Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Paul’s Methodist Church / St. Paul’s United Church (590 Johnson Street, Boissevain, Municipality of Boissevain-Morton)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

By the turn of the twentieth century, many of Manitoba’s small urban centres had grown into solid, prosperous communities. Their buildings reflected that change. Substantial Presbyterian and Methodist churches of brick and stone eventually came to replace earlier wood-frame structures. St. Paul’s United, originally Methodist, is a fine example of these large buildings. Built in 1893, it is one of the foremost representatives of fieldstone construction.

The church is also a fine example of the Gothic Revival style, one of the most commonly used architectural expressions of the age. Edward Lowery, a Winnipeg architect, prepared the design for the building. The stone, lime and sand used to build the walls were drawn from local sources. The construction was undertaken by volunteers from the congregation.

A plaque in front of the church was erected by the Manitoba Heritage Council on 24 September 1994.

Clerics (Methodist)

Period	Cleric
1887-1890	Oliver Darwin
1890-1893	George Henry Long (1857-?)
1893-1897	W. A. Vrooman
1897-1901	J. M. Harrison
1901-1905	William Somerville
1905-1909	T. B. Wilson
1909-1912	M. C. Flatt
1912-1913	B. W. Allison
1913-1917	J. W. Bowering
1917-1921	O. Coleman
1921-1923	B. W. Allison
1923-1926	H. Dodds

Clerics (Presbyterian)

Period	Cleric
1889-1891	J. K. Welch
1891-1897	Peter Fisher
1897-1912	Alexander Hamilton
1912-1919	H. McKay
1919-1923	John Fullerton Stewart (1879-1968)
1923-1925	A. A. Annand
1925-1926	G. Lockhart

Clerics (United)

Period	Cleric
1926-1930	R. E. McCullagh
1930-1938	P. N. Murray
1938-1943	William Wyman
1943-1950	G. M. Marshall
1950-1961	S. C. Studd
1961-1964	James Maxwell
1965	H. Smith
1965-?	F. J. Markowsky

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of St. Paul’s Methodist Church (circa 1910) Source: Rob McInnes, MN1378 St. Paul’s United Church (August 2010) Source: Gordon Goldsborough St. Paul’s United Church (September 2021) Source: George Penner Interior of St. Paul’s United Church (August 2018) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.23047, W100.05276 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba / Manitoba Heritage Council

Sources:

Obituary [John Fullerton Stewart], Winnipeg Tribune, 25 September 1968.

75th Anniversary (1893-1968): St. Paul’s United Church, Boissevain, Manitoba [undated pamphlet]

St. Paul’s United Church, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

We thank George Penner and Rob McInnes for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 April 2024

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