News Of Hay Bay Church
Our 1996 Visitors
Numbers: It was a wet summer and the numbers were a few hundred less than in `95. The Guest Book recorded 200 visitors June 8, 9, and 15-30; July, 417; August, 601; and September 1-23, 197: for a total of 1415. The Custodians counted 1686, though undoubtedly many were missed. Most were from Ontario, 63 from other provinces. Other signers came from 21 States, 11 European countries, plus, Jamaica, Japan, China and Korea. Group visits brought two vanloads from The Towers Nursing Home in Port Hope, 3 carloads from Edith Rankin United Church's U.C.W. Unit 4, and a group of 32 from an Elderhostel program. Three weddings were celebrated in the church, plus a Masonic service and the annual Pilgrimage Service.
Annual Pilgrimage Service
ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE SERVICE
at the HAY BAY CHURCH Adolphustown, Ontario
Sunday, August 24, 1997, at 3 p.m.
Guest Speaker:
The Rev. Dr. A. Leonard Griffith
The Escape of Lydia Hayward
Feature Story
The ESCAPE of LYDIA HAYWARD
A poignant scenario from the War of 1812 wherein Lydia Hayward struggles to find her husband-turned-deserter.
Wm. Case’s Wartime Ministry
Rev. William Case (1780-1855) became involved in the War of 1812 by chance. Having served in Upper Canada and New York state since 1805, he was at this time the Presiding Elder of the Oneida District of the Genesee Conference. With the help of Joseph Kincaid, the preacher on the Black River circuit, and one other, he was preparing for a camp meeting. The booming of cannons drew him to the battleground-where Lydia Hayward's husband Joshua, was one of the soldiers defending the harbour.
New Books, Videos and Software
NEW BOOKS, VIDEOS & SOFTWARE
Please remember that this is a replica of a page in Volume 5 of the Hay Bay Guardian and these are not current product offerings!
Recap: O. Robinson Casey and “Casey At The Bat.”
In the 1994 issue of the Hay Bay Guardian, we did a biography of William Casey (1760-1842), one of the subscribers of 1792. We also featured his great-grandson, Orrin Robinson Casey, a native of Newburgh, Ontario, who claimed to be the original model for Ernest L. Thayer's immortal poem, "Casey at the Bat," first published in the San Francisco Examiner on 3 June 1888. A bit of a nagging doubt made us send off an enquiry to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. We are grateful for a recent reply from Public Services Librarian, Timothy J. Wiles, who sent us a great deal of enlightening material, to which we now refer.
Subscribers of 1792 – #9 Arra Ferguson
THE SUBSCRIBERS OF 1792
A SERIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL VIGNETTES OF THE TWENTY-TWO SUBSCRIBERS WHO ARE SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "THE FOUNDERS" OF THE HAY BAY CHURCH
No. 9 Arra Ferguson, U.E. (1769-1853)
Subscribers of 1792 – #10 Peter Frederick
THE SUBSCRIBERS OF 1792
A SERIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL VIGNETTES OF THE TWENTY-TWO SUBSCRIBERS WHO ARE SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "THE FOUNDERS" OF THE HAY BAY CHURCH
No. 10 Peter Frederick, U.E. (1755-1811)
Subscribers of 1792 – #11 Stophel (Christopher) German
THE SUBSCRIBERS OF 1792
A SERIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL VIGNETTES OF THE TWENTY-TWO SUBSCRIBERS WHO ARE SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "THE FOUNDERS" OF THE HAY BAY CHURCH
No.11 Stophel (Christopher) German,U.E. (1767-1840)
Who’s Next in the Subscribers Series?
Thus far, we are half-way in covering the twenty-two subscribers of 1792. God-willing, this will be our schedule in portraying the next eleven persons (in alphabetical order):
Recent Deaths
Ruth Marion Hart (nee Roblin), wife of Dr. Sam Hart of Picton, passed away on 4 October 1996. She had been a trustee of the Hay Bay church for over 20 years, and chairperson of the Board 1978-82. Although she had battled with cancer for 26 years, nevertheless she kept immensely busy in many community activities, especially Picton United Church and the Hospital Auxiliary, as well as managing a drug store. Ruth was proud of her U.E. heritage. She grew up in Adolphustown, where her brother, Jack Roblin, resides. Jack is still an active trustee of the Hay Bay Church.
The Canadian Methodist Historical Society
If you'd like to explore more about Methodism, drop in on, their annual meeting. In 1997, it will be held at Emmanuel College, Victoria University, in Toronto. You don't have to be a member, you can drop in and sample a session or two. It begins on Sunday evening, June 22nd, with a worship service in the chapel, followed by an opening address. On Monday, well-prepared papers will be delivered on "Methodist Books of Discipline," "Wesleyan Sanctification and Women," "An Examination of Wesley's Understanding of Christian Perfection," and "The Ecclesiology of Enthusiasm: The Methodist Case."
Etcetera – Some Words from the Editor
Historical research never ends-but it must finish. This issue of the Hay Bay Guardian has been difficult to wrap up as new bits of information continued to surface. A special thanks to Bob Freeman for his article on Arra Ferguson. We hope others may contribute to this journal.
The Amazing Loyalist Country Adventure
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 20-21, 1997, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
First held last year, it was a resounding success, with over a thousand passports (ticket to all events) sold before it began. This year Adolphustown Township will officially join in, thus enabling our Hay Bay Church to participate. The church will be open, with guides in period costumes for the occasion.
More About Rev. Samuel Coate
Research never seems to finish. In the 1994 issue of the Hay Bay Guardian, the story of Samuel Coate was given [see "Samuel Coate; A Fallen Meteor," pages 11-18]. He served over ten years in Canada, married a niece of Barbara Heck, and was the chief instrument in building the first Methodist chapel in Montreal, touring England and the States to raise funds for it. At that time we had no dates of his birth or death.
Flashback
HISTORIC, HAY BAY CHURCH WINDOW FRAMES VISITORS TO 1971 SERVICE
This photograph by Al Capon appeared in the Kingston Whig-Standard following the Annual Pilgrimage and Service of Sunday, August 29th, 1971.
Back Page – The German Farm
The farm was on the north shore of Hay Bay, the fourth concession of Adolphustown Township.
The Gosport Methodist Church was erected on their property about 1868.