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 ' ' « : . 
 
 DAVID WILLSON. 
 
 Foundi'i- of the Children of Peace. 
 
vr 
 
 THIRD OROAN IN THE MEETINa-HOUSE. 
 

 f C]:iil(it<eq of Peqce 
 
 THE HISTORY OF A NOVEL SECT IN YORK CO., ESTABLISHED IN THE 
 
 EARLY PART OP THIS CENTURY. THEIR CEREMONIES, AND 
 
 HOW THEY CONDUCTED THKTR SERVICES. THE ERECTION 
 
 OP A TEMPLE. THE OLD i' ST BAND IN AMERICA. 
 
 ' THE FIRST ORGAN BUILT IN CANADA. 
 
 X 
 
 
 Various articles havinj? appeared 
 at sundry times, regarding the re- 
 litnoiis society called "The Children 
 ot Peace," whijh have only been 
 true in part, or unwittingly calcu- 
 lated to mislead the public mind in 
 forming a true conception of the 
 founder and his adherents, the 
 writer will endeavor to give not an 
 elaborate but a true history of its 
 inception, rise and progress, to- 
 ge her with interesting matters 
 connected therewith; also correct 
 dates, and the explanation of some 
 things attributed to them, not alto- 
 gether clear to the public mind, 
 which gained partial credence, and 
 were not considered as reliecting 
 very much credit on the society. 
 
 The writer is not entering upon 
 a defence of their religious belief, 
 but merely wishes to give their 
 history as it is, leaving an intel- 
 ligent i)ubUc to draw its own in- 
 ferences. 
 
 As regards their customs and 
 manner oi living, much has been 
 said to their discredit, which was 
 
 utterly untrue, and it 13 but doing 
 justice to their memories to ex- 
 plain those actions of their lives 
 \vhich have been wholly misunder- 
 stood and accepted as truth by a 
 miiiin formed public. 
 
 David Willsou, the founder of 
 this society, was born of Iriih par- 
 entage In Duchess County, New 
 York, June 7, 1778. His father 
 died when the subject of this nar- 
 rative was very young, so that the 
 period of his education was limited 
 to less than one year. While in his 
 minority, he with his brother, the 
 late John J. Willson, father of 
 Mrs. C. Doan, Aurora, v/ere en- 
 gaged on a sailing vessel that sail- 
 ed between New York and the 
 West India Islands. What length 
 of time he was engaged in this 
 business is not now known. His 
 brother continued to follow the 
 buriness for some length of time 
 after David Willson discontinued 
 his part or interest in it. In the 
 meantime he married before attain- 
 ing his majority, and by the earn- 
 
History of the Children of Peace. 
 
 est solicitations of his wife was in- 
 duced to leave the West India 
 route and emigrate to Canada, 
 which they did in the year 1801, 
 They sunered a severe loss on 
 crossing Lake Ontario. The craft 
 on which they took passage was 
 wrecked, they escaped with their 
 lives, but all their baggage was 
 lost ; all they possessed, on arriving 
 at Toronto was the rim of a spin- 
 ning wheel, and the clothes they 
 had on. 
 
 On arriving in Toronto, he ap- 
 plied for, and obtained a Crown 
 deed of the farm in East Gwillim- 
 bury, (which is now owned, and 
 occupied by his grand-son, Mr. Abb 
 Willson, one of our most prominent 
 men). He and his wife walked up 
 what is now Yonge Street, at that 
 time a blazed r jad through an al- 
 most dense forest, curried their two 
 little sons, John D. ana Israel. 
 Their third sou was born Aug. 22. 
 1802, the first white child bom in 
 the Township of EastGwilHmbury, 
 and his cradle was a rough hewn 
 sap-trough, but eventually he be- 
 came one of the leading men of his 
 time and age, but to our subject. 
 From his earlier years, David Will- 
 son was much given to religious 
 contemplation, and sometime after 
 his arrival in this country, he be- 
 came a member of the society of 
 " Friends," taking quite an active 
 part in their meetings. Entertain- 
 ing, however, some peculiar views 
 on religious points, which the 
 Friends did not consider orthodox, 
 he was dismissed from that body, 
 and on his withdrawal a number, 
 six it is said, who entertained 
 
 similar views, also left the society 
 and attached themselves to Mr. 
 Willson, who became their leader. 
 This was the nucleus of the church 
 afterwards founded by him, and 
 the early combination of the little 
 band known as " The Cliildreu of 
 Peace," which began to hold its 
 meetings for worship in 1814. 
 They dilfered from the Quakers in 
 several peculiarities, were fond of 
 music and introduced both vocal 
 and instrumental in their devotion- 
 al exercises, were not obliged to 
 conform to any particular style of 
 dress, and no religious tests were 
 required as a standard of faith or 
 godliness. 
 
