Dresden in Chatham-Kent, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Spirituality and Community

Spiritualité et Communauté

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2014

1. Spirituality and Community Marker

Captions (English / French): The funeral service for Josiah Henson took place at Dreden’s British Methodist Episcopal Church in 1883. / Les funérailles de Josiah Henson eurent lieu à l’église épiscopale méthodiste britannique de Dresden en 1883.; Josiah Henson heard his first sermon at 18 years of age. / Josiah Henson entendit son premier sermon à l’age de 18 ans.

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Built around 1850, this modest rural church was moved from Mersea Township to this site in the 1960s and is representative of the churches in which Reverend Henson preached while living at Dawn.

Reverend Josiah Henson was most closely associated with the Dawn settlement’s British Methodist Episcopal (B.M.E.) Church in which he preached many of his sermons. That church was demolished in the 1940s due to safety concerns, although the organ was saved and is displayed inside this church.

The local church was one of the Black community’s most important institutions and served as a place of worship and a centre for meetings, educational purposes, recreational and social activities. Reverend Henson, along with other ministers and the church community, played an important role in preserving Black culture.

French
Construite aux alentours de 1850, cette modeste église rurale, qui se trouvait auparavant dans le canton de Mersa, a été transférée sur ce site dans les années 1960. Elle est représentative des églises dans lesquelles le révérend Henson prêchait lorsqu’il vivait a Dawn.

Le

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révérend Josiah Henson a surtout été associé à l’église épiscopale méthodiste britannique (B.M.E.) de l’établissement de Dawn dans laquelle il a prêché bon nombre de ses sermons. Cette église a été démolie dans les années 1940 pour des raisons de sécurité. L’orgue a été sauvé et installé dans cette église.
L’église locale était une des institutions les plus importantes de la communauté noire et servait de lieu de culte et de centre de réunions et d’activités éducatives, récréatives et socials. Le révérend Henson, de mêne que d’autres prêtres et la communauté religieuse, contribuèrent de façon notable à préserver la culture noire.

Erected by Ontario Heritage Trust.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 42° 35.122′ N, 82° 11.758′ W. Marker is in Dresden, Ontario, in Chatham-Kent. Marker can be reached from Uncle Tom's Road close to Park Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29251 Uncle Tom's Road, Dresden ON N0P 1M0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 18 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sawmill (a few steps from this marker); Henson House (a few steps from this marker); Harris House

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2014

2. Spirituality and Community Marker

(within shouting distance of this marker); Josiah Henson (within shouting distance of this marker); The Dawn Settlement / La Colonie de Dawn (within shouting distance of this marker); The Founding of Dresden (approx. 1.5 kilometers away); Burning of British Ships / American Encampment (approx. 16.8 kilometers away); The Legend of the Paw Paw (approx. 16.8 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dresden.

More about this marker. This marker is located at the Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site.

1850s Rural Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2014

3. 1850s Rural Church

Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 393 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 30, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.