The creation of the Nassagaweya Methodist Church on the Nassagaweya-Puslinch townline, which stood a little to the west of the buildings on the Kitching farm, (in Halton, at the end of County road 34, where the road veers to connect to a Halton road.).

The Wesleyan Methodist New Connexion circuit was formed about 1845, and included this parish until 1875, when the Nassagaweya Methodist circuit took over, until church union in 1925. Ebenezer and Aberfoyle Methodist Churches were later included in this circuit.

The Church closed in 1923, and was torn down about 1925. The Church foundations were still visible until a house was built nearby on the site. Sheds for horses were built on Puslinch side, and there was a blacksmith shop on the south corner. The Littles were the blacksmiths.

Corwhin Bible Class

Before a school was built in the section, Andrew McRobbie, an early settler, held a class for Bible Study, in a house on Lot 21, Concession 10, which was attended by young and old.

When the first school was built, the class met there.

In 1860, Peter McLaren, the newly-appointed school teacher, was persuaded by McRobbie to take charge of the class for the first several years, there was no division of classes, and he was the only teacher. No classes were held in the winter until the 1890's, when Sabbath evening classes were held. Increasing attendance necessitated division into classes.

McLaren took the older class of boys, and was assisted by Andrew McRobbie, Francis R Beattie, Miss Catherine McRobbie, Miss Ann McFarlane, and Miss Maggie McKeracher (now Mrs. John Douglas). McLaren continued as superintendent and teacher until 1880, when he left the community.

Several young men who have entered the ministry received their early classical training from him. McLaren was known as " Professor of Puslinch", after ten of his students entered the ministry - Rev. Gilbert G. McRobbie, Rev. Francis R. Beattie, DD., Rev. Daniel M. Beattie, BA.; Rev. William E. Beattie, BA.; Rev. Donald C McKenzie, MA; Rev. Robert Watt; Rev. P. J. McLaren, BA.; Rev. J. M. McLaren, BA; Rev. John Little; Rev. R. T. Cockburn.

After McLaren retired, John Little and J A Cockburn took charge for about a year. Early in 1882, J. A. Cockburn was appointed Superintendent and Bible Class teacher, and continued in that office for forty-four years.

In 1899, average attendance was 40 out of the 60 names on the roll. The Bible Class closed after Church Union in 1925.

Picnic in Puslinch

One of the most successful picnics ever held in Puslinch took place on the 1st of July in the bush belonging to William Kerr, on the 10th consession, under the auspices of the 10th consession Presbyterian and Corwhin Methodist Church Sabbath Schools. The day being fine, upwards of three hundred people were present. After refreshments were served, the audience was treated to a number of selections of music by the choir and interesting and instructive addresses by Rev. Richard Coe Hender of Hespler Circuit, Dr. Alexander MacKay of Duff's Church and Messrs D. Barbaree, Mckenzie and P. McLaren, which were greatly appreciated and listened to with much interest. A number of games such as baseball, swinging, table and lawn croquet, etc. were indulged in, much to the pleasure of the younger class. One of the chief attractions was a match between the Darbyville Baseball Club and the Corwhins resulting in the defeat of the former by a score of 7 to 20. Altogether, the occasion was one of great interest to all.

Guelph Mercury
Thursday July 2, 1885

Corwhin Methodist Church

The Corwhin Methodist Church has been for sometime in the hands of the painters and decorators and has been completely renovated all of which adds greatly to it's appearance and makes it one of the neatist little churches in that part of the country.

Guelph Mercury
Saturday Februrary 20, 1892

Ministers

1836 Samuel Fear

FEAR, Samuel was born in 1803 in England, was received on trial in 1844 at Brock and died in 1896. 1836-1837 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.). was received on trial in 1844 and was ordained in 1848. 1842-1843 Chinguacousy/Brampton, 1844-1845 Brock/Lindsay, 1846 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), In 1847 he was received on three year probation at Toronto Conference. 1846 Gosfield/Amherstburg, ordained in 1848-1849 at Chatham, 1851 Strathroy, 1852 Ashfield/Hullett/Tuckersmith Tp. (Huron Co.), 1850-1852 Goderich, 1853 Hullett (Huron Co.), 1854 Sydenham, 1854 Holland (Grey Co.), 1853-1855 Owen Sound, 1856-1858 Brock (Ontario Co.), 1859-1861 Peel (Wellington Co.), 1862-1863 Blenheim, 1863 Woolwich (Waterloo Co.), 1864-1866 Elora/Peel (Wellington Co.), 1867-1869 Garden River/Sault Ste. Marie, 1870-1872 Battersea/Storrington (Frontenac Co.), 1873-1877 Tamworth/Montreal, 1877-1879 Elmira (retired), 1879-1881 Elora (Wellington Co.) (retired), buried in Elora Municipal Cemetery, Section A, Nichol Twp. (Wellington Co.).