 Their first meetings were held in 
 Mr. Wilison's private house, and 
 later on in a log building, which 
 stood upon the site of the present 
 meetinghouse, until their first 
 church was built in 18U), after- 
 wards known as the Mirsic Hall. 
 It was 40 ft. square at the base, l(i 
 ft. high, one storey, no upper room 
 a door in the center on each of the 
 four sides and two windowM each 
 side of the four doors, each win- 
 dow containing 24 panes of glass. 
 It was painted white, the roof be- 
 ing supported by large columns 
 painted a light green. 
 
 The first feast was held in 1818, as 
 a harvest home dinner, prepared by 
 the wives and mothers, and was 
 partaken of in the open air, on the 
 site where the Music Hall stood, 
 and was afterwards instituted as 
 the feast of the "first fruits" cor- 
 responding to " Lammas day." 
 
 In 1820 a brass band of music 
 was organized in connection with 
 
History o! the Children of Peace. 
 
 ''ie Bociety 
 « to Mr. 
 '»• ieadep. 
 
 ';•'«, and 
 
 .V'« iitMe 
 "^reii of 
 .i.oid its 
 
 '" I8I4. 
 akers in 
 fond of 
 J'j vocaJ 
 devotion- 
 ^'ged to 
 sJ^yie of 
 
 ts 
 'aith 
 
 were 
 or 
 
 heJd in 
 se, arjj 
 whi«h 
 
 P'VHent 
 first 
 after- 
 Hull. 
 
 ««, Id 
 
 fooni 
 
 »f the 
 
 win- 
 
 he. 
 imns 
 
 8, US 
 
 THE SHARON TEMPUE. 
 
 the society, which is the oldest 
 brass band in Canada, and which \ 
 j)erforraed a sacred piece of mnsic j 
 during service. A pipe organ was 
 also added to the service during 
 tlie same year, the builder being 
 Mr. Richard Coates of Toronto, 
 who was a band master in the 
 British Army at the battle of 
 Waterloo and in the Peninsular 
 Wars. This was the first pipe 
 organ built in Canada and had two 
 barrels, ten tunes on each barrel. 
 
 Mr. Richard Coat3s was teacher 
 of the bi*nd when organized, he 
 taught each member to perform on 
 his special instrument. This con- 
 tinued for some length of time. 
 The late Jesse Doan, brother of the 
 Charles Doan of Aurora, and 
 father of Mrs. Col. Wayling of 
 Sharon, was the first recognized 
 loader, the time of his appoint- 
 ment is not known, bnt he con- 
 tinued to lead until September 
 
 18GG, when through failing health 
 he resigned, and transferred the 
 leadership to his nephe -n, Mr. J. D. 
 Graham. Jesse Doan made a 
 specialty in the clarionet of 
 which instrument he was thorough- 
 ly master. A number of the 
 members of the band purchased 
 silver instruments in New York, 
 from 1864 to 1867 inclusive, each 
 member owning his own instru- 
 ment. The two large bass horns 
 owned by Charles Graham and 
 George M. Doan, were particularly 
 fine, and were purchased at a cost 
 of $123 and $140 respectively. 
 All the members of the band 
 thoroughly understjinding the dif- 
 ferent scales, would transpose the 
 
 music as they played, thereby 
 
 saving the trouble of rewriting the 
 
 original score in a different key, 
 
 if so required. It has been said 
 
 by competent judges to be the most 
 
History of the Children of Peace. 
 
 \i'"' 
 
 \imU'vt in tone, time and fXreulior 
 of iiny ninnteiir bund in Cantulit. 
 
 Tliey also eultivuted their talent 
 ioi siii^MMjr Mf, a veiy early date, 
 LSI!), and liad tiie best t'lichrrs eu- 
 |j:ap'd tliat were available at that 
 time. The first I'rofessor obtnin- 
 able was Mr. Daniel Cory of Bos- 
 t(»n, whom tln'y enj^ajjjed for the 
 purjmsc. He cominencted his 
 duties January 11, 184G, aud then 
 a systematie training in all tin* 
 rudiments of siL^ing was engaj^ed 
 in with black-board and all eon- 
 venienees rei^uired. This eon- 
 tinned for over two years. Tlie 
 surrounding country joined with 
 the Davidites iu the school exer- 
 cises which were conducted in the 
 large room above iu the meeting- 
 house. Mr. Cory held two grand 
 concerts during his engagement 
 here, one in Feb. 1847, the other 
 in the summer, both given in the 
 meeting house, which was filled 
 with an audience that fully ap- 
 preciated the entertainment. 
 
