There was one Right of the Township of Truro granted for the first Presbyterian Minister who would settle in Truro, one Right for a glebe and another Right for the benefit of schools. It may here be observed that all the first settlers, and grantees of Truro were Presbyterians from Scotland, and the north of Ireland. They soon began to feel the loss to themselves and their children, from the want of a Preached Gospel. They soon began to exert themselves to obtain a minister to labour amongst them. In the year 1763, they petitioned the Presbytery of Glasgow for a minister, but this petition never reached its destination. May 21st, 1764, they sent their application to the Synod of Edinburgh, and in July or August of the year 1765 the Rev. Mr. Kenlock arrived in Truro, and continued to labour in and about Truro for about three years. Then he returned to Scotland, and did not accept the call from the people of Truro to be their settled pastor.
At the earnest request of the people of Truro, the Rev. Daniel Cock came out from Scotland in the fall of the year 1769. He was sent out as a Missionary for the whole Province, and continued to labour in Truro and other parts of the Province for a time.
On the 27th day of February, 1770, David Archibald, George Scott, Robert Hunter, and John Savage (being a committee) directed the inhabitants of Truro to be warned to meet at the house of Robert Archibald on March 13th to hear the report of the Clerk of the Presbytery of Newton Lambavady, in Ireland, read. Also to hear the report of their commissioner, Colonel Alexander McNutt, concerning the prospect of obtaining a Minister to be settled among them. At this meeting held on March 13th, 1770 (John Savage in the chair), it was resolved that David Archibald, John Johnson, William Fisher, James Johnson, and John Savage, be a committee to renew their application to the Presbytery of Lambavady in Ireland for a Minister to labour amongst them. And on July 28th, 1770, David Archibald, Esq., directs the heads of families of Truro to be warned to meet at the Meeting-house, on Thursday next, at 2 o'clock, P. M., to see what their minds are respecting the making application to the Rev. David Cock to be their settled Minister, and to agree upon proposals to be made to him. Also to see if they will desire Mr. Cock to appoint a fast day for the election of elders in this town, so that there may be a session constituted in the congregation. And to see about having the Church put in some kind of order, so that public worship may be held in it, as it will soon be inconvenient to have public worship in barns.
It may here be observed that the frame of this Church was raised in the spring of the year 1768. As it was made of very large and heavy timber, it took all the men that could be got in Truro and Onslow to raise it, with the assistance of a number of the women. It is said that when they came to fix the site for the Church there was a difference of opinion about where it should be. Some were for having it placed on the site of William Nelson's house, and others were for having it where it is erected, in the Truro Cemetery. There was a majority of the congregation residing in the Lower Village and Old Barns, consequently the lower place was chosen as the place for the Church. It may be easily understood that a house of its size could not be put up and finished as soon as it could be done now-a-days. At a meeting held July 6th, 1772, it was resolved that nails, glass, &c., for the outside of the Meeting House be got immediately.
A few years after this, Eliakim Tupper, Esq., took a contract to complete the inside of the Church, and the workmen who finished it were John Christie, who came out from Scotland in the same ship with Mr. Cock and his family in the summer of the year 1772, and Daniel McKenzie, who was afterwards married to Sarah, daughter of Hugh Moor, Senr. This was the only Church in Truro until about the year 1821, when the Episcopalians erected their Church in the east end of the Village. In the year 1832 the Baptists of Truro and Onslow with the assistance of the Presbyterians, built the small Church at the east end of the Village which is now being made into a private dwelling by Mr. Samuel Nelson. This house, when built, was for the use of all denominations. In the year 1844 the Methodists built their small Church in the east end of the Village which they have now abandoned. Their new one was opened for Divine Service on December 24th, 1871. The established Church of Scotland erected their Church in Truro in the year 1861. The Baptists erected their new splendid Church in the year 1869. The Roman Catholics opened their small brick Chapel for Service in November, 1871.
The Presbyterians built their Church in the Village in the year 1853. In the year 1859 it was found to be too small for the accommodation of the congregation, and 19 feet were added to its length. In the month of May, 1855 the old Church which was raised in 1768, was taken down and removed, some time after all those who had assisted in erecting it had passed away. It was used for a place of worship for 85 years.
