As published in the Orangeville Banner on February 28, 1918 (Page 2, Columns 2-3)

AN OLD CONGREGATION

History of Mono East Presbyterian Church Dates Back Beyond the Year 1837

Present Stone Church Was Dedicated by the Late Dr. Carmichael in 1868

(With photo of Rev. J. A. Black)

    The following valuable historical record of Mono East Presbyterian church is from the pen of Rev. J. A. Black, of Mono Mills.  The church is one of the oldest charges in this district and Mr. Black has done Presbyterianism a real service by putting its early history into permanent form.
    The history of Mono East Presbyterian church dates back beyond the year 1837, but we have not [been] able to secure definite records.  It must have been a station of considerable importance with good prospects at that time, for Rev. Alexander Lewis was settled there on that date.  Orangeville was the outlying station, but soon became self-supporting and withdrew from Mono East.  Bethel, Mono Centre, was then attached to Mono East with Mr. Lewis as minister.  In the year 1847 there were 96 families and 111 communicants in the Presbyterian congregation of Mono.  In the year 1858 there were 49 families and 71 members in the First Presbyterian Church of Mono at Mono East.
    There are no records of the date of the laying of the corner stone of the old log church, but tradition tells us that Mr. George Dodds drew the logs together with his oxen named Duke and Darby.  The church stood a little to the east of where the present stone church stands.  The minister's stipend was paid in pounds, shillings and pence, and any silver money that found its way to the collection plate had to be changed at a discount by the treasurer of the church.  About 1860 Mr. Lewis was retired but he still continued to live at Mono Mills until 1878, when he was called to his reward.  A monument at the north-east corner of Mono East church marks the last resting place of all that was mortal of a true and most faithful pioneer minister.  The book in which he recorded his marriages, bears testimony to his popularity.  The first recorded is that of Mr. Samuel Kee, who passed away this week at Orangeville.  The baptism register is in the possession of Mr. Wm. Lewis, of Mono Mills, and shows that a large number of the old settlers in this community brought their children to him for baptism.  It is interesting to note that the Session in 1852 passed a resolution that parents must be members of the church or signify their willingness to become members at the earliest opportunity before they were entitled to receive baptism for their children.  If they failed after promising they were not entitled to baptism for the next child.
    The Rev. Mr. Hamilton was the next minister to take charge and labored faithfully until 1870, when he was followed by Rev. Mr. Lindsay.  The first funeral was that of a Mr. Neil, who died north of the Nottawa river, near Hockley.  Several stalwart men carried the casket to Mono East, over four miles, through the bush.
    The new stone church became a reality and was dedicated by the Rev. J. Carmichael, on the 19th of January, 1868.  It is worthy of note that Dr. Carmichael lived fifty years to a day after taking the most prominent part in the three services of that day.  The collections at these services amounted to $25.35, $21.97 and $12.22.  The service on the Monday night following netted $107.00.  Captain Patterson, of Mono Mills, received about $1,500 for building the church  He did the carpenter work himself.  The stones were out of the neighboring quarry and dressed by several deserters from the United States. An acre of ground was bought from Mr. John White for $100.  It took $50.00 to fence it and secure the deed.  The shed cost about $150.00.  Three graves had to be moved back a few feet in order to make room for the shed.  Among them was that of Rev. Mr. Nesbit.
    After Mr. Lindsay died in 1873, Rev. McMcCauley was placed in charge and looked after the work until 1877, when Rev. Mr. Taite was called.  During his pastorate there was a re-arrangement of the field.  Mono Centre was given over to Camilla, and Mono Mills, and the 4th line church in Caledon were added.
    There was some difficulty about the Session records.  It is recorded that Mono Centre took possession of them and the united charge had to procure a new book.  In 1888 Rev. J. W. Orr succeeded Mr. Taite.  By this time Caledon had become united with Caledon East and Adjala was attached to Mono Mills and Mono East.  Mr. Orr accepted a call to Alma in 1892 and six months later Rev. W. D. Turner was ordained and inducted into Mono Mills.  In 1905 he was followed by Rev. F. Davey, who accepted a call to Cedarville in 1910 and Mono Mills came under the charge of Rev. J. A. Black, who preached his farewell on Feb. 24th, 1918, before going to the charge of Hornings Mills and Primrose.
    It would not be fitting to close this history without referring to the fact that for the fifty-third year Mr. W. J. Dodds has been elected at the annual meeting of Mono East to fill the office of secretary-treasurer.  HE is still hale and hearty and we hope he may be spared many years yet to grace this office.

