Trinity's History
The laying of the foundation ceremony for Trinity Church occurred on September 5, 1833, but it was on Sunday, February 22, 1836 that the first Church of England service was conducted in Port Burwell by Rev. Thomas Greene, a traveling missionary.Colonel Mahlon Burwell, after whom the village is names, was the land surveyor for Colonel Talbot. He realized the need for the presence of the Church of England in the area, and built Trinity Church at his own expense. At this invitation, Archdeacon John Strachan who later became the Bishop of Toronto, came to preach on May 22, 1836, having been promised that the fifty-mile road from Brantford to Port Burwell was good for a wagon all the way. The church bell came from Troy, New York by boat and is dated 1856. The one-hundred guinea cost was paid for by public subscription.
The church remained in its original form until 1909 when it was reseated, re-glazed, re-shingled and re-decorated.
Many of the early pioneers are buried in the cemetery. The earliest recorded burial was 1818. Many pioneers died during an epidemic that raged through the village in 1878, including many at a tender young age.
The following is a more detailed history of Trinity Anglican Church:
The laying of the foundation ceremony for Trinity Church occurred on September 5, 1833, but it was on Sunday, February 22, 1836 that the first Church of England service was conducted in Port Burwell by Rev. Thomas Greene, a traveling missionary.
Rev. Greene, who had preached at Vienna the previous evening in the house of a Mr. Draper, is reported as writing: ‘Proceeded at an early hour to Port Burwell. Mr. John Burwell, a brother of the proprietor of the place, received me cordially, and immediately arranged to hold the morning service in a large room of a tavern, the only place of convenient size that could be procured’. Rev. Greene wrote in his journal that, ‘To the large and attentive congregation,...a great satisfaction seemed to be afforded...The son of an English woman from London was presented for Baptism; and as I was aware many present were ignorant of this ordinance presented by our church, I gave a short lecture on its nature and design.’
It is interesting to note that Rev. Greene went on to Vienna that evening where nearly one hundred people attended a service in the schoolhouse. His recommendation about a minister being placed at Port Burwell who could also serve Vienna is still being carried out today. He wrote: ‘I’m led to believe that large and regular congregations would be established from the many English and Irish families living her about.’
Colonel Mahlon Burwell, after whom the village is named, was the land surveyor for Colonel Talbot who settled much of this area in the early 1800s. For his services Col. Burwell was granted a large tract of land at the mouth of Big Otter Creek in the township of Bayham. He realized the need for the presence of the Church of England in the area, and built Trinity Church at his own expense. The foundation was laid in September of 1833. The Colonel was a man of action and in a surprisingly short time he wrote from his home in Port Talbot, on April 12, 1836, to Archdeacon Strachan, who later became Bishop of Toronto: ‘My church in Port Burwell is now in a state to preach in. You promised me that you would be the first to preach in it, and I must keep you to your word. Can you meeting in Port Burwell on 21st of May. Preach on the 22nd, and let me drive you to St. Thomas for the Talbot anniversary on the 23rd. It is fifty miles from Brantford to Port Burwell, and the road is good for a wagon all the way. There is a guide board where you leave the Talbot road for Port Burwell, distance 8 miles.’ In his letter , Col. Burwell further stated: ‘The church has already cost me a good deal, but I shall put myself to considerable more expense to complete it to my mind. Between ourselves, I intend to do that which I am not aware of any other person in the province having done. I intend making a deed for the church and about five acres of land adjoining it on which is a beautiful spring brook, and a site for a parsonage house, and I will seek no remuneration.’
On May 22nd, 1836, Rev. John Strachan did indeed preach at the first service.
Col. Burwell also endowed the Church with certain ‘glebes and lands’, which were sold and the proceeds invested as a permanent endowment. The indenture of the lands and buildings was made on the 18th of February, 1840, at Toronto, ‘by and between Mahlon Burwell of Port Talbot, in the Township of Dunwich, in the County of Middlesex, and the Hon. Rt.. Rev. Prelate, John, Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Toronto’.
