Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church - Richmond Hill, ON - Presbyterian Churches on Waymarking.com

The Presbyterian congregation in Richmond Hill is one of the oldest in York County. The Sunday School, which began meeting in 1811 in a log schoolhouse erected by James Miles, is second oldest in Ontario. As the Sunday School was often the sole source of education for children of pioneers, this was an important addition to the fledgling village of Richmond Hill.

Until the arrival of Reverend William Jenkins in 1817, various itinerant ministers served the congregation, which met in Abner Miles' store and tavern. In 1821, the first frame church was built in 1821 on land allocated to the church on Miles family property, by James Miles. The church buildings at the site included the frame church, a manse, which was moved to Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto in 1978, and a drive shed. The Miles family burial ground also became part of the church site. The 1806 grave marker of Abner Miles, James' father is the oldest in the present day cemetery. William Jenkins is said to have selected his own grave site there, two weeks before his death in September of 1843. In 1840, James Miles deeded land to the congregation, with the official transaction being registered in 1844 with a payment of 300 pounds to James' heirs, Elizabeth and John Arnold.

In 1849, Reverend James Dick came from Emily, Ontario to serve Richmond Hill. Under his leadership, the congregation became the largest in Upper Canada in both number and financial position and maintained this status into the 1870s. In 1877, Reverend Isaac Campbell in time to occupy the new manse built the year before. During his ministry, the church building currently standing was constructed in 1880 and opened for services in May 1881. The building was constructed of the buff brick used in St. Mary's Anglican and the Richmond Hill Methodist Churches. It possessed a unique squared-off steeple design, unlike those of the three other churches on the skyline at the time. The interior of the church has changed somewhat from the 1880s, notably with the addition of a fine organ in the 1920s.

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Presbyterian Denomination: Presbyterian Church in Canada Status: Active House of Worship Address: 10066 Yonge Street Richmond Hill, ON Canada L4C 1T8 Date Built: The church building currently standing was constructed in 1880 and opened for services in May 1881 Architect: unknown Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   10/14/2011 InGodsHands visited it