'Budding talents and polished performances' delight audience at Mission Band of Trinity United Church variety concert in 1959

A major event of the year in 1959 for the Mission Band of Trinity United Church was a variety concert in the church hall to close its season, according to an article in the Sudbury Star by Margaret 'Maggie' Costello.

"Parents and friends were delighted with the budding talents and polished performances," Maggie wrote.

The concert was directed by Mrs. Adam Andrews, Mrs. James Haddow, Mrs. W.W. Lawrence and Mrs. David Anderson, all of whom directed the Mission Band during the year as well.

Mrs. Cameron Stevens was pianist.

Sylvia Scott welcomed everyone to the conceret and Patricia Bradbury led the opening prayer.

The younger children recited a poem Daisies while the older gave one called Hundreds of Stars. Mission Banders were from age five to eight.

Ricky Collings and Susan Beacock teamed up to recite the poem Little Lamb, followed by the entire group entertaining the audience with a song called 'We are fine musicians'.

Maggie wrote that a highlight of the program was a short play called  'Custard the Dragon' with Shannon Small and Margaret Jean Beacock as narrators. The cast included Betty Lynn Way-White, Carol Ann Hoath, Larry Ruttle, John Lapp and Paul Scott with "excellent performances" by all.

A presentation of a pencil box was made to each of the mothers which Maggie refered to as "cleverly contrived".

Carol Collings gave a brief talk on CARE which the Mission Band supported. CARE is a major international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief as well as undertaking long term international development projects, according to Wikipedia today.

Mrs. Haddow directed a devotional service centred on "Our thoughts go round the world" while Betty Ann Way-White read the scripture.

Mrs. Lawrence and Mrs. Anderson awarded perfect attendance prizes to Susan Beacock, Marie Eveline, Marion Eveline, Allan Small, Margaret Jean Beacock and Shannon Small.

Gifts were presented to Sylvia Scott, Elizabeth Rose, Paul Scott and  Allan Eveleigh who were moving from Chapleau.

The most enjoyable evening ended with Keith Anderson giving thanks to the parents and friends, and Sheila Wright leading a closing prayer.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Trinity United Church youth organizations very active as 1950s drew to a close

Youth organizations were very active at Trinity United Church with new members being initiated into Sigma-C and Explorers as the 1950s drew to a close.

In 1959, three new members, James Crichton, Peter Dowsley and Gerry Bowland were initiated into Sigma-C, a group at the United Church for teenage boys.

They had undertaken a six-week study program before being initiated into Sigma-C.

Parents, relatives and friends gathered at the church for the occasion where along with the initiation there was a program of entertainment followed by a social hour.

Under the direction of C.B. Greenlaw and general supervision by Rev. Douglas Stringer, the United Church minister at the time, Sigma-C provided a wide range of activities for boys aged 12 to 14.

Hostesses for the social part of the evening were Mrs. Joseph Crichton and Mrs. Terry Way-White.

Meanwhile, in 1960, a group of "young ladies" aged nine to 11, according to an article in the Sudbury Star "graduated" into the Explorers group at the church. Explorers was under the direction of Mrs. Adam Andrews and Mrs. A.A. Small.

Jim Crichton, Gerry Bowland, Peter Dowsley, Mr Greenlaw

Lyn Pellow was chief explorer in 1960 while Phyllis Bowland and Betty Andrews were secretary and treasurer respectively. Judy Godemair was pianist.

Prior to being graduated into Explorers the girls had been hard at work with preparations learning the Explorer hymn, purpose, prayer and projects.

To mark the occasion Rev. Leonard Warr, the minister at the church, was present to extend congratulations. He also told the girls they were a vital part of the church.

Although I was not a member of Trinity United Church, I have really enjoyed reading about the activities for youth there when I was a teenager in Chapleau during the 1950s as well as its history from the early days of the community. Once again thanks to the late Doug Greig, we have the history of the church on the Chapleau Public Library site

 I have fond memories of activities at St. John's Anglican Church, as well as those that involved friends from the United Church and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. Those were great days my friends, and I am still in touch with many of you from them. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau no exception in "Because of Her" campaign as women have played vital and important role in community life since its earliest years

Mrs Hands leaves Chapleau as friends wish her well

In 2016, the prime minister Justin Trudeau, announced the celebration of Women's History Month, but it was not until October 18, 1929, women were declared "persons" under Canadian law. The historic legal victory is due to the persistence of five Alberta women -- Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards.