 In the winter of 1818 a school 
 was organized, the terra at that 
 time being " Girls' House," you ig 
 ladies from about 12 years of age 
 and upwards were placed there to 
 be taught thorough house-keeping 
 and house work, such as spinning 
 both wool and flax, sowing, knit- 
 ting, and cooking in all its 
 branches. The first building util- 
 ized for this pu]-[)ose was a log 
 house that stood near where the 
 residence of the late Hugh D. 
 Willson now stands. As the 
 number of applicants increased it 
 was necessary to build a house for 
 the purpose. They built a more 
 
 commodious one where the resi- 
 dence of Mr. John Waslev now is.l 
 
 • 7 1 
 
 nearly opposite the Metho^listl 
 Church, This was in full opera- 
 tion for a number of years, until 
 each one and all nnirried, and 
 lett for liomes of their own. Up to 
 and during this period the society 
 had greatly increased in numbers, 
 and educational facilities were in a 
 very crude stare. They decided to 
 ♦^rect a still larger building, which 
 was about 30 feet sipnire, two 
 s.ories high, and was known as the 
 " square house '' and stood on what 
 is now Mrs. E. McArthnr'^ garden, 
 opposite the meeting house. This 
 institution would now l»e termed a 
 Ladies' Seminary, a Inrge number 
 of young ladies, not only of this, 
 but of other denoiLi nations here 
 received a pract'cal education. 
 
 This educational institution was 
 what has given rise to the report 
 that David Willson kept a harem, 
 and the inmates were his concu- 
 bines, but a baser calumny was 
 never uttered on an honest purpose, 
 as many who are yet living can 
 testify. There are six still Jiving 
 iu the year 1898, who attended this 
 institution. 
 
 Another matter may be explain- 
 ed here, and that is why the young 
 women were dressed in white on 
 the feast days, at that time many 
 were in very moderate circumstances 
 and one of Mr. Willson's mottoes 
 being "Equality," he suggested 
 white as the color of their dresses, 
 it being the emblem of purity, and 
 the material inexpensive placed it 
 within the reach of all. 
 
History of the Children of Peace. 
 
 '7 "le resi. 
 ^«i<iv now iK, 
 
 ^"" operft. 
 y^V'""' until 
 •^'•^•''*d, and 
 ';;^"- Upfo 
 
 " ^'unihers 
 
 '\*^''»'<'in rt 
 
 ;.«<H!i(ie(l fo 
 
 "'"•^, fU'O 
 
 '")^'J as the 
 
 ^* ^ fe'a»'(I,.n, 
 '•'^^'- Tiiis 
 
 y «^ Ml is. 
 
 fions here 
 ition. 
 
 ition 
 
 be 
 
 a- iJarem, 
 *^ conen- 
 «"y was 
 P"''pose, 
 {"ft" can 
 
 ^ed this 
 
 ^X])]ain. 
 
 young 
 
 kite on 
 
 ttiany 
 itanees 
 lottoes 
 jested 
 •esses, 
 t and 
 ed it 
 
 THE MEETING-HOUSE 
 
 In 1825 they began the erection 
 lof the Temple, which has long been 
 the wonder and admiration of all 
 I who have seen it. It is a three- 
 storey structure 75 ft. in height, 
 surmounted by a gilded ball, on 
 which is inscribed the word 
 ** Peace." The first or ground 
 storey, which is the auditorium, is 
 sixty feet square. The second or 
 middle storey is a music gallery 
 where the band rendered a selec- 
 tion of musit*^ while the congregation 
 were entering the building. The 
 third storey is a dome, from which 
 there is an open space to the 
 ground floor. In the centre on the 
 first floor stands a small finely 
 finished structure, built by the late 
 John Doan, called the Altar, and 
 which occupied 365 davs in build- 
 ing, and like nie temple is square 
 and contains the Holy Bible. It 
 stands on twelve gilded pillars, 
 representing the twelve apostles 
 
 and is emblematical of tne religion 
 of Christ, on the f ol r corners of 
 each storey of the Temple, a spire 
 is placfd, making twelve in all, and 
 vt'hen illuminated is symbolical of 
 the twelve apostles going out into 
 the world to preach the salvation 
 of Christ to the people. 
 
 THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OP THE 
 TEMPLE. 
 
 Mr. Willson bad a symbolic 
 meaning attached to each and 
 every part of the Temple. We 
 will give it in his own words as the 
 writer heard him repeat it. 
 
 " My meaning for the three- 
 storeys is to represent tlie Trinity. 
 Being square at base meant to deal 
 on the square with all people. 
 The door in the centre on each of 
 the four sides is to let the people 
 come in from the east and the 
 west, the north and the south on 
 equal and the same footing. The 
 equal number of windows on each 
 
^■s^ss^mm 
 
 History ot the Cnildren of Peace. 
 
 
 
 8i(le of every door is lo let tlie 
 lijifht of the jfoapel be e<iually the 
 same on all the pe<>ple herein as 
 sembled. The four pilhirs at each 
 corner of the Altar, with the words 
 Faith, Hope, Love and Charity, in 
 scribed on them is the fonr eardin- 
 al virtues, whieh are the fonnda- 
 tion, or in other words the prin 
 ciples on which it is built. The 
 Golden Ball on the top storey with 
 the word *' Peace '' inscribed meant 
 peace to the world." 
 
 On the evening of the first Fri- 
 day in each September, the Temple 
 was illuminated for divine worship, 
 and presented a very beautiful ap 
 pearance when lig:hted, there being 
 2,952 panes of glass in the win 
 dows and spires. The illumina- 
 tion of the building was intended 
 to represent Christianity enlight- 
 ing the darkened understanding of 
 the mind. 
 
 The foUowingday the feast of tlje 
 " first fruits," was celebrated a»i(l 
 another service in the Temple, fol- 
 lowed by a dinner provided in tlie 
 meeting-house. During the after 
 noon the band rendered a number 
 of selections on the green in front 
 of the meeting house, or, in other 
 words, an open air concert. The 
 members also held a feast the fii'st 
 Saturday in June, at first in honor 
 of David Will son's biithday, after- 
 wards instituted as " thepassover." 
 
 The building was intended to be 
 used fifteen times during the year, 
 never at any time for Sunday wor- 
 ehip, viz.: service on the last Satur- 
 day of each month, when the 
 members made contributions for 
 charitable purposes. It has genei- 
 
 ally been suppose*! that this oc- 
 <Mipied 7 years in building, after] 
 King Solomon's Temple, but su<?h 
 was not the case, as it was begun 
 in 1825, and the first service was! 
 held in it October 20, 1831, m>»king| 
 the period of erection six years.' 
 It was painted white with green 
 facings. 
 
 At the time and during the erec- 
 tion of the Temple, it was proposed 
 to erect what is known as the 
 Study, which was erected in 1829. 
 This though of small dimensions iu 
 one to excite interest from an 
 architectural point of view. This 
 building like the meeting-house is 
 surrounded by a colonnade of pil- 
 lars, 10 in number, the measure- 
 ment of the colonnade being 24 ft. 
 long, 16 ft. G in. wide. The body 
 of the building 16 ft. long, 8 ft. 
 wide and one storey high, a door in 
 centre on east and wesc sides, 
 twelve small spir. s on the roof and 
 twelve windows, four on each side, 
 ivvo at each end and painted like 
 the temple, white with gie(?n fac- 
 ings. This structure was finished 
 and the opening took pla?e in 
 September of the same year. 
 They had ^eats placed in front of 
 the building to accommodate the 
 large gathering of friends that 
 availed themselves of the pleasure. 
 The time was spent in speeches and 
 singing, and social intercourse all 
 iu harmony with the occasion, and 
 so the afternoon passed away. 
 
 Later on, the second pipe organ, 
 also built by Mr, R, Coates with 
 <^hree barrels attached to it, ten 
 tunes on each barrel, was put in, 
 and the music produced by this 
 
 i 
 
History of the Children of Peace. 
 
 ^.^«t this on-, 
 ,"'<^""ff, after 
 P't', but 8ll(.hf 
 was hegunl 
 
 ««;';vic.e WU8! 
 
 six years. 
 with green 
 
 "fe' the ereo- 
 
 Hs proposed 
 
 -^« as the 
 
 vd in 1829. 
 
