Most residents were of true Orange and Irish stock
History of Creemore Presbyterian Church
The following was written by the Presbyterian minister in Creemore in 1913 and appeared in The Creemore Star, Dec. 18, 1913:
The origin of Creemore Presbyterian Church does not go back to Adam, but it does begin with an Isaac. In 1845, a sturdy Irish Canadian, Isaac Woods, his wife and child, invaded the wilderness of South Nottawasaga and located on the old homestead of Purple Hill. There was just one settler ahead of him, James Wilcox, and William Leonard followed the next year.
The said Isaac Woods, being a zealous Presbyterian, in due time came in touch with Rev. John Campbell, M.A., of Duntroon. There were no churches at that time, but this great pathfinder of Presbyterianism in the Georgian Bay district, held meetings in the hospitable shanties of the first settlers. One of these tabernacles was the Joseph Honeyford homestead on the fourth line where John Hisey, Jr. now resides (north of Creemore).
There is no doubt but the above mentioned minister and members got acquainted here, because as soon as Purple Hill began to be fully settled Rev. John Campbell extended his exploring trips, and it was at the house of Isaac Woods where he made his first visits. Or to reverse it, as soon as the church was built in the Scotch settlement on the fourth line north (Ballygrant near Highway 91), we have a vision of “Daddy” Woods on horseback and “Granny” Woods, his wife, on another, riding down the valley of the Mad River, then up the glorious Ten Hill and onward to church. Hence, whichever way you look at it, this same Isaac Woods and his good wife appear.
We are thus introduced to the first chapter of the chronicles which is the Campbell regime. That is, from the day “Daddy” Woods arrived to the time of the first missionary, Mr. McLennan, was appointed in 1863 there are eighteen years. It is somewhat like a pre- historic age, where only glimpses remain of its long and interesting story. But such slight traces are all the more valuable because they have imprinted themselves upon the memory. It was the period of bees and birthdays and nothing builds up a country better than to have bees for house-building and a fine stock of healthy children to fill them. It was the pure and unadulterated life in the bush, where it was said that they had to kill a man to start a cemetery. This refers to an accident and is more humorous than historic.
It was on account of serious illness and death that the visits of the first ministers are remembered. The case of Jean Kelly of Duntroon who became the wife of Allan Flack, was the first. Rev. John Campbell attended her funeral. The old paraphrase was sung: ‘Few are thy days, and full of woe/ O man, of woman born!/ Thy doom is written, dust thou are/ And shall to dust return.’
The sermon was on the text, ‘In thy Father’s house there are many mansions.’ There were no hearses or mahogany coffins, but hands were just as gentle and hearts as warm as those today. The handmade casket was placed on a lumber wagon and all the mourners walked in solemn procession to the graveyard.
If it were difficult to secure ministers in times of sickness and death, it was sometimes hard to find one to perform a marriage ceremony. And young folk began to love each other very early on Purple Hill. It is reported that a wedding party once got all things ready for the trip to the manse at Duntroon. They walked down through Dunedin and over the hills to the eighth concession. They had no rural mail delivery to send ahead or telephones to make a special appointment. Hence, to their dismay, they found the minister absent on one of his missionary tours, not to return for several days. Mrs. Campbell was not slow in reading their hearts, but she could only advise them to come back again. In fact the story goes that she offered a more speedy solution. ‘If you think,’ said she, ‘that I could say the words.’ The sturdy sons of the Mulmur hills however, would take no chances, but made an appointment for the same day the week after when the knot was securely tied.
There was another important interest taking strong root on Purple Hill. The very name of the locality suggests the fact. The Orange Society had a little log hall built about the same time as the church was erected. The wonder is that the community had not been called Ulster because most of its inhabitants were of true Orange and Irish stock. At any rate, the call, ‘Fall in, 193 Purple Hill,’ rang out on many a notable Twelfth of July (Orangemen’s Day).
It appears that Rev. John Campbell saw very early that the church on the fourth line (Ballygrant) could not serve the growing settlement on Purple Hill, because he gave occasional services in homes such as Isaac Woods and Alex MacArthur. Those gatherings are well remembered. For seats, the men just went to the woodpile where they found some fine big blocks on which to rest the planks. The choir was made up of a group of women.
To be continued…
Helen Blackburn is a retired teacher, avid gardener and a long-time contributor to The Creemore Echo. She writes about local history.
