Knox United Church, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada -- History

Knox Presbyterian prior to additions
Knox United Church
Corner of 9th Street East
and 4th Avenue East
in Downtown Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

Box 361, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5P5
knoxos@bmts.com

519-376-4684

Our Beginnings
Knox Owen Sound marks its official beginning from 4 June 1846, when the Hamilton Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland in Canada recognized the congregation "now existing in Sydenham" [Owen Sound] and directed its missionary James Sutherland to give "spiritual supervision to the flock therein." A year later, the congregation applied for its own minister. The presbytery sent Rev. John McKinnon on 14 April 1848. Before the arrival of Rev. McKinnon, itinerant ministers served the Presbyterians of this area. Rev. Meldrum and Smiley of the Free Church visited Sydenham. They held the first sacrament during their visit in the upper flat of Kilbourn Tannery. The tannery was located near present day 10th Street and 2nd Avenue East .

Chalmer's Free Church

The first church was a hewed log building built in 1849. It was large enough to hold about 200 worshippers according to the 1851/52 census. The Free Presbyterian Church Congregation of Sydenham was granted by order in council the land at lots 4, 5, 6, 7 on the north side of Union Street (8th Street East). The property began at the brow of the hill and went about half way up the block. The exact position of the church building is not known. The original request was for land for a church and a manse.
log building clip art

The property for the cemetery was east of Garafraxa Road (9th Avenue East). It was to be a community cemetery. The cemetery was closed in about 1858. The land was clay and there were problems burying in the ground because water would rush into the graves.

The site of what was later known as Chalmer's Church did not satisfy all members of the congregation and later caused a split. Some wanted the Church in the village itself while others preferred a site at "Kennedy's Corner" (9th Avenue and 8th Street East ). Chalmer's Free Presbyterian Church had church services alternating in English and Gaelic. In 1856, Chalmer's Church, the parent to Annan, Division Street Presbyterian and Knox Presbyterian congregations became history.

Knox Presbyterian Church
The church on lot 11 Boyd Street (5th Avenue East) was built about 1856. According to The First Hundred Years being a History of Knox United Church Owen Sound by Rev. Allan H. Ferry (1946), the congregation moved from the hill to the newly erected wooden structure in March 1857. The church did not receive the deed to the property until 12 December 1865. The congregation worshipped here until 1873.

This picture has been taken from a photograph that appeared in an Owen Sound newspaper showing the militia training for the Fenian Raids and the building was identified as Knox Presbyterian Church.

Knox Presbyterian on Boyd
Knox Presbyterian Church on Boyd Street

During the ministry of Rev. Duncan Morrison, the old frame building became too small for the congregation and plans began for a new one. In 1869, the site of the present building was purchased. In 1873, the main section of the present Knox was completed, opened and dedicated. Rev. Duncan Morrison visited his native Scotland and secured funds for the church bell.

As the congregation grew, there was an need to enlarge the sanctuary. In 1886 the building was enlarged. After worshipping in the Town Hall for several months while construction was underway, the congregation moved back into what the 13 May 1886 Advertiser described as "the most attractive and capicious Christian temple in Owen Sound". The sanctuary was described as: ..

Sketch of Church mid 1870s
Knox Presbyterian Church ca 1875

ninety feet long, sixty-feet wide, with capacious amphitheatre galleries on both sides and end, capable of seating about one thousand people. The semicircular seats in the body of church are a decided improvement in the seating plans of any other church in town, and the plan of having the choir nearly on a level with the Minister's platform, we think also a great improvement. . . .

All the wood and other work seems to be of first class style, especially that on the Minister's platform, pulpit or desk and the flower stands and the other fixtures about it. We believe the work was all done by Mr. Andrew Horn, our well known adept, in first class cabinet and other fine wood work.

Knox Owen Sound Sanctuary 2006
Present sanctuary showing the 3 balconies.

It is interesting to note the comment in the same article:

On Monday evening instead of the almost inevitable ‘Tea Meeting' which is usually given in connection with church openings, a meeting was held, Mrs Scott said, for the purpose of bringing the Ministers and people of the different churches into closer sympathy with each other, and of showing to the world, that while they were marshalled under different names, they were all battling under the same Captain

Sunday school classes commenced in 1857, but it wasn't until May 17, 1908, an impressive Sunday School area was built. The Sunday School's architectural style is the Akron Plan which has a large open space, surrounded by classrooms on two levels. Currently, Sunday School classes are held on the upper floor. Offices, the nursery, parlour, kitchenette and heritage room are located on the main floor.
Knox United Church Owen Sound ca 1910

The church building, viewed from 9th Street East, after the Sunday School addition.

When World War 1 ended November 11, 1918, 22 men of Knox had made the Supreme Sacrifice. To their memory, the congregation dedicated the new Casavant Memorial Organ on September 14, 1919. It replaced the organ built in 1889 by former Owen Sound resident, Walter Spencer.