However, in Chapleau, and across Canada, women had been playing an important and vital role in the life of their communities since the founding of the nation in 1867. Much of their good work was associated with church groups, and Chapleau was no exception. 

Although I am focusing on the ladies of Trinity United Church, which was Chapleau Methodist Church, in the early years as an example -- the ladies at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and St John's Anglican Church also contributed greatly.  I will also touch on the Chapleau Red Cross Society.

On April 25, 1898, ladies at Chapleau Methodist Church discussed the formation of a Ladies Aid Society of the Chapleau Methodist Church, which was subsequently formed, according to a church  history. They immediately launched "two worthy projects"  -- the cleaning of the church and improving the vestry which was a small addition at the rear of the church which also housed the minister.

When the brick church was completed, over the years "the ladies worked diligently by having suppers, teas, sales of works, bazaars and bean suppers" raising a considerable amount of "talent' money for the church.

As an aside, in 2016, I think across Canada it remains "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose"!!!

The church history does pay tribute to the pioneer women including Mrs. Harry Pellow, Mrs. Grout, Mrs. George Young, Mrs. R.J. Allen and Mrs. Halliday.  

Stancil (Pellow) Rose was the church organist for over 40 years.

At Trinity United, the name was eventually changed to Women's Association and it became responsible for furnishings for the parsonage, keeping it in good repair, caring for Sunday school rooms, and cleaning and decorating the church.

In 1947, there were 84 members, and it split into two groups.. They provided finances for the building and equipping the church kitchen, building a garage and sun porch for the parsonage and landscaping the grounds.

A search of the members of the church board of stewards shows that no women served in its  history at least until after 1950. 

However, in Chapleau, Mrs Maud Hands, who was actively involved in the work of St. John's and Trinity United (her husband Fred was a member of Trinity United) was also the only president of the Chapleau Red Cross Society branch throughout World War II. Mrs, Hands also has the distinction of being the first women to be elected to Chapleau council in 1947.

The Red Cross society branch was also active during World War I, but interestingly Rev. Father Romeo Gascon of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church was first vice president, and committee members included Rev. C.S Applegarth of Trinity United, Rev. J.N. Blodgett of St. John's and G.B. Nicholson. Mrs. May McMullen was president.

Red Cross members circa 1945

In The Chapleau Boys Go To War, which I co-wrote with my cousin Michael McMullen (his grandmother was May (Mulligan) Mcmullen noted above) we noted that "fingers were never idle" at the Chapleau Red Cross during World War II.as it was doing its part for the war effort. Led by Mrs. Hands the branch met weekly in the Town Hall throughout the war.

Most assuredly Chapleau women have made a most significant contribution to community life, and I have just scratched the surface. As Prime Minister Trudeau said we need to appreciate the "significant achievements and contributions women have made to our great country."

“While we celebrate the progress made, we remain keenly aware of the important work that still needs to be done to achieve true gender equality. By highlighting stories of how women have shaped our lives, we can inspire both current and future generations to continue to fight for a society in which all people feel empowered, and have the same opportunities to reach their full potential, Mr. Trudeau said.

On a very personal note, the "Because of Her" campaign has let me reflect on the contributions the women members of my own family made to Chapleau life since its earliest years, and most importantly too, I have thought about those remarkable women in the community, who influenced and helped me. They also made  Chapleau a better place to live for all its citizens. Thank you so much.

Thanks also to those who assisted me. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Methodist Mission later Trinity United Church established in 1886 by pioneer missionary Rev. Silas Huntington

When construction crews were pushing westward in Canada building the Canadian Pacific Railway, the "Methodists were not far behind", according to a history of Trinity United Church in Chapleau. 

