Cottlesville Book Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS
United Church
Little is known about the old Methodist Church in Cottlesville.
This being the first church in our town was established in 1876
under Herring Neck. The minister would only visit
Cottlesville periodically, and people began attending the
Salvation Army and later Pentecostal Church until finally there were
not enough professing Methodists for a viable church group.
Members who attended the initial church were William Philpott and his
family, Kenneth Rideout and his family, Charlie King, Samuel King,
Stanley King, Elihu Moores and George White. In 1925 the
Methodist Church became known as the United Church of Canada. The
United minister would only come once every month or every two months,
so then most of these people went to Pentecost. This community is
now under Summerford, and according to the U.C. headquarters, the
Reverend in Summerford is still responsible for this town.
United Church Ministers
The ministers stationed at Herring Neck, Morton's Harbour, and
Summerford came to Cottlesville to have services. W. Jennings (1876);
T.L Eland (1878); W.H. Edyvean (1879); W.T.D Dunn (1882); R. Bramfitt
(1884); W.M. Rex (1887); C. Lench (1890); A. Stoney (1892); W. Harris
(1894); A.A. Holmes (1897); W. Patterson (1900); Supply (1902); J.W.
Guy (1905); F.J. Haden (1906); Supply (1907); H. Royle (1909); P.
Legrow (1910); Isaac French (1911); Eli Anthony (1913); Supply (1914);
G. Butt (1919); Supply (1920).
Under Herring Neck
and Summerford
Gilbert Turtle (1921); Supply (1922); F.J. Little (1923); Supply
(1924); Supply (1925); Isaac Davis (1926).
Under Moreton's Harbour
Isaac Davis & Hedley R. Brett (1927); Isaac Davis & Hedley R.
Brett (1928); "one to be sent" (1929); James D. Burge (1930); Elmo
Jones (1931); Watson French (1932); James Connolly (summer supply)
(1933); Elmo Jones (1934); John Bursey (1935); Ian McKay (1936); Fred
Thompson (student under Roland C. Hopkins) (1937); no listing (1938);
Supply (Moreton's Harbour, R.C. Hopkins) (1939); Rueben Davis (1940);
Rueben Davis (1941); Supply (1942); R.G.Gillingham (only briefly)
(1943); Sidney F. Little (1944); Supply (1945); not listed (1946);
Edgar Williams (1947); Manuel Saunders (1948); Alexander Coles (1949);
Richard Reeves (lay supply) (1950); Richard Reeves (lay supply)
(1951); Mr. Lewis Head (lay supply) (1952); Mr. Lewis Head (lay supply)
(1953); Mr. Lewis Head (lay supply) (1954); Mr. Lewis Head (lay supply)
(1955); Mr. Lewis Head (lay supply) (1956); Mr. Maurice Bartlett
(ministerial cand.) (1957); Mr. Bert Templeman (ministerial cand.)
(1958); Mr. E.D. Smith (ministerial cand.) (1959); Wilfred Hopkins (lay
supply) (1960); Rev. G.B Butt (1961); Rev. N.S.Gibson (1962); Rev.
N.S.Gibson (1963); Rev. D. Winsor; Rev. H.G.Harris (1964); Rev. H.G.
Harris (1965); Rev. H.G. Harris (1966); Rev. R. Moore (1967); Rev. H.
Elliott (1968); Rev. H. Tuck (1969).
Under Summerford and Moreton's Harbour
Rev. Barry Robinson (1970); Rev. Barry Robinson (1971); Rev. Silas
Rodgers (1972); Rev. Silas Rodgers (1973); Rev. Silas Rodgers (1974);
Rev. Karen Mitchell (1975); Rev. B.J. Thompson (1976); Rev. Beverly J.
Thompson (1977); Rev. J.E. Massey (1978); Rev. J.E. Massey (1979); Rev.
J.E. Massey (1980); Rev. J.E. Massey (1981); Rev. J.E. Massey (1982);
Rev. Ginn (1983); Rev. Ginn (1984); Rev Ruth Wright (1985)
United School
We, the authors of this book, would like to apologize for the lack of
information concerning the United School. Most of the information
was burned in the fire that destroyed Lloyd Small’s house at
Summerford. We do know a number of the teachers who taught in the
school. They were Miss Locke, Mr. Raymond Bulgin, Miss Mollens,
Miss Tizzard, Mr. Lloyd Small, Mr. Reeves, Miss Daisy Ralph, Mr.
