Reference is made in another part of this book to Mr.Egleson's capture by the Eddy rebels in 1776.He seems to have been the first to take possession of the glebe lands of the parish, and the farm was for many years called the "Egleson farm." The parish register containing the earliest records has been lost or destroyed, so that from the arrival of Mr.Egleson down to 1794 very little is known of the local history of the denomination.
In 1794 a meeting was held on the 27th February, at or near Fort Cumberland, and the following business was transacted: "Messrs.Gay, Siddall and Brownell were appointed a committee to prepare plans for a church, to be erected at once on the town plot, and to obtain subscriptions." The new church was to be 46 feet long and 34 feet wide, with 19-foot posts.Messrs.Gay, McMonagle and McCardy to be the Building Committee.This is the old St.Mark's Church, that stood so long at Mount Whatley.The first list of subscribers were:
William Allen, L3, in pine lumber.
Samuel Gay, L3, in timber.
Ralph Siddall, L3, in timber.
Titus Knapp, L3, in drawing stone.
James Law, L3, in drawing stone.
Jerry Brownell, L1 10s., in timber.
The cost of the church, when finished, was L310.Of this amount the people subscribed L170.The Bishop of Nova Scotia gave L70, and there remained a debt of L70.
Having succeeded so well in building the church, a meeting was called, at the request of Rev.Mr.Willoughby, to provide a house for the clergyman.His request was granted, and in 1795, Mr.Milledge being then the resident minister, the church-wardens agreed to pay two-thirds of the amount of rent for the house in which he was living until the parsonage was built.
At a meeting of the vestrymen in 1796, the school lands of the parish were rented to Spiller Fillimore for L7 5s.These lands now bring an annual rental of $200.In 1810 the church-wardens of St.Mark's church were:
Amos Fowler.Samuel Gay.
James Ryan.John Trenholm.