The Methodists sent missionaries  "to minister to the spiritual needs of the men engaged in the construction business". The Church of England (Anglican) and Roman Catholic Church were doing the same thing.

In June 1886, one of the great missionaries of the Methodist church, Rev. Silas Huntington, arrived in Chapleau and conducted services in a partially completed store on Birch Street. Apparently he stayed at the home of Thomas Nicholson, which may have been the first real "private residence" in the fledgling community.

The Huntington University in Sudbury web site says: Our namesake, Silas Huntington, was an itinerant Methodist minister who established more than 100 churches throughout Northeastern Ontario from 1880 to 1905. He explored this region by canoe and train in order to reach out to the loggers, Native peoples, rail road workers and settler families from many parts of the world. He was active in community development throughout the north

He returned about six weeks later with W.P. Boshart, a student minister, who conducted his first services in a large tent at Lorne and Birch Streets. The first Chapleau Methodist Mission church was built where Trinity United Church is today , a small frame building heated by a wood stove with a small vestry at the back where the minister lived.

By 1889. plans were made to build "a large brick parsonage" which was subsequently done, and the house still stands beside the church on Beech Street. 

A Ladies Aid Society was established in 1898 and it undertook many projects to assist the church, including the furniture and furnace for the parsonage, later called the manse.

In 1904, Rev. J.J. Coulter noted that "Chapleau was then almost entirely a railroad town without sewer, running water or electricity." 

However, Chapleau moved forward in the next 10 years significantly in all areas, under the leadership of its first reeve G.B. Nicholson -- although a sewage plant and system were not undertaken until 1950 when B.W. Zufelt was reeve.

A new church was planned by 1906 and in 1908 the cornerstone had been laid for the "cement block church" at Lorne and Beech streets. The original church was moved to Lorne and Pine Streets and became the Doig family residence for many years.

A highlight of the early years occurred in 1919 when a memorial pipe organ was installed. At the service of dedication and unveiling of memorial tablet, Miss Stancil Pellow, a member of one of the community's early families, was the organist and served for over 40 years. She married Tommy Rose. 

Music was so important in those early years, and Trinity United, as it came to be called in 1925 after a merger of four churches, always had a wonderful choir --- as did Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and St. John's Anglican Church.

The first Sunday School was started about 1889, and in due course, its "Hustlers Class" became very popular over many years. Its activities included social events, skiing parties, and even a cabin built at Fox Lake. 

Renovations were undertaken in 1955, and in 1969, the Christian Education Wing was added when Rev. Murray Arnill was the minister.  

Rev. Arnill later became the Chancellor of Huntington University, then Chaplain. He died in April 1914.

On a weekend, the coffee houses in the basement of the church were the place to be for young people of all denominations to be found, and after returning to Chapleau in 1969, to teach at Chapleau High School, I spent many great evenings there --- and later at Murray's kitchen table drinking coffee into the wee small hours. 

In fact, the coffee houses, in part, launched the career of Canadian filmmaker Peter Elliott, who would show his productions to coffee house audiences.,

In the 1970s, it was decided that the cement block church had to be replaced. The Chapleau Sentinel reported that the the new church came into being when Rev. Doug Maclean was minister. "The structure was found unfit for renovation and the congregation had to embark on a new building program." Harry Pellow, the nephew of Stancil Pellow, prepared plans.  Harry was also the architect for the Chapleau General Hospital, Chapleau Civic Centre, Chapleau Recreation Centre, Cedar Grove Lodgel and the golf club house.  The "new" church was dedicated on April 18, 1978.

Happy Easter to all!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Murray Arnill former minister at Trinity United Church in Chapleau dies

Murray on left at official opening of new CHS in 1966

The Reverend Dr. Murray Arnill who was minister at Trinity United Church in Chapleau from 1966 to 1972, died Monday, April 14, 2014 surrounded by his loving family. 

 

During his time in Chapleau, the Christian Education addition to the church called Trinity Hall was opened in 1969.

 

Very much a part in community affairs, Murray served as a member and chair of the Chapleau Board of Education, president of the town hockey league, and chair of the winter carnival committee, among other activities including the Boy Scouts. 

