Though considerable pains were taken to obtain a more complete history of the Anglican Church here, they were fruitless... Itinerant ministers visited St. Andrews, and preached in the early years of her history; but the first church formed was the Church of England, by the Rev. Richard Bradford, as early as 1811.
REV. JOSEPH ABBOTT
The first resident clergyman was the Rev. Joseph Abbott, who was born in the north of England, and who graduated at a Scotch University. He arrived in St. Andrews in 1818, and the services, until 1821, were held in a school-house. The Rev. Mr. Henderson, a Presbyterian clergyman, who came about the same time that Mr. Abbott did, also held services in the same school-house; but as Mr. Abbott had little regard for dissenters of any creed, it is not surprising that these different services did not continue in the same building in the strictest harmony. Serious differences, however, were avoided by the withdrawal of the Presbyterians to a private dwelling, and both clergymen were provided with church edifices the same year, 1821.
After remaining here a few years, the Rev. Mr. Abbott removed to a field in the Eastern Townships, which, from his own name, is now known as Abbottsford, and left the church at St. Andrews in charge of his brother, the Rev. William Abbott. The latter remained here till his death, which occurred in 1859.