1839 James Evans

EVANS, James was born on Jan 18 1801 in Kingston-upon-Hull, England and died at Keelby, in Lincolnshire, England on November 23, 1846. He was the brother of Rev. Ephraim Evans and in 1823 he married Mary Blythe Smith. He was received on trial in 1830 at Rice Lake, Methodist Episcopal, 1831 Credit, ordained in 1832 at Ancaster/Binbrook, 1833 joined Wesleyan Methodist Conference, 1833 Thorold, 1834-1837 St. Clair, 1838 Lake Superior, 1839 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1840-1845 Rossville Mission Norway House and General Superintendent for Missions in the Hudson Bay Territory, 1846 visiting England

1840 Benjamin Slight

SLIGHT, Benjamin A.M. was born in 1799 and died on January 16, 1858. Wesleyan Methodist received on trial in 1834-1835 at Amherstburg. In 1835 he was ordained for "Missionary work" at Conference in Hamilton, 1836-1839 Credit, 1839-1840 Woolwich (Wellington Co.), 1840 Nichol/Eramosa/Norfolk St. Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1841 Three Rivers, 1842-1843 St. John, 1844-1845 Three Rivers, 1846-1847 Crompton/Hatley 1848-1850 Melbourne (Quebec), 1851-1855 Sherbrooke (Quebec), 1856-1857 Chairman Napanee, (from the Oshawa Vindicator) Oct 18 1871 - Deaths -Slight-In the city of Oswego, NY, on Sunday 24th inst., Mrs. Elizabeth Slight, widow of the late Rev. Benjamin Slight, Wesleyan Missionary and sister-in-law of Rev. William Scott, of Oshawa, age 85 years.

1840 Peter Ker

KER, Peter was born in 1809 in Ontario and died on April 8, 1878. He was received on trial in 1833 at Westminster, Wesleyan Methodist, 1834 Gosfield, 1835 Canboro (Niagara), 1836 Simcoe, ordained in 1837 at Brantford, 1838 Ancaster/Binbrook, 1839 Hamilton 1840 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1840 Oxford, 1841-1842 Simcoe, 1843 Windham (London), 1843-1844 Dumfries/Galt, 1844 Blenheim (Oxford Co.), 1845-1846 Nelson/Trafalgar (Halton Co.), 1847 Chinguacousy (Peel Co.), 1847 Toronto circuit,1848-1849 Brampton, 1850-1852 Markham, 1853-1854 Oshawa, 1856-1857 Dunville, 1858-1859 Galt/Paris (Brant Co.), 1860-1870 Drummondville (retired), 1870-1871 Stamford Welland, 1871 Medonte (Simcoe Co.), 1871-1872 Hillsdale, 1873 Chelsea, 1874 Thurso in Montreal Conference, 1875-1878 Drummondville (retired)

