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People and organizations
Person · 1887-1979

Robert Bremner Cumming (1887-1979) was a Methodist/United Church minister and archivist. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he was raised Presbyterian, but became a Methodist probationer in 1912. He studied at Victoria University and went overseas during World War I. Ordained in 1922, he served rural charges in London Conference until semi-retirement in 1958. He was an assistant pastor in London until full retirement in 1968. He was active at Presbytery and Conference levels, and a promoter and teacher of Christian Education. For many years he was a Conference Archivist and on the National Archives Committee.

Current, Marion, 1932-
Person · b. 1932

Marion E.M. Current (1932- ) was a United Church overseas personnel to Korea. She graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Division of Physical and Occupational Therapy. She worked as a physiotherapist for two years in Alberta and later in British Columbia before attending the United Church Training School, graduating in 1958. She went to Korea and served as a staff therapist at Severance Hospital, Seoul (associated with the Yonsei Medical Center), until 1964. While on furlough from 1964-1966, she studied at the University of Toronto and became a Certified Teacher of Physiotherapy. On her return to Korea she taught physiotherapy at Severance Hospital. During her furlough in 1970 she completed a course for her degree in Physiotherapy at Winnipeg. She returned to Korea where she continued to teach. She retired in 1998.

Currie, Walter T., d.1915
Person · d.1915

Walter T. Currie (1857-1915) was a Congregational missionary to Angola. Born in Toronto, he studied at McGill University and the Congregational College of Canada. He was a pioneer of the Canadian Congregational Mission in Angola, serving from 1886. Ill health forced him to return to Canada in 1911, and he died near Victoria, British Columbia.

Czako, Ambrosius, 1887-1976
Person · 1887-1976

Ambrosius Czako (1887-1976) was alternatively a Protestant minister and a Catholic priest. He was born in Hungary, and was educated there (he received his doctorate). He moved to Canada in 1928. At one time a Roman Catholic monk, he was received into the Protestant Church in Budapest in 1916. In Canada he ministered to the Toronto Church of All Nations (United) from 1928 to 1949. In 1950, he rejoined the Roman Catholic Church and taught at St. Mary's University, Halifax, until 1967. Besides his ministry, he was a school teacher, an author, an editor and a lecturer in Art History.

Dahlin, Henry W., 1924-2000
Person · 1924-2000

Henry Waldemar Dahlin was a United Church Minister. He was born in Finland on April 18, 1924. He was ordained by Toronto Conference in 1963. Rev. Dahlin received his B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1973 and his B.D. from Emmanuel College in 1976.

He served the following charges in Ontario: Porcupine, 1963-1965; Bond Head, 1965-1976; Knox, Owen Sound, 1976-1981 and Bradford, 1982-1989[?].

Dalton, Frank
Person

Frank Dalton was a United Church minister in Scarborough, Ontario, in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century.

Person · fl. 1914-1952

Sarah Bird Daniels (fl. 1914-1952) was born in 1897, the grand-daughter of Richard Seaborn, a Primitive Methodist pastor from London England and of Henry Bird.

Davey, Robert, 1844-1923
Person · 1844-1923

Robert Davey (1844-1923) was a Methodist minister in Ontario. He was born in England, was a local preacher in England and was ordained as a Methodist minister in Canada in 1872. He served in the London and Guelph Conferences, and then in the Hamilton Conference at Chelsey, 1895-1896; Stony Creek, 1897-1899; Waterford, 1900-1903; Port Dover, 1904-1905; superannuated at Beamsville, Ont., 1905-1911.

Davidge, Ernest, 1887-1981
Person

Ernest Davidge (1887-1981) was a Methodist/United Church minister and a published poet. He was born in Toronto and went to Alberta in 1912 as a probationer. As a minister, he served several charges in Alberta. He also published a book of poetry, Ernestly Rhyming.

Davidson, Richard, 1876-1944
Person

Richard Davidson (1876-1944) was born in Ayr, Ontario and graduated from University College in 1899 and Knox College in 1902, earning a degree of Doctor of Philosophy. His teaching career began at Trinity College with a tutorship and in 1910 he took the chair of Old Testament Language and Literature in Knox, transferring at the time of church union to the United Church College. In 1932 he was appointed Principal at Emmanuel College; he held this Office until retiring in 1943.

