The Quebec Presbytery

Tighsolas camping photo. Maybe these are Sherbrooke teachers. Hmmn. they appear to be passing around a cigarette. I believe smoking was an ourtrageous act in those days for women.

Hmm. Today, I looked for information on how woodstoves work and found an entire blog right here that answered my questions. http://goodtimestove.blogspot.com/.

Then I decided to look for recipes Marg may have cooked and I found, on Gutenberg a recipe book from 1900, compiled by the church ladies of St. Andrew’s, Quebec.

Is this Presbyterian, I wondered. Then I found, in the photo album I mentioned last time, “The Statistical and Financial Report” for the Presbytery of Quebec 1895 and 6.

St. Andrew’s Quebec is one of their churches. Chalmer’s is the Richmond ‘branch’.

In 1896 that Dr. Kelloch was minister. In 1897 Norman was treasurer, I know from another document.(He is trying to pay off church debt.)

In 1908, when my Flo in the City story begins, the Kellochs are shunning Margaret at meetings of the missionary society, as are others. Margaret does not write why. I will make it because of her vocal support of suffrage. (Not that the Presbyterians were against women’s suffrage, they were not.)But Kelloch is no longer Minister. A Carmichael is (and later he leaves for another congregation in Ontario and they ‘try out’ Minsters… Indeed, in early 1909, there is a meeting of the Presbytery because one of their ministers is ‘called to Ottawa.’ Flora is a delegate. “He will go but they must go through the form, “writes Margaret. Also in 1912 there is a vote for church union with the Methodistes. (all in the story!). The Nicholsons are against it. (It eventually goes through in 1927)

In 1896, there were eighteen churches in the Presbytery. (Montreal must have had a different one.) Two at Quebec, one at Levis, St. Sylvestre and Leeds Village, Inverness, Leeds, Three Rivers (J. R. McLeod brother to Margaret?)Danville, Richmond,Melbourne, Kingsbury and Flodden,Upper and Lower Windsor, Sherbrooke, Sawyerville,Scotstown, Hampden,Lingwick, Marsboro, Winslow. Leeds had the most families (huh?) then Sherbrooke, the two in Quebec, then Richmond at 100 families. The average for family for stipend for all congregations was 9.68. The Nicholson accounts include Minster’s stipend.

There were 88 families in Kingsbury-Flodden parish (where the McLeods and Nicholsons came from) but you know, in 2005 my husband and I went down there looking for Kingsbury and couldn’t find it. No one we talked to knew where it had been.