In the late summer of 1998, I had occasion to act as Solicitor for the “Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America” in regard to the sale of its manse on the Bay Hill (across the street from the Church itself). The Purchaser’s conveyancer (Mr. David Wentzell of the Perley-Roberston firm) who attended at the Registry Office in Almonte to close the transaction commented to my Legal Assistant (Mrs. Hazel C. Anderson) that the title search was the easiest he had ever done.
This was because there had only been one deed in the last one hundred years. In fact, the deed had been registered in 1892. Like most early charities and other social and fraternal associations (including, for example, the Mississippi Masonic Lodge and St. Paul’s Anglican Church), the original deed was a conveyance to a number of trustees (in this case, five) for the benefit of the Church. The more recent development of incorporation (for the liability protection of directors) had not yet become fashionable. As a matter of mere historical record, the more antique custom of entitling trustees was more desirable, because the registered title disclosed not merely a faceless corporation, but rather the very names of the Parties representing the Church at that time. In the case of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, what was interesting to me (especially as I met with each of the current Trustees to sign the various conveyancing papers) was that almost without exception, the names of the current Trustees matched very closely the names of the Church Trustees over one hundred years ago; viz., names like Burns, Waddell and Thompson; and where the names did not match, Mr. John L. Morton confirmed that his mother had been a Waddell; and Mr. Roderick Bowes advised that his family was related to the Burns. The Reformed Presbyterian Church probably enjoys no more fascinating history than any other religious organization in Town, yet nonetheless there are probably few such churches which can boast such an enviable record of continuity of family names and connections. Though in fairness I am bound to observe that Mrs. Mary Hugessen and Mr. Alex Hughes, both related to the late Mr. Alex Rosamond who built St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Almonte in about 1864, are still very much a part of the Church and its government today.
This was because there had only been one deed in the last one hundred years. In fact, the deed had been registered in 1892. Like most early charities and other social and fraternal associations (including, for example, the Mississippi Masonic Lodge and St. Paul’s Anglican Church), the original deed was a conveyance to a number of trustees (in this case, five) for the benefit of the Church. The more recent development of incorporation (for the liability protection of directors) had not yet become fashionable. As a matter of mere historical record, the more antique custom of entitling trustees was more desirable, because the registered title disclosed not merely a faceless corporation, but rather the very names of the Parties representing the Church at that time. In the case of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, what was interesting to me (especially as I met with each of the current Trustees to sign the various conveyancing papers) was that almost without exception, the names of the current Trustees matched very closely the names of the Church Trustees over one hundred years ago; viz., names like Burns, Waddell and Thompson; and where the names did not match, Mr. John L. Morton confirmed that his mother had been a Waddell; and Mr. Roderick Bowes advised that his family was related to the Burns. The Reformed Presbyterian Church probably enjoys no more fascinating history than any other religious organization in Town, yet nonetheless there are probably few such churches which can boast such an enviable record of continuity of family names and connections. Though in fairness I am bound to observe that Mrs. Mary Hugessen and Mr. Alex Hughes, both related to the late Mr. Alex Rosamond who built St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Almonte in about 1864, are still very much a part of the Church and its government today.
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