Raymond Small, Mr. Winston Locke and Miss Verna Small. The school
closed around 1944.
Salvation Army Development
The Salvation Army's first barracks (Citadel) was just 20 ft X 15 ft,
and was built where Gary Steele lives today. It was opened
under the leadership of Capt. Wiltshire in 1903. Shortly after
the first building was used, they decided a new citadel was needed and
it was constructed on the road to Lukes Arm.
In 1966, the comrades under the leadership of Lieut. Max Freener
constructed a new facility. This building was opened on March 19,
1967 by Brig. Charlie Hickman. This facility served the
Salvationist until the dreadful night of March 2, 1983 when the citadel
and quarters were destroyed by fire.
There was no doubt that new facilities were needed, so plans got under
way to construct both the citadel and quarters. (Due to the
unavailability of appropriate worship facilities the comrades had to
hold their worship services in the basement of the newly constructed
quarters.) A set of plans were drawn up for the new citadel by
Shepherd, Hedges and Green of Gander and was approved by the Local
Building Committee and by the Territorial Headquarters of
Toronto. Tenders were called for construction. Cyril
Sceviour Construction was awarded the contract and work began on
January 16, 1984. This new citadel was opened on July 22, 1984 by
Commissioner Arthur R. Pitcher, Territorial commander for Canada and
Bermuda.
Salvation Army Officers
Capt. Wiltshire (1903); Lieut. George Earle (1905); Capt. J. Butler
(1906); Lieut. E. Porter (1907); Lieut. Charlie Woodland (1907); Lieut.
George French (1908); Lieut. Andrew Harlrier (1909); Capt. Katie
Diamond (1909); Lieut. Alfred Anstey (1910); Capt. Joseph Antony
(1911); Capt. Myra Saint (1912); Lieut. Richard Butt (1913); Lieut.
Lucy Raines (1915); Lieut. Ernest Eason (1916); Ensign Matilida Perry
(1917); Lieut. Elijah Anstey (1917); Lieut. Philip Moyles (1918);
Lieut. Louise Harnum (1920); Lieut. Arthur Boutcher (1921); Lieut.
Chester Bowering (1922); Candidate Sabrina Janes (1923); Lieut. Abe
Churchill (1924); Capt. Muriel Littlejohn (1925); Capt. Moss
(1925); Capt. Eva Reid (1926); Lieut. Baxter Evans (1927); Lieut.
Gideon Hancock (1928); Capt. Martha Crocker (1929); Capt. Eliza Stanley
(1929); Lieut. Rita Howell (1929); Capt. Esther West (1932); Capt.
Hilda Piercy (1932); Capt. Violet Dawe (1934); Capt. Olive Peach
(1935); Capt. Lula Cook (1936); Capt. Victoria Johnson (1937); Capt.
Ivy Prior (1938); Capt. Hezekiah Pilgrim (1939); Capt. Rita Pelley
(1941); Pro. Capt. Emma Williams (1943); Pro. Lieut. Winnie Harnum
(1944); Pro. Lieut. Dorothy Haggett (1945); Pro. Lieut. Maisie Wilkins,
(1946); Capt. Joyce Bellan (1948); Major Mehitable Abbott (1949); 2nd
Lieut. James Tiller (1950); 2nd Lieut. Ruth Fudge (1950); 1st Lieut.
Neville Butler (1951); 2nd Lieut. Flossie Mago (1952); Pro. Lieut.
Gladys Froude (1953); Capt. Josie Lush (1953); Lieut. Maunda Abbott
(1953); 2nd Lieut. Sam Gullage (1954); 2nd Lieut. Verna Burry (1955);
Pro. Lieut. Ralph Sexton (1956); Capt. Hayward Noseworthy (1957); 2nd
Lieut. Verna Mouland (1958); Pro. Lieut. Mary Brace (1958); Pro. Lieut.