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As published in the Orangeville Banner on August 13, 1959  - (3 photos to the side of the article)

NEGLECTED AND FORLON

MONO EAST CEMETERY TO BE RESTORED TO ITS FORMER STATUS AS A FIT RESTING PLACE FOR PIONEER FAMILIES INTERRED IN IT
 

    Last week The Banner told the story of the Township of Mono's Cemetery Board and its plans for the restoration of the abandoned and neglected cemeteries in the township --  how the first project in this programme, the restoration of Zion Church cemetery on the Blind Line, was brought to fruition so satisfactorily.
    This week we take you to the cemetery that is next on the Board's restoration programme.  In pictures we give our readers an idea of the amount of work involved in restoring neglected cemeteries.  The magnitude of the Cemetery Board's task can only be fully realized when we view the present condition of the cemeteries that have yet to be restored.  The pictures on this page and on page I show the present condition of the Mono East Presbyterian Cemetery.
    This cemetery in better days was one of the finest in the township.  In it are interred some of the proudest families of the township -- families that had their roots in it from the days of the earliest settlers.  In the pictures can be seen the sad remains of the once noble stone church that stood adjacent to the burying grounds.  It was built in 1867 replacing a log church, and was the first Presbyterian church in Mono.  Services were discontinued many years ago and eventually the edifice was bought and wrecked.  The cemetery was opened in 1853 and, as one can see from the pictures, was well used by the township families of the Presbyterian faith. The Irish and Scottish Presbyterians believed that a fitting monument was a necessary adjunct to successful living and honest dying.  So you find in Mono East cemetery some very handsome monuments on whose faces are carved family names long respected and honoured in the township.
    Some of the inscriptions are quite interesting.  For instance, there is the one in memory of John Williamson, a native of Ireland, of the parish of Laughall in County Armagh, who died on May 15, 1859, at the ripe old age of 98 years. The monument records for time these thoughts on the death of this patriarch of Mono:
Under this marble slab, the aged Patriarch rests;
Reader pay thy tribute here, a tear, a rose and then a tear.
Farewell my sons and daughters dear.
We part below to meet above, where a parting is no more.
    One can shed few tears over a man who lived so full of years, but the inscription of another monument does bring the dark shadow of sadness.  It records the death of John Reany, who died in 1889, aged 69 years and his wife Sarah Moffitt, who died in 1913, aged 64 years.  Below are listed the names of five children of this couple who all died in the months of April and May 1889.  What a burden, it must have been for a mother to bear.  In February, her husband died.  With a small family to raise, that death in itself was sufficient to dishearten any woman.  To months later, a more dreadful blow was to striker her when the five children ranging in ages from one year to 14 years were taken.
    The Mono Cemetery Board hopes to start work shortly on the restoration of Mono East Cemetery.   The residents of the township and others will look forward to the completion of this important task.
    As we stated last week, the monies for this restoration programme are being provided by the ratepayers of the township and by the terms of a bequest from a native of Mono, the late Dr. Minerva Reid, of Toronto.  Now, there may be interested persons not now living in the township, but who have roots of some kind in Mono, who would like to contribute to this effort.  If you would like to do so, you may send your contributions to Mr. Eric White, sectry-treas. of the Mono Cemetery Board, who lives at R.R. 5, Orangeville.  Mr. George Reid, R.R. 4, Orangeville, is chairman, and Mr. Gordon Babe, R.R. 5, Orangeville, is a member of the Board.