William Bell (May 28, 1780 August 16, 1857) was a
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
minister, born in
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
and an immigrant to
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
.
Settling in Perth
Bell and his family settled in
Perth, Upper Canada
Perth is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Tay River, southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.
History
The town was established as a military settlement in 1816, shortly after the War of 1812. The settlement ...
, in 1817. He was a significant figure in promoting and expanding
the Presbyterian faith among the settlers in his region. He assisted in starting congregations in
Beckwith Township,
Lanark
Lanark ( ; ; ) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a populatio ...
,
Smiths Falls
Smiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada, southwest of Ottawa. As of the 2021 census it has a population of 9,254. It is in the Census division for Lanark County, but is administratively separated from the county. The Rideau Canal ...
and
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a city in the United States
* Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
.
Diaries about synods and their interactions
His carefully constructed diaries and other writings provide an important insight into the interactions between the
United Synod of Upper Canada (aligned with the Scottish
United Secession Church
The United Secession Church (or properly the United Associate Synod of the Secession Church) was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination which existed between 1820 and 1847.
History
The First Secession from the established Church of Scotland had ...
) and the
Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Canada (aligned with the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
). In 1835 Bell left the former and joined the latter. The former was absorbed by the latter by 1839. In 1844 a large group withdrew from the latter, and formed a
Free Church of Scotland In contemporary usage, the Free Church of Scotland usually refers to:
* Free Church of Scotland (since 1900), that portion of the original Free Church which remained outside the 1900 merger; extant
It may also refer to:
* Free Church of Scotland (1 ...
Canadian Synod. However, Bell remained within the Presbyterian Church of Canada in Connection with the Established Church of Scotland.
Children
His son
William Bell was a businessman and militia officer who gained some notability in Canadian history. Another son,
Robert Bell, was a notable politician in
Lanark County
Lanark County is a county and Census divisions of Canada, census division located in the Canadian province of Ontario. Its county seat is Perth, Ontario, Perth, which was first settled in 1816Brown, Howard Morton, 1984. Lanark Legacy, Nineteenth ...
.
See also
*
List of Canadian writers
This is a list of Canadian literature, Canadian literary figures, such as poets, novelists, children's writers, essayists, and scholars.
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Jenny Denis 1983 high Fantasy YA Dragons of Nesbit
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List of diarists
This is an international list of diarists who have Wikipedia pages and whose journals have been published.
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Diaries of disputed authenticity
*The ...
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List of people from Ontario
This is a list of notable people who were either born or lived in Ontario, Canada, or have spent a large part or formative part of their career in that province.
Film, television, and voice actors
Artists
* Troy Brooks (born 1972 in Chatham, ...
*
List of Scottish writers
This list of Scottish writers is an incomplete alphabetical list of Scottish writers who have a Wikipedia page. Those on the list were born and/or brought up in Scotland. They include writers of all genres, writing in English, Lowland Scots, Scot ...
References
Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing
1780 births
1857 deaths
18th-century Canadian non-fiction writers
18th-century Presbyterian ministers
18th-century Scottish clergy
19th-century Canadian non-fiction writers
19th-century Presbyterian ministers
19th-century Scottish diarists
Canadian Presbyterian ministers
Canadian diarists
Canadian Evangelical writers
Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation Ontario
People from Perth, Ontario
Scottish Evangelical writers
Immigrants to Upper Canada
Canadian male non-fiction writers
19th-century Canadian male writers
Ministers of Secession Churches in Scotland
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