1840 John Bredin

BREDIN, John was born in 1820 in Ireland and died in 1891, Wesleyan Methodist and was received on trial in 1843 at Goderich. In 1847 he was ordained at Guelph and was received at Toronto Conference. He married Sarah Ann Storm their daughter Mary Amelia died in Cobourg on May 1, 1858 at the age of 4 years and their son Samuel Storm died in Cobourg on Apr 29 1858 at 6 years old, 1842 London, 1843 Goderich, 1844 Woodstock/Stratford, 1845 Toronto West, 1846 Peterborough/Rice Lake, 1847-1848 Norfolk St. Guelph/Puslinch (Wellington Co.), 1847-1848 Upper Woolwich/Elora/Eramosa (Wellington Co.), 1849-1850 Cobourg, 1851 St. Thomas, 1852-1853 Barton/Hamilton, 1854-1855 Toronto East, 1856 Cobourg, 1857-1858 Arthur (Wellington Co.), 1858 Cobourg, 1859-1860 Woodstock, 1861-1863 Brockville, 1864-1865 Baltimore/Grafton, 1866-1868 Yonge Street North, 1869-1871 Yonge Street South, 1871 York East, 1872-1873-1874 Bowmanville, 1875-1877 Barrie, 1878 Walkerton, 1879-1880 Alliston, Journal Secretary of the General Conferences of 1874 and 1878 also of the Toronto Conference from 1874 to 1878 inclusive, Chairman of District 1874 to 1880. Delegate to the first General Conference, Toronto, 1874. On March 13, 1848 Rev. Bredin gave a lecture on "the moral influence of the Press" to the Guelph Mechanics' Institute at the Wellington County Courthouse, 1848 officer of the Guelph Branch of the Upper Canada Bible Society.

1841 Edmund Stoney

STONEY, Edmund was born in 1790 and died on august 8, 1862, Methodist Episcopal, was received on trial in 1824-1825 in London, 1823 Dumfries, ordained in 1826 at Thames, 1827-1828 Amherstburg, 1829-1830 Niagara, 1831-1832 Stamford, 1832 joined Wesleyan Conference, 1832 Beaverdams Thorold, 1833-1834 Yonge Street/Scarborough, 1835-1836 Toronto Circuit, 1837-1838 London, 1839-1840 Dumfries, 1841 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1841 Eramosa/Puslinch (Wellington Co.), 1842-1862 London Circuit (retired)

1841 Ezra Adams

ADAMS, Ezra C. was born in 1787 in the United States and died on December 31, 1871, Methodist Episcopal and was received on trial in 1814 and was ordained in 1819. Methodist Episcopal Conference 1814-1832, 1815-1816 Bay of Quinte, 1817 Hallowell, 1818-1819 Ottawa, 1820-18121 Thames, 1822-1823 Niagara, 1823 Hallowell (Prince Edward Co.), 1830 Yonge St, 1831-1835 London/Munceytown, 1835-1836 Prescott/Augusta, 1836-1839 Nelson, 1840 Toronto, 1841 Woolwich/Norfolk St. Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1842 Queen's Bush (Wellington Co.), 1842-1844 Newmarket, 1845-1846 Markham, 1846 Pickering, 1847 Bradford, 1848 Stratford, 1849-1874 Drayton (Wellington Co.), 1851-1855 Peel (Wellington Co.) superannuated, 1863 Drayton (Wellington Co.), 1871 Peel (Wellington Co.)

1842 Thomas Fawcett

FAWCETT, Thomas was born in 1808 in Scarboro, Yorkshire, England and was killed on the Great Western Railway March 19, 1859 and was buried at St. George United Church. Wesleyn Methodist. He was received on trial in 1833 at Toronto Twp., 1832 Dumfries South, (Brant Co.), 1833 Toronto Twp, 1834 Newmarket, 1835 Whitby, 1836 Yonge Street, 1837 ordained at St. Thomas, 1838-1839 Oxford, 1840-1841 Malahide/Goderich became the first resident minister., 1841 Adelaide, 1842-1843 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1844 Eramosa (Wellington Co.), 1844-1846 Brantford/Grand River, 1847 Woodstock, 1847-1848 Fredericksburg, 1847-1849 Sarnia, 1850 Chatham, 1851-1852 St. Mary's, 1853-1855 St. George (Brant Co.), 1856-1858 Grand River, 1858 Onondaga (Brant Co.),