Davies, Alan T.
Person · 1933-

Alan T. Davies (1933- ) was a Lecturer and then Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, Victoria College, 1969-1989. He then became Professor, Department for the Study of Religion, Centre for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto, 1989-1998. Dr. Davies' work included research in the area of Jewish-Christian relations.

Davis, John T., 1857-1896
Person

John T. Davis, (1834-1916) was a Methodist Episcopal/Methodist minister. He was born in England and his family moved to Albany, New York, and ca. 1851 to a farm near London, Canada West. He served charges in Ontario until retiring in 1896.

Davis, Robert W., fl. 1950s
Person · fl. 1950s

Robert W. Davis (fl. 1950s) was a medical doctor who practised in Toronto, Ontario.

Day, Alfred Lee, 1914-2003
Person · 1914-2003

Alfred Lee Day (1914-2003) was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and received his B.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan and attended theological school at St. Andrew’s College. He was ordained by Saskatchewan Conference in 1936. He received his B.D. from Emmanuel College in 1951. He served in Guernsey, Saskatchewan from 1936-1939 and proceeded to West China remaining there until the revolution in 1950 made it impossible for him to continue working. The next three years saw him ministering in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan and following seven in the Chinese United Church in Calgary, Alberta. He returned to the Orient in 1961 to work with the Church of Christ in China, the Hong Kong Council and Hoh Fuk Tong College until 1972 when he returned to Canada together with his young family by his wife, Jean Day, a missionary nurse and that time a diaconal minister.
Alfred Lee Day was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret Meuser.

Day, Jean Marilyn, 1935-2013
Person · 1935-2013

Jean Marilyn Day (1935-2013) was a missionary nurse and a diaconal minister. She was born in Scarborough, ON to parents Vera Mae Campbell and William McIntosh Tough. She obtained her Reg. N. from the Toronto Western Hospital in 1956, her Diploma in Christian Education at Covenant College in 1964 and her B.Sc. N at the University of Toronto in 1978. She was ordained in 1964 and designated and appointed to Hong Kong as a missionary in 1964 and worked there until she returned to Canada with her family in 1972. She was a Member of the Division of World Outreach 1976-1979 and Executive Director, National Canadian Girls in Training Association 1985-1990. She married Alfred Lee Day in 1966, who was also a UCC minister and missionary. She had two children Ian and Eric, as well as step-children from Alfred Day’s previous marriage.

Person · 1870-1950

Samuel Wesley Dean (1870-1950) was a Methodist/United Church minister and church administrator. He was married to Rosa Hooke in 1895. He served charges at Little Current, Sunderland, Maple and Toronto. He also served as Superintendent of Fred Victor Mission, Secretary of Church Extension and Secretary of the Superannuation Fund of the Methodist Church, and Secretary Treasurer of the Pension Fund of the United Church.

Person · 1903-1991

Mary Violet Deeprose was born in Stockdale, Ontario on February 11, 1903. She attended the United Church Training School in Toronto, 1938-1940, and was designated a deaconess by Alberta Conference, August 18, 1941. She was appointed by the Woman’s Missionary Society to the Crosby Girls’ Home in Lax Kw’alaams (then known as Port Simpson), 1940-1944. She left the work due to a family illness. From 1946-1949, she was employed as superintendent of the Mountview Social Service Home (Calgary). She taught in the public school system in Alberta from 1953 until her retirement in 1962. Violet Deeprose died at Drumheller, Alberta on February 22, 1991.

Person · 1897-1931

Robert McCahon Dickey (1868-1950) was a Presbyterian/United missionary and minister. He was born in Northern Ireland, Rev. Dickey was recruited by Dr. Charles W. Gordon for work in the Canadian North and he became the the first missionary of the Presbyterian Church to the Yukon, in 1897. After suffering typhoid fever, he toured on behalf of Canadian missions and studied in Britain. An ordained minister, he served a church in Manitoba from 1900 to 1909, and several churches in Ontario from 1909 to 1941. He was active in Presbytery and Conference work, Frontier Colleges, and the Veteran's Spiritual Defense League.