In 1971, he was elected as one of five adults on an advisory board to Chapleau Youth Action, by the young people of Chapleau.

 

Coffee houses for youth in the church basement were the place to be on weekends during his time in Chapleau.

Murray left with George Evans, Manlio Spessot and Scouts

 

 Murray became chancellor of Huntington University later in his career and was awarded a doctorate degree.

 

Here is an obituary, prepared by his children which sums up Murray so well:

 

"Dad is survived by his children Catherine Hill (Francis) of Uxbridge, Tim Arnill of Newmarket, Barbara Taylor (Rob) of Barrie, The Rev. Mark Arnill (Janyce) of Deseronto and by his 14 grandchildren who love him and will miss him.

 

 "A poet, a friend, a Dad, a shepherd, a mentor and a fellow traveller; with humble joy and hard work, Dad served the various churches and larger body of believers as he worked throughout northern Ontario during his ministry and well into retirement. 

 

 "His door was open to both friend and stranger alike and the coffee was always on. It is with sadness that we acknowledge his death. It is with thankfulness that we celebrate his life. And it is with a certain sense of awe that we acknowledge Dad's amazingly wide open arms that welcomed any and everybody. Our family is huge! Thanks Dad. "Well done, good and faithful servant!" 

 

Family and friends received at the LOW & LOW FUNERAL HOME , 23 Main St. S., Uxbridge (905-852-3073) for visitation on Friday, April 25, 2014 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. 

 

Funeral service was to take place Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Trinity United Church, 20 First Avenue, Uxbridge at 1 p.m. with a reception to follow in the church hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Huntington University, Sudbury or your local church would be appreciated. For online condolences, please visit www.lowandlow.ca12749043

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Agnes Freeborn organizes successful Chapleau Senior Citizens Club with first executive elected at meeting in park in 1973

Chapleau Seniors in the Park 1973

The enthusiastic response to the week long round of activities during Senior Citizens Week in 1973 resulted in the formation of the Chapleau Senior Citizens Club.

Mrs. Agnes Freeborn was the organizing force behind the formation of the club, and acted as president until an executive could be formed. Mrs. Freeborn called a meeting at the senior citizens park on the site of the old Chapleau High School which was attended by about 40 senior citizens. She gave an outline of what she felt the club could accomplish, adding she felt it was time to "get the ball rolling" and not let the opportunity pass as it had on previous occasions.

The group agreed, and by the end of the meeting an executive had been elected with Mrs. Freeborn declining to accept the position of president. 

Mrs. Min Blackburn was elected president while Ernest Gilbert became first vice president and Margaret Costello second vice president. Helen Grout was elected treasurer, Charlie Swanson, assistant treasurer, Einar Pearson, secretary and Mrs. Mary Mizuguchi, assistant treasurer. Within a year Mrs. Freeborn had become one of the vice presidents.

Two meetings a month were planned, one for business and one for social activities.

Writing in the Sault Star about Senior Citizens Week, Maggie Costello noted that senior citizens had held the spotlight with events that included a bowling evening, a talent show, an evening of cards, a dance, the official opening of the park and a bus trip to Dubreuilville for mass.

Maggie wrote that at the tea, the talent show and the dance, the generation gap just about disappeared which was nice to see. She made special note of the work done by Eileen McCrea and Joan Warren, the coordinators of the week's activities, saying they "did an outstanding job of seeing that their guests were comfortable and happy. They were a busy crew".

Maggie concluded that the dance was the "highlight of the week when the young, the over 40s and the 60s and over mingled gaily and happily and shook a mean foot for all the dances.

"The music provided by the Rhythmaires was a most welcome departure from what we are subjected to most of the time. With everyone well dressed, the young hostesses looking like a bunch of bright flowers, and all out for a merry evening, there prevailed an atmosphere ... of 'the good old days' and missing for some time past."

