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The Blue Church

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2004

Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted December, 2010

Plaque Location

The United Counties of Leeds & Grenville
The Township of Augusta
On the northwest corner of
Road 2 and Blue Church Road (Road 31)
6.1 km east of Maitland

Coordinates: N 44 40.787 W 75 33.638

Plaque Text

On January 1, 1790, inhabitants of Augusta and Elizabethtown townships agreed to build a church here in the "burying yard" of the proposed town of "New Oswegatchie". Subscriptions were inadequate and nothing was built by 1804 when Barbara Heck, the founder of Methodism in Upper Canada, was buried here. In 1809, Anglicans of Augusta and Elizabethtown built a frame chapel, later called the "Blue Church", which served the parish until St. James, Maitland, was opened in 1826. The "Blue Church", unconsecrated, rarely used for services and in bad repair, was partially burned and taken down in 1840. The present small blue church was built in 1845.

Related Ontario plaque
St. James Church 1826

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Churches

More
Augusta Plaques

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted December 27, 2013
My grandfather made a trip to the Blue Church in 1895 with his 2 brothers, father & mother expressly to see the graves of Paul & Barbara Heck. My great grandfather, John Thomas Norwood Braithwaite, was a Methodist minister in Lakeside, Ohio, but grew up on his father's (Richard Braithwaite) farm in Cardinal (after arriving from England when JTN was an infant). My grandfather wrote a small book with illustrations, narrative, and poetry to commemorate the trip. There is a whole chapter on their visit to the Blue Church.

> Posted June 13, 2012
Really a shame that one cannot read names or dates on many of these old stones.

> Posted June 7, 2012
The Blue Church hosts an annual memorial service the first Sunday in July at 1:30 pm. The 2012 service will be Sunday July 1, followed by a Dessert Auction with proceeds to the Blue Church. Bring a lawn chair.

> Posted September 12, 2010
My name is Don Shorts. My family was instrumental in promoting Methodism in both New York state and Ontario Canada. One of our family memebers married Barbara Heck's daughter. I once read in old book on the Methodist Church that a person named Shorts was buried at the Blue Church in Ontario. I would be most interested in learning if this is true and the name of that person. Thanks

> Posted March 3, 2010
I love visiting the Blue Church. Every time I see it, it feels like I've been transported to another era, and it exudes a feeling of quiet piety. It's a beautiful piece of Eastern Ontario history, and kudos for keeping it so well preserved.
Sherri Paterson, Kingston

> Posted January 19, 2009
There are some beautiful, old (and historic) headstones in the "burying yard". I have some lovely photos taken on a trip made a few years ago. Anneke

> Posted January 10, 2009
For anyone coming this way, a stop at this picturest little church will not be a disapointment. I live not too far from the church and have used it in many of my photo displays. Stop by and see it for yourself.
John.

> Posted October 13, 2008
My great great grandfather A. G. Ward, son of John Ward, helped rebuild the Little Blue Church. My great grandparents Ellen Bradley and A. G. Browning Ward were married in this church. Many of the Wards and Bradleys are buried here. John and Jane Ward came from England. Their son Nesfield had a brickyard and furnished bricks for many of the old buildings.

> Posted September 9, 2008
I visited the little Blue Church on Sep 9, 2008. I would like to know more about the history and use of this present church. Thank You..Bill Devine Ottawa.

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