Dickin, Joyce, 1918-1993
Person · 1918-1993

Margaret Joyce Dickin (1918-1993) was a United Church Minister. She was born in Beulah, Manitoba in 1918. She graduated from the United Church Taring School in Toronto in 1950 and pursued Sunday School work in Toronto, then the Saskatchewan Conference, and then in Regina. She entered the ministry in 1957 after graduating with a B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan, and studying theology at St. Andrew’s College and Drew University. Rev. Dickin served eight charges in seventeen years including: Strasbourg, Radisson, Saltcoats, Semans, Regina and Houston, B.C.

Person · 1899-1999

Clarence Heber Dickinson (1899-1999) was a Methodist/United Church minister and publisher. He was born in Anderson, Perth County and was educated at Victoria University, Toronto and at Union Theological Seminary, New York. He was ordained by London Conference in 1924. He served on Ashfield Circuit, at Moosejaw, and at Erskine-American Church in Montreal. From 1937 to 1964, Rev. Dickinson served as Book Steward of the United Church Publishing House and as General Manager, at Ryerson Press. Rev. Heber Dickinson retired in 1966 and died in 1999 two days after his hundredth birthday. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Isobel Kneen, in 1982.

Person

James A.R. Dickson (1839-1915) was a Congregational/Presbyterian minister. He was born in Trament, Scotland, and migrated to Brantford, Canada West, in 1857. He was ordained in 1865 and served Congregational churches in London and Toronto. After a disagreement with another minister he joined the Presbyterian Church in 1879 and served in Galt until his death in 1915.

Dixon, Alvin, 1937-2014
Person · 1937-2014

Alvin William Dixon was a Heiltsuk First Nation Elder, a survivor of Alberni Residential School, and a leader within The United Church of Canada. He was born in 1937, and was taken to Alberni Residential School at age 10. After surviving years of abuse, he graduated and then enrolled at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver as on of six First Nations students at the school. Alvin was a strong activist and held roles with the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and, especially, with the United Church, beginning as a member of British Columbia Conference staff and supporting the BC Native Ministries Council. At the time of his death in 2014, he was serving as the BC Conference lay representative to the Executive of the General Council (GCE). He served on the Moderator's Advisory Committee and the Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee. He was one of the founders of the Native Ministries Consortium and the Native Ministries program at the Vancouver School of Theology. Alvin was the first Indigenous chair (2005‒2014) of the Residential Schools Steering Committee (renamed in 2011 as the Committee of Indigenous Justice and Residential Schools).

Person · 1879-1956

Hugh Wesley Dobson (1879-1956) was a Methodist/United Church minister and church administrator. He was born in Molesworth, Ontario, was ordained in 1906, and taught at Wesley College in 1911 and 1912, where he was appointed Registrar. In 1913, he was appointed Western Field Secretary for the Department of Evangelism and Social Service of the Methodist Church. He toured Canada and the United States publicizing social issues and promoting the temperance movement. In 1924 Rev. Dobson was appointed Associate Secretary of the Board of Evangelism and Social Service of the United Church and moved to Vancouver.

Person · 1890-1962

Alexander George Donald (1890-1962) was a United Church minister in Ontario. Born in Toronto, he was a newspaper reporter before enlisting in 1915. He won the Military Cross and returned from the war to attend Knox College and was ordained as a United Church minister in 1927. He was married to Muriel H. Milling. He served in the Dufferin and Peel, Toronto East, Algoma, London Conference Perth, and York Presbyteries before retiring to Willowdale in the Toronto Centre Presbytery, 1958-1961.

Dorey, Alice Ann, 1883-1979
Person · 1883-1979

Alice Dorey (1883-1979) was a teacher, a writer, a poet, and the wife of United Church Moderator Very Rev. George Dorey. Alice Ann Dent was born in Cowansville, Quebec. She taught at a school for the deaf in Montreal and wrote poems which were published in Canada, the United States, England, Australia, and some which were translated into Hungarian and Italian. She also wrote book reviews and occasional articles for The United Church Observer.