1842 Stephen Brownell

BROWNELL, Stephen A. was born in 1801 in Ontario and died on March 22, 1871 and was buried at Craighurst Presyterian Cemetery, Medonte Twp., Simcoe Co. His son Stephen Cornelius died in Flos Twp. 24 June 1856 at the age of 2 years old. He was received on trial in 1834-1835 in Ottawa, 1833 Clarendon, 1836 Crosby, 1837 Mississippi, 1838 ordained at Clarendon, 1839-1840 Pembrooke/Bonechire, 1841 Owen Sound, 1842-1844 Norfolk Street Guelph District, 1843 Waterloo, 1843-1844 Nichol (Wellington Co.), 1844 Elora & Fergus (Wellington Co.), 1845 Woolwich (Wellington Co.), 1845 Agent for Connexional Funds, 1846 Grand River, 1847-1848 Chippewa, 1848 Wellesley (Waterloo Co.), 1849 Puslinch (Wellington Co.), 1850 Erin (Wellington Co.), 1850 Toronto/Durham Road, 1851 Kincardine, 1851 St. Vincent/Artemisia Twp. (Simcoe Co.), 1852-1854 Medonte/Vespra/Tiny/Penetanguishene (Simcoe Co.), 1855 Flos/Orillia, 1856-1858 Southampton, 1857 Woolwich, 1859 Arran (Bruce Co.), 1859-1863 Cape Crocker (Bruce Co.) 1862-1863 Peel/Erin (Wellington Co.), 1863-1869 Avonmore/Moulinette retired, 1871 Cornwall Twp. (Stormont),

1844 Henry Byers

BYERS, Henry was born in 1811 in Ireland and died in 1890 and was received on trial in 1838 in Gosfield and was ordained in 1842, Wesleyan Methodist, 1839 London, 1840 Oxford, 1840 Barrie, 1841 Amherstburg, 1842 Adelaide/Warwick, 1843 Brantford/Grand River, 1844 Puslinch Twp. (Wellington Co.), 1844 Peterboro, 1845 Goderich, 1846 Norfolk Street - Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1847-1855 Kingston supernumerary, 1869 Kingston, 1871 Cataraqui (Kingston) (retired), 1880 deposed from the office of the ministry,

1844 Thomas Cosford

COSFORD, was born in 1814 in England, Wesleyan Methodist and was received on trial in 1839 at Murray Twp., died in 1892 and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, London, (Middlesex Co.). He married Nancy and their daughter Cecilia Ann died 19 Sept 1855 in Bowmanville only 2 weeks old. Their daughter Lavinia Harriet died 12 Feb 1860 in Goderich 6 mos old. Their daughter Maria Isadore died in Eglington May 8, 1864 age 2 mos 22 days, 1840 Grimsby, 1841 Thorold/St. Catharines, 1842 Simcoe, 1843-1844 ordained at Nelson/Whitchurch, 1845-1846 Norfolk St. Guelph (Wellington Co.), 1845 Nichol (Wellington Co.), 1846-1847 Eramosa/Nichol/Garafraxa/Woolwich (Wellington Co.), 1847-1848 Richmond/York/Seneca, 1848 Superintendent at Simcoe, 1849-1850 Nelson (Halton Co.), 1851-1853 Drummondville/Niagara, 1854-1856 Bowmanville, 1855 Peel Twp. (Wellington Co.), 1856 Cartwright, 1856 Darlington (Durham), 1857 Stratford Chairman Goderich District, 1858 Blanshard (Oxford Co.), 1858 Stanley (Huron Co.), 1858-1860 Goderich, 1861-1862 St. Mary's, 1863-1865 Eglington/Yonge Street (York Co.), 1865 Stamford (Welland Co.), 1866-1868 Millbrook/Cavan (Durham) Chairman Peterborough District, 1869-1870 Whitby, 1871-1873 Strathroy, 1874 Mount Forest (Wellington Co.), 1875-1880 Governor of the Mount Elgin Industrial Institute, Muncey, Ontario. Chairman of District 1874, Delegate to the first General Conference, Toronto, 1874 and the General Conference in Montreal in 1878

1849 Stephen Brownell

1862 Isaac Crane

CRANE, Isaac was born in 1823 in England and was received on trial in 1855 at Fredericksburg and was buried in Hillview United Cemetery, Woodstock, (Oxford Co.), Wesleyan Methodist, 1856 Delhi, 1857-1858 ordained at Morris, 1859 Gray Twp. (Huron Co.), 1860-1861 Wallace/Elma (Perth Co.), 1862 Puslinch/Eramosa/Rockwood (Wellington Co.), 1864 Peel (Wellington Co.), 1863-1865 Wellesley, 1866 Wallace, 1866-1868 Drayton (Wellington Co.), 1867-1869 Hollen Peel Twp (Wellington Co.), 1868 Rothsay Maryborough, 1869-1872 Peel/Maryborough, 1871 Glenallen Peel, 1872-1874 Londesboro, 1875-1877 Bervie, 1878-1879 Washington, 1880 Erin, 1885-1887 Mt. Pleasant Nichol (Wellington Co.),