Through the organizational efforts of Mrs. Freeborn, the club was founded and continued where previous efforts had failed.  Active in many aspects of Chapleau life, Mrs. Freeborn was born in Chapleau, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McAdam. Her father, a CPR engineer was the third reeve of Chapleau holding office from 1917 to 1919. Her husband Earle, a CPR freight agent died in office while serving as the 7th reeve in 1938. Her son Elmer served several terms on Chapleau council and another son Earle served as reeve/mayor from 1998 to 2010. On December 1, 1974, the Chapleau Senior Citizens Club played host to the people of Chapleau in their newly renovated Drop In Centre in the basement of Trinity United Church.

Guests were welcomed by Mrs. Freeborn, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Gwen Clegg and Mrs. S. Marcel. The head table was "gaily decorated in a Christmas decor" according to the Chapleau Sentinel. 

Presiding at the head table pouring tea were Miss Helen Grout and Mrs. M. Murray. Waiting on tables were Mrs. M. Rioux, Mrs. Ed Riley, Mrs. J. Brownlee, Mrs. Zita Evans, Mrs. F. Lucas and Mrs. Mary Mizuguchi.

A major highlight of the opening was when the men took over the serving duties. Pouring tea were Willie Fortin and Louis Longchamps while A. Emond, L. Rioux and Peter Blackburn  waited on tables.

The kitchen was managed by Mrs. L. Thibault, Mrs. O. Brunette, Mrs. C. Law, Mrs. Rose Ritchie and Mrs. M. O'Hearn.

Rev. William Ivey brought greetings from St. John's Anglican Church while Rev. D. Maclean of Trinity United Church said he was pleased the Seniors were using the building.

Councillors Dr. G.E. Young, Walter Wilson and Ernie Gilbert were there, and I was too. In 1973 I was a councillor and chairman of the Chapleau Recreation Committee; in 1974, it was my first year as Reeve.

The finishing touch to the occasion was the music by Eunice Michaud and her electric piano which was enjoyed by all.

In 1976, club members participated in groundbreaking ceremony for Cedar Grove Lodge, and in 1978, with its completion, the senior citizens moved to the Mrs. Agnes Freeborn Memorial Elderly Persons Centre, in recognition of her efforts in establishing the club. Mrs. Freeborn died on March 3, 1977. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Churches quickly established as Chapleau founded in 1885 with services in partially completed CPR station and tent during bitterly cold winter

St John's Church with Rev Robert Warrington

As Christmas approached for the residents of Chapleau in the Winter of 1885, from reports of the time, it was bitterly cold and disease was rampant. 

The population of about 400, ninety-five percent of them men, had arrived earlier in the year after the Canadian Pacific Railway issued instructions to make Mileage 615.1 on its transcontinental line a divisional point, by placing a boxcar on the exact spot. The boxcar became the first station, office building, and train dispatcher's office but before the end of the year a roundhouse and water tower had been built.

NOTE: Ian Macdonald provided photo of the 'boxcar' to which I refer. It was actually a passenger car. See below.

A station and office building were under construction and Chapleau had become a community of surplus boxcars and tents.

As Ian Macdonald noted in his monograph 'Mile 615.1: Building a Northern Community', the major churches of the day "quickly established themselves in the earliest stages of the community's development." 

The car used as station 1885. CPR Corporate Archives

But the partially built station played another role than meet the needs of the CPR. In December 1885, it was used for meetings by members of the Church of England, later called the Anglican Church of Canada. to establish a presence in the fledgling community.

Archdeacon Gowan Gillmor fondly called 'The Tramp" who on one of his journeys to minister to the CPR construction crews walked from North Bay to Port Arthur, now Thunder Bay. Archdeacon Gillmor was instrumental in the founding of St. John's Church, and it is quite possible he conducted Christmas service in 1885 in a partially completed railway station while attending meetings to plan the church building.

First CPR station at Chapleau 1886

St. John's almost didn't happen as a motion was presented to drop the matter as it was impossible to raise the sum of $500 needed to build the church. A grant of $400 was available.

St John's, Bishop Tom Corston photo

Mrs. R.V. Nicholson preserved an account of the meeting where it all changed when Annie Nicholson, just 17. and her friend Minnie Richardson, volunteered to go out and raise the funds. Off they went canvassing from Cartier to White River, and at the next meeting they said a "really strong box" would be needed as they had raised slightly more than one thousand dollars. The first St. John's Church was opened and dedicated on July 1, 1886, and Christmas services were held there in 1886.