Jack Stanley (1959); Lieut. Bramwell Foote (1961); Capt. Lulu Brace
(1962); Major Mehitable Abbott (1962); Lieut. Daisy Miller (1964);
Lieut. Ella Peckford (1964); Lieut. Rowena Woodford (1965); Lieut. Joy
Struge (1965); Lieut. Maxwell Feeher (1966); Lieut. Rosalind Burry
(1967); En Voy Max Frampton (1969); Capt. & Mrs. Leslie Barrow
(1971); Lieut. Audrey Rideout (1973); Lieut. & Mrs. David Gavin
(1973); Lieut. & Mrs. Dinzel Baggs (1974); Lieut. & Mrs
Geoffery Jacobs (1976); Lieut. Ruth Humby (1978); Lieut. & Mrs.
Garry C. Hopkins (1982); Capt. & Mrs. Vincent (1985); Lieut. &
Mrs. Fudge (1987); Capt. & Mrs. Wiseman (1990); Lieut. Burry
(1992); Lieut. & Mrs. Masters (1993); Lieut. C. Frampton (1995)
Salvation Army Education
A Salvation Army school was opened in 1911 and by 1921 there was a
Methodist school operating. For one room school houses in
general, there was only one teacher to teach thirty or forty
students. Five people would sit in a seat, each had a
slate. Every child was required to bring a junk of wood or two to
school. Children use to go to school for three or four months at
a time. In 1981 Cottlesville students attended central schools on
New World Island (Summerford, Virgin Arm).
Pentecostal History
The beginning of the Pentecostal work in Cottlesville started in 1930
with Pastor E.R. Pelley. The first service was held in the
Methodist Church.
In 1932, the first assigned pastor Maude Evans arrived. Under her
leadership the first church was erected. Mr. Hedley Rideout &
Mr. Arthur Anstey started the first Pentecostal Sunday School in
the town.
In 1942, a house was purchased from a man on Swan Island. This
structure was towed to cottlesville by water, and served as a parsonage
until 1960, when another was constructed. During 1964 a second
church was constructed under Pastor F.P. Wells and in 1979 a new
auditorium extension was opened under Pastor E.C. Goudie. In 1993
the parsonage was sold and another house purchased as a parsonage for
the next pastor.
Pentecostal Church Pastors
Maude Evans (1932-34); George Hoskins (1934-35); Eric Ball (1935-38);
Pearl Brown (1938-40); Winnie Wall & Alfreda Quinlan (1941-42);
Maxwell & Ethel Vatcher (1942-46); Obadiah & Mary Stuckless
(1946-47); Selby & Bessie Callahan (1947-51); Charlie & Olivine
Rowsell (1951-57); Gerald French (1957-58); James Ellsworth (1958-61);
George & Marjorie Hoskins (1961-63); Fred & Olive Wells
(1964-67); Alvin & Patricia Windsor (1967-71); Robert &
Geraldine Paddock (1971-76); Eric & Marjorie Goudie (1976-81);
Harold & Doraldena Luff (1981-86); Victor & Colleen Rowsell
(1986-93); Hurid & Phyllis Bennett (1993-present).
Pentecostal Education in Cottlesville
School was held in the church until 1949, when a schoolhouse was
constructed under the leadership of Pastor Callahan, and used until
1970. Schools became consolidated in that year, so students were
bused to modern facilities in Summerford, and to Chapel Island.
Pentecostal School
Subjects taught in the past were mathematics, literature, English,
nature science, health, geography, history and spelling.
Some of the teachers who taught in the school were Audrey Stryde,
Newman Harris, Media Clark, Arthur Fancy, Algon Park, Yvonne Dawe,
Irene White, Faye Batton, Mona Bulgin, Edward Luff, Howard Combden, Jim
Kennedy, Frazer Brown, Ella Philpott, Robert Peddle, Frank Anstey,
Alvin Rideout, Sunshine Perry and Carol Verge.
Some which taught in the church were Irene Hillier, Violet Kennedy and
Amelia Rideout (Noble).
Education
In the 1800's there were a few if any, that went to school in
Cottlesville. Some who came from other places that had schools
would manage to read and write and recognize money. Between
1900-1925 some children went to church-schools for two or three years
until they could read and write. During 1925-1950 it was a great
accomplishment if a few people got as far as grade six or nine.
In 1950-1975 few people got grade eleven, but as high schools became
more widespread in 1975 to 1996 span, most people completed grade
eleven with more and more people going to trade schools and
university. Despite having good education, many of the young
people left Cottle’s Island and went to larger centers in Newfoundland
and to the Mainland.