1867 John Carroll

CARROLL, John D.D. was born in 1809 Niagara-on-the-Lake and died in 1884 and is buried at Victoria Lawn, St Catharines (Section L) Grantham Twp. Lincoln Co., and he was received in 1829 at Cobourg, Methodist Episcopal, 1827 Scarborough/Toronto Twp. (4 months), 1828 Belleville/Stirling (Hastings Co.), 1829 Cobourg, 1830-1831 Perth, ordained in 1832 at Bytown/Ottawa, 1833 joined Wesleyan Conference, 1834 Matilda, 1835-1836 Brockville, 1837-1838 Cobourg, 1839 tutor Upper Canada Academy Cobourg, 1840 Brockville, 1840 Kingston, 1841 Bytown Chairman, 1842-1843 Prescott Chairman, 1844-1845 Kingston Chairman, 1845 Augusta (Johnstown), 1846-1847 Toronto East, 1848-1850 London Chairman, 1851-1853 Hamilton (Main St.) Chairman, 1854-1855 St. John's/Montreal C.E., 1855-1857 Belleville (Hastings Co.) Chairman, 1858-1860 Ottawa Chairman, 1861-1863 Monaghan (Peterborough Co.) Chairman, 1864-1866 Norfolk St. Guelph (Wellington Co.) Chairman, 1867 Puslinch (Wellington Co.), 1868 Grantham (Lincoln Co.), 1867-1868 Humberstone St. Catharines Chairman, 1869 General Agent S.S. Union, Toronto, 1870-1871 Yorkville (retired), 1872 Rochesterville (retired), 1873 Leslieville (retired), 1873 Ottawa, 1874-1881 Don Mount Toronto (York Co.), Author or "Past and Present", "Case and Cotemporaries" 5 vols, "School of the Prophets", The Stripling Preacher", "Life of Robert Corson", and several Tractates.

1870-1871 George H. Cornish

CORNISH, George Henry was born on June 28, 1834 in Exeter, England Wesleyan Methodist and was received on trial in 1858 at Mitchell after attending Victoria College in Cobourg. He was ordained in 1862 along with twenty-four others at the old Pinnacle Street Church in Belleville by Rev. Dr. Wood. In 1862 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Frances Reynell, daughter of Capt. John Reynell of Bainslack, Ireland and they had five children. 1858 Mitchell (with Rev. J.B. Evans), 1859 Clinton, 1860 Kincardine, 1861 Newcastle, 1862-1863 ordained at Beaverton, 1864-1865 Caledonia/Binbrook/Glanford, 1866 Pickering, 1866-1868 Cainsville, 1869-1870 Rockwood (Wellington Co.), 1870 Eramosa/Nassagawega (Halton Co.), 1871-1873 Pickering/Greenwood/Brougham, 1874-1875 Norwich, 1876-1878 Grimsby, 1879-1880 Burlington, 1881 Stratford, 1883 Hespler, 1884 Port Elgin, 1885 Niagara, 1887 Drayton (Wellington Co.), Author of the "Handbook of Canadian Methodism," published in 1867 and "Cyclopaedia of Methodism in Canada" published in 1880. Journal Secretary of the Conference for the years 1872, 1873 and 1874. Financial Secretary 1875 and 1880, Assistant Secretary of Conference 1879, Secretary of Confernce 1879, Delegate to General Conference Montreal 1878,

1872 C.E. Stafford

STAFFORD, Charles E. was born in 1842 in England, Primitive Methodist, was received on trial in 1864, 1871 Yorkville (York Co.), Joined Wesleyan Methodist Conference in 1871, 1871-1872 Rockwood/Eramosa/Nassagaweya (Wellington Co.), 1872 Eden Mills (Wellington Co.), 1873-1874 Holmesville, 1875-1877 Brussels/McKillop (Huron Co.), 1878-1881 Teeswater, 1916 Carmel/Belwood Garafraxa (Wellington Co.), buried at Elora Municipal Cemetery - Sections C,D, Nichol Twp., (Wellington Co.)