CPR Yard Chapleau 1886 with wood burning engine 231

It was located on old tennis court at Pine and Young. The present St. John's was completed in 1908.

Mrs. Nicholson's account was made available to me when I wrote 'Sons of thunder ... Apostles of Love', marking the 100th anniversary of the parish.

As an aside, when St. John's celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1985 when Rev. Jerry Smith was rector, Linda Tebbutt and Sharon Henderson played the roles of Annie and Minnie in an historical re-enactment of the really strong box. 

Meanwhile, in 1885, there was also a Roman Catholic presence in Chapleau which had been established by the Jesuits, according to an account by Father Albert Burns, s.j., of Chapleau. 

Father Burns wrote that the Jesuits followed the CPR construction gangs and many of the order were dedicated to opening new parishes along the way. Once established, they would be turned over to the bishop and Chapleau benefited from the work of the "zealous missionaries" of the Jesuit order. 

Father Edward Proulx s.j. was a most beloved priest in Chapleau and was responsible for a heating system in the church as well as the construction of the rectory and establishment of a separate school.

In fact the Jesuits were in charge of the Roman Catholic presence in Chapleau from 1883 to 1911 when Father Romeo Gascon arrived. Father Burns noted that Father Louis Cote s.j conducted the first Roman Catholic baptism in Chapleau on April 12, 1883.

For Christmas services in 1885 it would appear that they would have been held in the first Roman Catholic Church in the community built that year  where Collins store at the intersection of Birch and Lorne streets was later located.

As another aside, it is quite possible that Patrick A. Mulligan, the first of my ancestors to arrive in Chapleau would have attended the Roman Catholic service at Christmas 1885. In a family history, my cousin Michael McMullen writes that Patrick was an early Chapleau pioneer arriving in late 1885. He built a store at the northwest corner of Birch and Young Streets and it opened for business in 1886 as Murrays and Mulligan, General Merchants. Patrick was the uncle of Michael's grandmother, May (Mulligan) McMullen, who arrived in Chapleau about 1900, and mine Lil (Mulligan) Morris, about 1910.

However, by 1891, Sacred Heart Church was built on its present location and expanded in 1898. It was destroyed by fire just before Christmas in 1918, but the present church was built during the following year and Father Gascon celebrated mass in it on Christmas Eve, 1919. On Christmas Eve, 2011, the present church will celebrate its 92nd anniversary.

A history of Trinity United Church in Chapleau notes that "when construction was being pushed westward by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the early 1880s, the Methodists were not slow in sending their missionaries along to minister to the spiritual needs of the men engaged in the construction business".

The church history says that one of the first of these missionaries was Rev. Silas Huntingdon, who arrived in Chapleau in June 1886. It adds that his first services were conducted in a partially finished store on Birch Street.

Trinity United Bill Groves collection

Mr. Huntingdon returned to Chapleau bringing with him a young student minister  who conducted services for a time in a large tent near the corner of Lorne and Birch Streets. He began the erection of the first Methodist church on the site of the present Trinity United Church at Lorne and Beech Streets. He organized the first Methodist congregation in Chapleau.

However, the history also mentions  that Rev. Ralph Homer also came to Chapleau and during the winter of 1885-86 held services in a tent approximately where the Boston Cafe/ Redwood Restaurant was located. Possibly the Methodist congregation held its Christmas service in a tent.

Life was tough for the founders of Chapleau, as they had left their homes to make a new life for themselves and their families in the bush of Northern Ontario, and by 1886, the tents, boxcars and shacks were being replaced with permanent structures, and this included their churches. 

I started thinking about the establishment of the respective churches in Chapleau in the 1880s while in Florida a couple of weeks ago while out for a walk in beautiful sunny weather, and decided to share a glimpse at those moments in the history of Chapleau at this Christmas time. I know. I know. Only someone raised in Chapleau would think about bitterly cold winters while in Florida!

My very best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. My email is mj.morris@live.ca