September 13th, 1770, is the date of the call that was made out and presented to the Rev. Daniel Cock, from the Truro congregation, which he accepted. This call was signed by seven elders who had been chosen but a few weeks before, and 42 adherents. The names of the elders were, David Archibald, John Johnson, William Fisher, James Johnson, Robert Hunter, John Savage, and Samuel Archibald. The names of the adherents are, James Yuill, Senr., Thomas Gourley, Samuel Archibald, James Archibald, Matthew Taylor, Thomas Archibald, Matthew Archibald, John Archibald, John Archibald, Junr., James Faulkner, John Fisher, James Dunlap, Robert Archibald, Alexander Nelson, William McKeen, John McKeen, John Oughterson, William White, Samuel Wetherby, Adam Dickey, James Wright, John Fulton, George Scott, David Nelson, Adam Boyd, Adam Johnson, James Archibald, Junr., James Fisher, David Archibald, Junr., James Johnson, Junr., David McKeen, James Yuill, Junr., Alexander Miller, John Gourley, John Logan, William Logan, Thomas Skeed, John Taylor, Joseph Moore, Henry Gluen, James Whidden, David Whidden, and Alexander McNutt. This call was signed in the presence of Ephraim Howard and William Blair, of Onslow. It was accompanied by a bond signed by thirty of the foregoing named persons, binding themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, to pay the full sum of sixty pounds for each year for the first two years, commencing April 1st, 1770. Seventy pounds a year for the next two years, and eighty pounds a year for the time to come, the one half to be paid in cash, and the other half in neat stock or produce, at cash price. Also the one Right of land that was granted for the first Minister who would settle in Truro, to himself, his heirs, and assigns forever. Also the use of the glebe Right. And they bind themselves to keep both of these Rights of land fenced and dyked; and to pay the sum of thirty pounds towards the expense of removing his family from Scotland.
The subscribers to the foregoing call were all inhabitants of Truro. The people of Onslow must have come in and joined this congregation some time after the date of the call. They continued to be one congregation until about the year 1816, when Onslow was set off as a separate congregation, and the people of Onslow obtained the services of the Rev. Robert Douglass as their first Minister.
The 13th day of September, 1870, one hundred years after the date of the call before mentioned, was observed in Truro as a day of thankfulness. A large number of people assembled in the Church in the morning, and engaged in Devotional exercises, and then marched in orderly procession to the drill shed, where about fifteen hundred persons sat down to a well prepared dinner, and ofter* dinner addresses were given by a number of the aged Ministers who were listened to attentively by about two thousand persons. [*possibly a typo, probably should be after]
Mr. Cock returned home to Scotland, and brought out his wife and family in the summer of the year 1772. Although the grant of the Township was obtained in the year 1765, it was not sub-divided until after Mr. Cock was settled, and his Right, as the first Minister, was set off to him, and his name marked on the general plan of the Township, on the several lots set off to him. He had his house built on his front wood lot where the house now stands which was afterwards owned by the Rev. John Waddell. A part of this lot is now used as the Railway Station.
On May 8th, 1796, being Sabbath, he was preaching in the old Church before mentioned. The people being nearly all at Church, his house took fire on the roof by a spark from the chimney, and before assistance could be had the house was in flames. George Wright ran to the Church for assistance (a distance of about two miles). He went to the door and cried out fire! fire! and returned with haste. Few persons heard him, and those who did hear began to go out, which created quite a confusion in the house. It was some time before the cause of the stir was generally known. At length his youngest daughter, who had been married to John Smith about two months before, went up to the Pulpit and told her father that his house was burning. He closed the Bible and stepped down from the Pulpit, quite composed, and recommended the people to try and save the Village. It being a very dry time, and the wind blowing very strong from the southeast, the fire soon caught on Major John Archibald's three barns. The burning shingles were flying, and the smoke so thick it was with difficulty that the people got up through the Village. John Logan's barns next took fire, and then William Logan's barns. The fire continued to sweep the buildings of the Village to the lower end of it. The number of buildings destroyed that day was eighteen. The dwelling houses were saved, with the exception of Mr. Cock's and William Flemming's. This house stood near the place that William Flemming's old house stood, which he recently took down. Thomas Dickey's house, being the same one that is still standing west of Mrs. Wilson's, was in great danger, the chips catching fire at the door; and, as there were neither men nor water at hand to save the house, Mrs. Dickey took her churn full of cream and applied it to quench the fire, and by doing so made out to save her house. There was a valuable horse tied in William Logan's barn, which stood in the flames until the rope burnt off, and then the horse bolted into the street and fell dead. Mr. Cock's house, with the most of its contents being burnt, is sufficient to show the reason that so few of his writings are now to be had, as he would be nearly eighty years old at the time of the fire. He had another house erected for him on the same place. He lived but a few years in it.
About two and a half years after this, an assistant, and a successor, was obtained in the person of Rev. John Waddell, and Mr. Cock was soon laid aside from active and public labors, as the infirmities of old age were fast coming upon him. He made over his property to his youngest son, Daniel, and about the year 1802, he sold it to Mr. Waddell. He removed, with his son Daniel, to the place where George Cock now resides, and continued to reside with his son Daniel the short remainder of his earthly existence. He died March 17th, 1805, aged 88 years, and his wife died at the house of John Smith, June 7th, 1814, aged 80 years.
