oliver

22. Jarvis Clarck

89. Susan Oliver

23. James McVicar

90. Samuel Craig

24. Mercy McVicar

91. Phebe Craig

25. Mary Ann McVicar

92. James Craig.

26. Jane McVicar

93. James Magee

27. John McVicar 3

94. Rachael Magee

28. John McVicar 1st

95. Betsy Magee

29. John McVicar 2

96. Rachel Magee 2

30. Elizabeth Mathers

97. Nathaniel Harris(?)

31. George Low

98. Peter Lassely

32. Elizabeth Mahoney

99. David Lovett

33. James Mahoney

100. Sarah Lovett

34. Jane Dick 2

101. Christy Lovett

35. John Dick

102. James Robinson

36. Peter Cathro

103. Nancy Kelly

37. Ann Cathro

104. John Wentworth

38. Alexander Cathro

105. Mary Wentworth

39. Sarah Cathro

106. Thomas Tucker

40. George Green

107. Samuel Tucker

41. Malinda Green

108. Martha Tucker

42. Mary McMahon

109. Gilbert Green

43. Edward Green

110. Hannah Green

44. Susan Green

111. Charlotte Holmes

45. Mary Thompson

112. Abigail Holmes

46. Eleanor Thompson

113. Richard Roex

47. Margaret Grearson

114. Elizabeth Holmes

48. Samuel Grearson

115. Hannah Holmes

49. Joanna Grearson

116. Sarah Cilley

50. Clement Grearson

117. Eliza Mathis

51. Jane Grearson

118. Sarah Mathis 2

52. William Larence

119. James Dick

53. Mary Anne(?) Larence

120. Simeon Hilyard

54. George Larence

121. Hannah Hilyard

55. Nancy Larence

122. Thomas Wentworth

56. James Powers

123. Martha Wentworth

57. John McLeace

124. Dennis Hoit

58. Archibald McLeace

125. Elizabaeth Hoit

59. Margaret McLeace

126. Sarah Hoit

60. Mary McLeace

127. Jane Hoit

61. Benjamin French

128. Elizabeth Catharine

62. Jane French

129. John Catharine

63. Daniel Harris

130. Anna Francis

64. Lucy Harris

131. Margaret Mathers

65. Samuel Hopper

132. Susan Dick

66. Sarah Hopper

133. Thomas Dick

67. Abigail Hopper

134. George Dick

135. Eliza Dick

136. James Low

137. Samuel Dick.

Further on in the minutes, it was noted that a meeting took place in the Letete Meeting House on 31^st March 1845. “The following members wished to adhere to the Parent Church for a season”:

“and the aforesaid Members by virtue of said Resolutions of the Church are hereby dismissed to form an independent Church of the Baptist Faith and order called the Second Baptist Church in the Parish of St. George.”