St. Mark's Anglican Church (Emsdale, Ont.) is one of the Crompton churches, built about 1881, south of its present location to which it was moved in 1894. The first services in this area were held in the home of Mrs. W. U. Hilliar at Scotia, Ont. in 1879 or earlier. She was the mother of Joseph Hilliar, long time warden at All Saints' Anglican Church (Burk's Falls, Ont.) and its first historian. A copy of this history was placed in the cornerstone of the present church in 1909.
The cemetery at Emsdale is the burial site for both the Reverend A. W. H. Chowne (1890-1899) and Canon W. H. French (1905-1912) who were affiliated with the early years of St. Mark's.
In 1890 the parsonage at St. Mark's Anglican Church (Emsdale, Ont) was built. The first bell was purchased and the tower erected in spring of 1895. During a storm in severe storm in 1915, the tower sustained heavy damage and was rebuilt in 1926. In 1958 during repairs to the foundation a basement was added to the church. Archbishop Wright dedicated the new rooms as a church hall on November 5, 1958. On September 25, 1962 Archbishop Wright dedicated the completed new crypt under the church. The church celebrated its 100th anniversary on August 15, 1982. In 1983 a new rectory was built.
Following the closure of St. Luke's Anglican Church (Kearney, Ont.) in 2006 the members of St. Luke's joined the congregation at St. Mark's Anglican Church (Emsdale, Ont.).
Incumbents: Rev. W.H. Chowne (1891-1899), Rev. A.H. Allman (1899-1907), Rev. W.H. French (1907-1912), Rev. J. Norman (1913-1917), Rev. C. Miles (1917-1920), Rev. A. Smith (1920-1921), Rev. J. Carr-Blow (1922-1925), Fr. Robert Stump (student) (1924-1927), Fr. Roland Palmer (S.S.J.E. (1927-1928), Rev. E. Wrightson (1928-1934), Rev. K. Bamber (1934-1938), Rev. C.C. Simpson (1938-1944), Rev. A.P. Scott (1945-1946), Rev. E.C. Bowyer (1946-1948), Rev. C.E. Darlington (1948), Rev. A.E. Haldenby (1948-1951), Rev. R.J. Inshaw (1951-1953), Rev.G. Madge (1953), Rev. J.J. Robins (1953-1955), Archdeacon John B. Lindsell, Rev. Harry W. Garbutt (1956-1980), Rev. William Thompson (1980-1981), Rev. Jack Watson, Mr. Locklin Locke, Rev. R.B. Brazill (1981-?).
Sources:
- Kearney 100 years, http://images.ourontario.ca/almaguin/82408/data?n= [accessed 2015 July 24]
- "Emsdale Now Free of Debt", The Algoma Anglican 6, no. 8 (1962): 1.
- "St. Mark's Church, Emsdale, celebrates 100th anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 27, no. 11 (1982): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_013_009.
- "St. Mark's, Emsdale, had new Rectory", The Algoma Anglican 28, no. 8 (1983): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_013_018.
- "Ministers", (after 1983). Diocesan Heritage Centre history files collection, Algoma University Archives, part of 2013-078/002(003).
- "St. Mark's Church Bell", (after 1983). Diocesan Heritage Centre history files collection, Algoma University Archives, part of 2013-078/002(003).
