The Hammondville Churches

In his book History of Essex County, published in 1885, H.P. Smith, describes the Church of Christ in Hammondville: “In 1875 and 1876 Rev. J.T. Marsh, acting pastor of the Congregational Church at Ironville, preached occasionally to the Protestant population of Hammondville. In October, 1877, Rev. A.T. Clarke was called to the pastorate of the Congregational Church at Ironville and preached in a school-house in Hammondville once in two weeks for nearly a year. In the summer of 1878 the Crown Point Iron Company erected an elegant house of worship with commodious rooms for a school beneath it. This house was dedicated on Sunday, September 29th, 1878, at which time the following statement by the Iron Company, prepared by A.L. Inman, general manager, was read:

“The company, having a due regard for the welfare of its employees, at its annual meeting in May last, determined on the erection of a building at its mines, for the purpose of a church and school building, the necessities of which have long been apparent, and to that end have expended in the construction and furnishing of the house we now occupy a little less than $3,000. The lower room has a seating capacity for 135 scholars, and is to be used as a school-room. The upper room, with seating capacity for 225 persons, to be used as a union house of worship for the religious services of all denominations. And the company does now give it to its employees to be used for such purposes only, with the hope and belief that it will prove a source of profit to both old and young.”