The indenture read in part: ‘Whereas the said Mahlon Burwell exclusively, at his own cost, hath erected a church and rectory on his freehold estate at Port Burwell, and owing to the apparent apathy of late years evinced on the part of the imperial Government, in not supporting the established church of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in this province, hath determined to convey the said church and rectory and grounds on which they are situated, to be known as Port Burwell Rectory’.
The historic document continues: ‘And whereas the said Mahlon Burwell is in the humble hope that his own sins, negligence and ignorances may be forgiven through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the prayer that the blessings of God may rest upon his posterity … that the said Mahlon Burwell and his heirs forever, being members of the established church, shall possess and enjoy the right to nominate and present the rector, when a vacancy shall occur, … and is to possess and occupy as a pew a part of the northeast corner of the church measuring eight feet by twelve feet on the ground floor’. Many years later Col. Burwell’s grandson, Mahlon G. Burwell, assigned his right of ‘advowson’ to the then Bishop of Huron, Dr. Williams.
Rev. Green reports that in November, 1837: ‘Col. Burwell has the church plastered and has set apart a neat and comfortable house for the residence of a minister; and from his own property has endowed the church very liberally with lands’. According to the original deed the first rectory was on lot 19 east, on Erieus Street.
At the first vestry meeting, held in 1843, Rev. Thomas Boulton Reid, was the incumbent rector. Mr. Leonidas Burwell, son of Col. Mahlon Burwell, was nominated rector’s Warden and John Blackburn was nominated People’s Warden.
Most of the outstanding and prominent early settlers of Port Burwell were associated with the church. In the early records are to be found such names as John Burwell, John Blackburn, Leonidas Burwell, Isaac Draper, Charles Copper, James Bellairs, James Hutchinson and George Youell.
The church was left in its original form until 1909 when it was re-seated, re-glazed, re-shingled and re-decorated. A platform extension was made to the chancel and the gallery across the south end along with a quatrefoil window was removed. Many visitors regretted the passing of the old seating arrangements with latched pews.
Rev. Thomas Reid remained as resident rector until 1853. Rev. Reid was followed by Rev. Jessop who remained for 12 years, then Rev. Shulte was rector for many years.
The church is a fine example of framed simple early Gothic Revival architecture. The original siding still remains. It was built facing Pitt Street, then the main road to Long Point.
Many of the early pioneers are buried in Trinity’s cemetery. The earliest date on a stone is 1818; but it was common knowledge among the old-time villagers that some sailors who had been downed in the lake were buried before this date in the north east corner. The son of the first rector, Rev. Boulton Reid, is buried west of the church. During the rectorship of Dr. J. Shulte, a ruling was made that a fee of $2.00 per grave be charged to non-pewholders.
Many buried in the cemetery died of the epidemic that raged through the village during the summer of 1878. It was said that Port Burwell was like a city of the dead that summer. It was shunned by the outside world and grass grew in the streets. Many in the cemetery were United Empire Loyalists. It is also to be noted on the stones the number of those who died at a tender age.
Thomas H. Mason, an old resident of Bayham reported that his grandfather, James McMath had amongst his first contracts the painting and glazing of Trinity Church.
The church bell, with the lettering - MANEELI, TROY, NEW YORK - 1856 - was paid for by public subscription (one hundred guineas) and it was first rung at seven a.m., noon and six p.m. daily for the many who did not have watches. The bell came from Troy, N.Y. by boat.
A second vestry meeting was held October 16th, 1843 to provide suitable warming for the church. This proved to be two cast iron stoves which fulfilled their purposes so well that the Rev. Murton Shore remarked that he dreaded the heat of winder, not that of summer. No wonder, for his reading desk and pulpit were on opposite sides of the front stove. The first furnace was installed in 1909.
We today are but the present custodians of this beautiful historic church. May we pray to God that we are able to pass on our custodianship to future generations who will take up the cross and keep Trinity Church as holy symbol of the Anglican presence in our community, as so many who are buried in the cemetery around us have done in the past. For without them, the present congregation would not have the benefit of worshipping here now.