Dorey, George, 1884-1963
Person · 1884-1963

George Dorey (1884-1963) was a Methodist/United Church minister, administrator and Moderator of the United Church. The bilingual George Dorey came to Canada from the Channel Islands in 1904 at the invitation of James Woodsworth. Educated at Victoria University (B.A.) and Emmanuel College (B.D.), Dorey entered the ministry of the Methodist Church in Saskatchewan in 1914, subsequently serving as Superintendent of Home Missions for South Saskatchewan, 1929-1936; Associate Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, 1936-1945; Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, 1947-1954; Acting Secretary of General Council, 1954-1955; and Moderator, 1955-1956. Dorey had an interest in social and religious work amongst 'new' Canadians in the West, especially in his capacity as Secretary for Home Missions in Saskatchewan. He was concerned that Protestant churches were not doing enough to bring the ethnic groups (Germans, especially the Mennonites, Ukrainians, Austrians and others) into the Canadian mosaic, although he expressed reservations about the idea of assimilation. In detailing his thoughts on home mission work he made use of data from the social surveys done in the 1910s to examine the religious, social and educational accomplishments and needs of new Canadian settlement in Western Canada. Following his retirement, Dorey served as President of the Canadian Council of Churches.

Dougall, Hugh S., 1861-1939
Person · 1861-1939

Hugh S. Dougall (1861-1939) was a Methodist/United Church minister in Ontario. He was born in Kemptville, Ontario. He was originally a teacher before he went into the ministry. He was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1892 and worked in various places in Ontario throughout his ministerial career; Merriton in 1903; Walkerton from 1904-1907; Goderich (North Street) from 1908-1910, St. Thomas (First) from 1911-1914; London (Askin Street) from 1915-1917; Hamilton (Wesley) from 1908-1920; Oakville from 1921-1924; Oshawa (Simcoe Street) from 1925-1927. He acted as retired supply from 1928 until his death in December of 1939.

Dougall, James, 1779-1839
Person · 1779-1839

James Dougall, (1779-1839) was a Methodist layperson and Justice of the Peace. He was born in Newport, Nova Scotia. He moved to Hallowel (Picton), Ontario, in 1796, and became a member of the Methodist Church ca. 1799, and one of the first trustees of "White Chapel" or "Conger Chapel" in 1811. For many years (ca. 1817-1839) he was the recording steward of Hallowel Circuit.

Person · 1869-1942

John Robert Douglas (1869-1942) was a Presbyterian and United Church minister. Ordained in 1898, he served in Quebec until 1913, at which point he moved to serve various parishes in Ontario. He retired in 1937.

Douse, John, 1801-1886
Person · 1801-1886

John Douse (1801-1886) was a Wesleyan Methodist minister and administrator. Born in Hull, England, Douse migrated to Canada as a missionary to Indigenous peoples in 1834. He was received on trial and ordained in 1834-1835 at Grand River. He served some of Ontario's largest and most prestigious Wesleyan Methodist charges, including the St. Clair Mission (Sarnia Township) for five years. He was also a Chairman of Districts and a long-time treasurer of the Superannuated Ministers' Fund.

Dove, James, 1828-1908
Person · 1828-1908

James Dove (1828-1908) was a Methodist minister in Newfoundland. Born in Darlington, England, he came to Newfoundland as a Methodist minister in 1855 and served various charges there until his retirement in 1887. Dove died in January, 1908.

Duncan, Jessie, 1866-1952
Person · 1866-1952

Jessie Duncan (1866-1952) was born in Port Hope, Ont. She attended the Model School in Stratford and Normal School in Toronto. She was appointed by the Women’s Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church to go to India in 1892. From 1892-1903 she was in Neemuch doing evangelistic work, then from 1903-1931 was in Indore, serving as Principal of the Girls’ High School. She retired in 1932.

Duncan, Robert, 1833-1890
Person · 1833-1890

Robert Duncan, (1833-1890) was a Methodist minister. He was born in Saint John, New Brunswick. Rev. Duncan was received on trial by the Methodist Church, and ordained in 1857. He served circuits in the Maritimes and in Bermuda. Ill health forced his retirement in 1885, and he died in Brooklyn, New York.

Person · 1875-1968

Charles Reed Durrant (1875-1968) was a Methodist/United Church minister in Ontario. He was born in England, came to Newfoundland in 1895 as a lay preacher and was ordained in the Methodist Church in 1901, the same year that he married Isabel Shields. He then moved to the London Conference where he served in the following charges until his retirement in 1936: Melbourne, 1908-1911; Corunna, 1911-1914; Malahide, 1914-1916; Teeswater, 1916-1919; Harrow, 1919-1922; Sandwich, 1922-1925; Blenheim, 1925-1929; and Ottawa, 1929-1936.