Knox United Church
Knox hosted the 1924 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Here the Presbyterians voted to form the United Church of Canada, comprising Presbyterians, Methodists and Congregationalists. The key to the city of Owen Sound and the photograph of the participants at that event hang in the 9th Street entrance

Church membership increased rapidly until church union, which in 1925 created the United Church of Canada. 284 of the 1085 members of Knox rejected union and left to form St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

Toronto Conference met in Owen Sound in June 1940 with Knox acting as host church. This was the first time Toronto Conference was held away from Toronto.

From September 1940 to January 1945, Rev. Allan H. Ferry was on military service. During his absence, several ministers occupied the pulpit for varying periods. Again Knox lost members during the war. A large wooden plaque listing all who served during the First and Second World Wars serves as a reminder of the costs of war. Gold stars mark the names of those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

In 1995, after several congregational meetings, the original Church steeple, which was in poor repair, was removed and replaced with a smaller one.

The church building has been added to the City of Owen Sound Heritage Register

Top of Page
Photograph of sanctuary courtesy of Carol-Ann Barrett. Photograph of building ca 1910 George Allison
Page updated May 5, 2007. Copyright Knox United Church Owen Sound

The first church was a hewed log building built in 1849. It was large enough to hold about 200 worshippers according to the 1851/52 census. The Free Presbyterian Church Congregation of Sydenham was granted by order in council the land at lots 4, 5, 6, 7 on the north side of Union Street (8th Street East). The property began at the brow of the hill and went about half way up the block. The exact position of the church building is not known. The original request was for land for a church and a manse.
The property for the cemetery was east of Garafraxa Road (9th Avenue East). It was to be a community cemetery. The cemetery was closed in about 1858. The land was clay and there were problems burying in the ground because water would rush into the graves. The site of what was later known as Chalmer's Church did not satisfy all members of the congregation and later caused a split. Some wanted the Church in the village itself while others preferred a site at "Kennedy's Corner" (9th Avenue and 8th Street East ). Chalmer's Free Presbyterian Church had church services alternating in English and Gaelic. In 1856, Chalmer's Church, the parent to Annan, Division Street Presbyterian and Knox Presbyterian congregations became history.
Knox Presbyterian Church The church on lot 11 Boyd Street (5th Avenue East) was built about 1856. According to The First Hundred Years being a History of Knox United Church Owen Sound by Rev. Allan H. Ferry (1946), the congregation moved from the hill to the newly erected wooden structure in March 1857. The church did not receive the deed to the property until 12 December 1865. The congregation worshipped here until 1873. This picture has been taken from a photograph that appeared in an Owen Sound newspaper showing the militia training for the Fenian Raids and the building was identified as Knox Presbyterian Church.	Knox Presbyterian Church on Boyd Street
During the ministry of Rev. Duncan Morrison, the old frame building became too small for the congregation and plans began for a new one. In 1869, the site of the present building was purchased. In 1873, the main section of the present Knox was completed, opened and dedicated. Rev. Duncan Morrison visited his native Scotland and secured funds for the church bell. As the congregation grew, there was an need to enlarge the sanctuary. In 1886 the building was enlarged. After worshipping in the Town Hall for several months while construction was underway, the congregation moved back into what the 13 May 1886 Advertiser described as "the most attractive and capicious Christian temple in Owen Sound". The sanctuary was described as: ..	Knox Presbyterian Church ca 1875
ninety feet long, sixty-feet wide, with capacious amphitheatre galleries on both sides and end, capable of seating about one thousand people. The semicircular seats in the body of church are a decided improvement in the seating plans of any other church in town, and the plan of having the choir nearly on a level with the Minister's platform, we think also a great improvement. . . . All the wood and other work seems to be of first class style, especially that on the Minister's platform, pulpit or desk and the flower stands and the other fixtures about it. We believe the work was all done by Mr. Andrew Horn, our well known adept, in first class cabinet and other fine wood work.	Present sanctuary showing the 3 balconies.
It is interesting to note the comment in the same article: On Monday evening instead of the almost inevitable ‘Tea Meeting' which is usually given in connection with church openings, a meeting was held, Mrs Scott said, for the purpose of bringing the Ministers and people of the different churches into closer sympathy with each other, and of showing to the world, that while they were marshalled under different names, they were all battling under the same Captain
Sunday school classes commenced in 1857, but it wasn't until May 17, 1908, an impressive Sunday School area was built. The Sunday School's architectural style is the Akron Plan which has a large open space, surrounded by classrooms on two levels. Currently, Sunday School classes are held on the upper floor. Offices, the nursery, parlour, kitchenette and heritage room are located on the main floor.	The church building, viewed from 9th Street East, after the Sunday School addition.