Norton United Baptist Church, formerly Norton Free Christian Baptist Church
Title
Norton United Baptist Church, formerly Norton Free Christian Baptist Church
Creator
Avery Jackson
Source
Kings County Museum, New Brunswick
Church Name
Norton United Baptist Church, formerly Norton Free Christian Baptist Church
Church Association
Saint John - Kings Association
Province
New Brunswick
County
Kings County
Address
41 Church St, Norton NB
Status
Active
Date
Originally built circa 1883 - 1886, current building 1914
Historical Information
In 1805 the Free Christian Baptists formed in the Parish of Norton. At this time time there was no Baptist church in this area. Services were held in private dwellings until the people were able to construct a church. About 1828 the Baptists and the Presbyterians joined in the building of a church at Riverbank on land donated by Hugh Campbell, a Presbyterian. The church was affectionately called "The Meeting House" and was used by both congregations for many years.
When the European and North American Railway went through the area in 1859 and a bridge was later built across the Kennebecasis River at Norton, the adjacent community began to grow.
The Baptists reorganized in 1873 and used the Temperance Hall on Main Street for their services. Reverend Elijah Gray was the pastor at this time. The Temperance Hall burned and all records and artifacts of the Baptist church and Temperance Society were destroyed. Arrangements were made with Leander Jones and services were conducted in his carriage shop on Main Street, but this arrangement was very inconvenient for the congregation as well as for Mr. Jones. At this time the congregation decided to build their own church on a new street just opened called McLeod Street (now Church Street). On September 17, 1883 the sum of one hundred dollars was paid to Joseph Douglas Baxter for the site. The exact date of construction is not known but the building was insured in 1886 and named the Norton Free Christian Baptist Church. Shepherd Grey of Apohaqui was the carpenter in charge and he carved by hand all the fret work on the outside of the building. Weston Patriquen, while taking his apprenticeship in blacksmithing in Apohaqui, handwrought the metal weather vane for the church steeple.
A major step was taken in 1905 by the union of the Calvinistic and the Free Will Baptists. The church resulting from this union was called the United Baptist Church.
The church records indicated that the congregation supported as the pocket would allow - February 3, 1907 very stormy, collection 56 cents; February 16, 1907 night of the high water, collection 98 cents; February 13, 1909 snow very deep, collection 62 cents; August 9, 1909 thirty-five present, collection 73 cents; March 20, 1909 sawing two cords of wood and putting in shed, $1.60.
In the first couple of decades of the twentieth century, an explosion completely destroyed the first church. The first church was somewhat unusual for its time in terms of style. Most Baptist churches in Atlantic Canada built in the later part of the nineteenth century were built either in the Meeting House style or in a symmetrical design. This church however, features an asymmetrical front facade, and has Greek Revival elements. The ties with this architectural style can be found in the large rounded windows found above the centrally placed doorway on the gable end, near the peak of the roof, or on the windows along the length of the steeple. It is unusual, and unlike other churches of this style, that the doorway is found centrally placed on the gable end, instead of in the steeple. Another interesting element of this building is the large wooden cross on the peak of the roof.
The second building somewhat resembles the first, in terms of its design, and size. It appears that this building, however, has elements of Gothic Revival, evident in the ornate return eaves on the gable end, the rounded, gothic woodwork around the windows, and the windows themselves. The front entranceway is located on the off-center tower. The front facade/gable end, features a medallion window near the peak of the roof, and a centrally placed gothic window on the wall. Each side of the church features three Gothic windows. A unique feature of this building is the tall, slender steeple, with open-cage belfry.
Information from - Kings County Museum, New Brunswick
When the European and North American Railway went through the area in 1859 and a bridge was later built across the Kennebecasis River at Norton, the adjacent community began to grow.
The Baptists reorganized in 1873 and used the Temperance Hall on Main Street for their services. Reverend Elijah Gray was the pastor at this time. The Temperance Hall burned and all records and artifacts of the Baptist church and Temperance Society were destroyed. Arrangements were made with Leander Jones and services were conducted in his carriage shop on Main Street, but this arrangement was very inconvenient for the congregation as well as for Mr. Jones. At this time the congregation decided to build their own church on a new street just opened called McLeod Street (now Church Street). On September 17, 1883 the sum of one hundred dollars was paid to Joseph Douglas Baxter for the site. The exact date of construction is not known but the building was insured in 1886 and named the Norton Free Christian Baptist Church. Shepherd Grey of Apohaqui was the carpenter in charge and he carved by hand all the fret work on the outside of the building. Weston Patriquen, while taking his apprenticeship in blacksmithing in Apohaqui, handwrought the metal weather vane for the church steeple.
A major step was taken in 1905 by the union of the Calvinistic and the Free Will Baptists. The church resulting from this union was called the United Baptist Church.
The church records indicated that the congregation supported as the pocket would allow - February 3, 1907 very stormy, collection 56 cents; February 16, 1907 night of the high water, collection 98 cents; February 13, 1909 snow very deep, collection 62 cents; August 9, 1909 thirty-five present, collection 73 cents; March 20, 1909 sawing two cords of wood and putting in shed, $1.60.
In the first couple of decades of the twentieth century, an explosion completely destroyed the first church. The first church was somewhat unusual for its time in terms of style. Most Baptist churches in Atlantic Canada built in the later part of the nineteenth century were built either in the Meeting House style or in a symmetrical design. This church however, features an asymmetrical front facade, and has Greek Revival elements. The ties with this architectural style can be found in the large rounded windows found above the centrally placed doorway on the gable end, near the peak of the roof, or on the windows along the length of the steeple. It is unusual, and unlike other churches of this style, that the doorway is found centrally placed on the gable end, instead of in the steeple. Another interesting element of this building is the large wooden cross on the peak of the roof.
The second building somewhat resembles the first, in terms of its design, and size. It appears that this building, however, has elements of Gothic Revival, evident in the ornate return eaves on the gable end, the rounded, gothic woodwork around the windows, and the windows themselves. The front entranceway is located on the off-center tower. The front facade/gable end, features a medallion window near the peak of the roof, and a centrally placed gothic window on the wall. Each side of the church features three Gothic windows. A unique feature of this building is the tall, slender steeple, with open-cage belfry.
Information from - Kings County Museum, New Brunswick
Files
Collection
Citation
Avery Jackson, “Norton United Baptist Church, formerly Norton Free Christian Baptist Church,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed May 2, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/411.