In 1977, his writings were compiled into a biography entitled "Stories from Life" (see biography file).

Earl, Robert, d. 1867
Person · d. 1867

Robert Earl (d. 1867) was a Methodist minister in Ontario. Born in Ireland, he emigrated to Canada in 1821, joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and served as a local preacher until he was ordained in 1841. After serving in the Augusta and Kingston Districts, he moved to the Bay Quinte District serving at Sidney, 1856-1856; Coburg, 1858; Omemee, 1859-1860; Brighton, 1861; Percy, 1862. His Colborne District service included Percy, 1863; Hope, 1864-1865; Coburg, 1866; and Colborne.

Eddy, Earl B., 1903-1985
Person · 1903-1985

Earl Bronson Eddy (1903-1985) was a United Church minister and church historian. He was born in Scotland, Ontario and studied at McGill, McMaster and Victoria Universities, earning his Th.D. Ordained in the United Church, he served charges in Saskatchewan and Ontario, and published work concerning the history of Congregationalism in Canada.

Edgar, George, 1854-1931
Person · 1854-1931

George Edgar was born on August 24, 1854 on Gabriola Island. He was of Scottish and Tsimshian parentage. He grew up in Lax Kw’alaams (Port Simpson), and served the Hudson's Bay Company on its coastal steamers. In 1877, he responded to the Methodist Church's appeal for a teacher at Kitamaat and began his long association with the coastal mission work headed up by the Rev. Thomas Crosby. From Kitamaat, Edgar's mission work took him to Gitwinksihlkw (Canyon City) and Gitlakdamix (New Aiyansh) on the Nass River, Gold Harbour on Haida Gwaii; Hagwilget and Kitsegucla on the Skeena River; and Hartley Bay and Klemtu on the coast. He was ordained in 1909 by BC Conference of the Methodist Church, in consideration of his years of service. Edgar died on November 7, 1931.

Person · 1871-1928

John Hall Edmison (1871-1928) was a Presbyterian/United Church minister and church administrator. He was born near Peterborough, graduated from Queen's University in 1901 and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. After service in Cheltenham and Kincardine, he was appointed Secretary of the Home Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church. After Union, he served as Joint Secretary of the Board of Home Missions for the United Church.

Elias, William A., d. 1929
Person · d. 1929

William A. Elias (d. 1929) was a Methodist minister and missionary. He was born on Walpole Island Reserve, Ontario. He was a missionary teacher at Parry Island, 1878-1883, and served the mission field at Christian and Beausoleil Island, 1884-1885. He studied at Victoria University, 1886-1888, and served the mission on Walpole Island, 1889-1898. He withdrew briefly to Michigan, U.S.A., in 1900, then returned to Ontario and served as a supply minister for North Shore until his death.

Person · 1930-1992

Barbara Joan Elliott (1930-1992) was a Diaconal Minister. She was born in Kintore, Ontario, the daughter of a United Church minister. She attended the United Church Training School and earned her B.A. in 1965 from the University of Alberta and B.D. in 1968 from St. Stephen’s College. She was designated in Alberta Conference where she first served. She later went to Manitoba Conference and then to Saskatchewan Conference where she worked the longest. She was first involved with Christian education, then in leadership development programs for conference personnel and work with women in the church and feminism.

Person · 1919-

Clifford Allan Stuart Elliott (1919-) was a United Church minister, writer and journalist. He was born in Langham, Saskatchewan, studied at the University of Saskatchewan, St. Andrew's College, Union Theological Seminary, and Columbia University, earning the degrees S.T.M., Ph.D., and D.D. He was ordained in 1942, and served charges in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Ontario. As minister of Metropolitan and Bloor Street United Churches in Toronto from the late 1960s to the 1980s, he experimented with a variety of forms of worship. He has actively travelled, lectured, written, appeared on radio and television, and has been deeply involved in debating social issues.

Elliott, John, fl. 1930s
Person · fl. 1930s

John Elliott lived in London, Ontario, and was Secretary of the Lay Advisory Council of the General Council of the United Church during the 1930s.