2010.27.57

This was the Presbyterian Church between 1844 and 1892, when the present First Presbyterian Church on 5th street was built. The current address of this location is 26 Wellington St W. The church later became the MJ Smith Seed store, and they built up additional structures around it. My third great grandfather William Walker preached in this building.

Additional information provided by a community member:

This was built as the first Presbyterian Church in Chatham -- one of three unrelated Presbyterian Churches that existed in Chatham until the year 1875. The three churches represented three distinct and separate denominations.

The building survived many years. After the new and current First Presbyterian Church was built in 1893, this building was later purchased and was renovated to become part of the M. J. Smith Seed Co. The 1842 church, with its trefoil window in the gable on the west elevation survived until it was demolished after the fire which destroyed most of the building in April, 2005.

Here is some more background:

This is why First Presbyterian Church in Chatham has its name. Prior to 1875, there were 3 distinct Presbyterian Churches in Chatham and the First Church (now the site of the Bibles for Missions Thrift Store on Wellington St. West), was for many decades prior to that part of the M. J. Smith seed store.

First United Presbyterian Church of Chatham was organized in 1842. Until it was demolished, there was still a small window in the west end gable that was original to the 1842-built church. And, it was the United Presbyterian Church of Chatham that was the city's "First" Presbyterian Church (of the three), even though there had been some stirrings of the Church of Scotland (the Kirk -- namely, St. Andrew's) in the city as early as 1834.

Prior to 1861, there were three distinct Presbyterian denominations represented by their respective congregations in Chatham. The United Presbyterian Church was the first congregation organized in Chatham in 1842 and was located on Wellington Street on the site (2024) of the Bibles for Missions Thrift Store.

The congregation of The Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Canada (popularly known as the Free Church) was located at the north corner of Wellington and Adelaide Streets.

The congregation of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in Connection With the Church of Scotland (popularly known as the Kirk) used the building occupied by its successor congregation – namely, St. Andrew’s United Church.

After the union of 1875, which amalgamated these denominations to form The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the two first-mentioned churches amalgamated to form First Presbyterian Church. Source: First Presbyterian Church, Chatham, Ontario, A History to Commemorate the New Millenium (2000), pg. 8.

Source:

First Presbyterian Church, Chatham, Ontario, A History to Commemorate the New Millenium. Chatham: First Presbyterian Church, 2000. Printed by Friesens Corporation, History Book Division, Altona, Manitoba.