View source for Finding Canada Church Histories (National Institute)

=== Denominational Histories  ===

It is safe to say that all of the important nineteenth century denominations in Canada have now been documented in the form of an overall history, save perhaps the Roman Catholics, where an overall history would be impossible and inadequate. Some of these, such as Neil Semple’s history of Methodism in Canada, ''The Lord’s ''Dominion (1996), is very large and thorough, perhaps providing more information on the subject than a genealogist might want at first glance. They should not be neglected however. 

Use the table of contents and index in these books to find the parts which may give you information you require. Think of this as ‘reading in the book’ rather than ‘reading the book.’ A few pages here and a few paragraphs there may tell you what you need to know. 

If you find the story sufficiently interesting, read it all. The bibliographical references (either in the form of a bibliography or of footnotes and endnotes) may lead you on to other resources. 

In particular, you will find accounts of the earliest missionaries who established the denomination in an area. There may be maps, or clear descriptions, of the geographical parts covered in their travels. If your ancestors’ home was located in those parts, then you can ask where that missionary’s records have been kept, and if there may be something there to help you. 

Most denominations sent missionaries into the newly settled parts of Canada at one time or another, and the zeal of those early evangelists affected how many congregations of that denomination were founded there, and hence how many people adhered to that denomination later. The universality of the United Church of Canada, especially its congregations which were originally Methodist, grew from a conscious effort on the part of English Methodists in the 1820s and 1830s to evangelize in Canada in an effort to found churches there ahead of the Anglican. They were very successful in their aim. 

Usually, a denomination starts by having a central office in one place. As the group grows, more divisions are made, with other offices. At each stage, you may wonder where the records are which will refer to the pioneers in a particular township, and you may find that there may be records in three or four different archives, depending on the year concerned. 

Let us take an example. For some townships in eastern Ontario, there were Anglicans who first owed allegiance to the Bishop of Québec. Later, they were part of the diocese of Montréal, and then the diocese of Ontario (based in Kingston) and then the diocese of Ottawa, who is still responsible for them. It is possible that there will be references to these townships in the archives of all four dioceses, and researchers may be obliged to look in all four.