 "lensions io 
 
 t from au 
 
 '•'^v. This 
 
 'K-Jjoiise is 
 ido of pi|. 
 
 6 measiire- 
 eing24 ft. 
 , ^he body 
 '«»ff, 8 ft. 
 ^> a door in 
 'i'sc sides. 
 ^^ I'oof and 
 each side, 
 inted JikJ 
 '«'*" fae- 
 =5 finished 
 plaee in 
 
 ^'' year, 
 front of 
 date the 
 ds that 
 ^leasnre. 
 'hes and 
 «rse all 
 ^n, and 
 
 organ, 
 es with 
 it, ten 
 Hit in, 
 y this 
 
 INTERIOR OF TEMPLE. 
 
 organ w«8 the old time ballnds 
 su«-h as *' Blue Hells of Seotland," 
 " Heiiry's Cottnge Maid," Water 
 Painted from the Sea," " Loch-a- 
 bar no more," thirty tunes in all. 
 The tone of tbis organ was particu- 
 larly sweet and very harmonious 
 to the ear. 
 
 The ladies ip connection with the 
 society made white, plain muslin 
 curtains to drape the organ ; they 
 formed a point at the top, and 
 reached to the floor, slightly drawn 
 or parted in front, and trimmed 
 with blue ribbon, which had a most 
 pleasing effect. The windows 
 were draped in white corded mus- 
 lin, valances cord and tassels, a 
 
 bii<;]it seiirlet valance was fastened 
 around the inside above the win- 
 dows. It was neat, plain and very 
 attractive. This was the decora- 
 tion of the Study, at that time. 
 At this time, the members still in- 
 creasing in numbers, it was decided 
 to build a more commodious church 
 for Sunday worship, which result- 
 ed in the building of the Meeting- 
 House, a ^tructure 100 ft. long by 
 50 ft. wide surrounded by a colan- 
 nade of pillars. This building was 
 painted a light yellow with green 
 facings, and has a large room up 
 stairs for Sabbath Schools, and 
 band rehearsals. The main part of 
 the building which was used ior 
 
History of the Children off Peace. 
 
 
 service contains another, the thud 
 pipe organ, plavjed here iu 1848, 
 built also by Mr. Richard Coatts. 
 In this place worship was held 
 every Sunday after the following 
 manner : — Organ voluntary, sacred 
 piece by the band, reading the 
 scripture, hymn by the choir, pray- 
 er, anthem, sermon, hymn, closing 
 voluntary by the 01 gan. 
 
 Service was also held on Christ- 
 mas morning at 6 a. m., when the 
 house was lighted by a candle be- 
 ing placed in each window both 
 above and below, followed by a 
 free breakfast, service again at 
 11 a. m., followed by the Christ- 
 mas offertory and dinner. The 5 
 a. m. service was in commemora- 
 tion of the Saviour's birth, at that 
 time in the morning. 
 
 In this building the feasts were 
 held ; prior to this in the open air 
 in the Temple field. This church 
 was commenced in 1834, finished 
 and dedicated in the summer of 
 1842, the month and date not now 
 known. 
 
 During the early times of this 
 society, it was the custom for a 
 number to go to Toronto and 
 Markham Township to hold a Sun- 
 day service, a written sermon be- 
 ing left at home to be read by one 
 of their members. Revival meet- 
 ings were unknown among tliem, 
 neither had they any other minister 
 than David Willson, and his ser- 
 vice was at all times given free. 
 While he always maintained " The 
 laborer was worthy of his hire," he 
 was averse to high salaries being 
 paid to ministers, preferring rather 
 to give the surplus to the poor, and 
 
 so this little body grew and thrived, 
 gaining for themselves a repuiii- 
 tiou for morality, upright dealiug 
 and honesty of purpose nnd beli«t, 
 never asking f(>r assistance outside 
 their own congregation. As Mr. 
 Wilison once wrote, *' Our wants 
 are few and simple," and thus they 
 passed their lives in helping each 
 other and the poor around them, 
 in their own unostentatious wav of 
 serving their Creator. Thoy did 
 their life's work and quietly pass- 
 ed away in the hope of their re- 
 ward in the great hereafter. 
 
 Upon the completion of their 
 numerous buildings the society 
 contiaued to floarish until the 
 death of David Willson, which oc- 
 curred on January 19, 1866, at the 
 age of 87 years, 7 months, and 12 
 days. His remains were interred 
 beside his life partner, in the 
 cemetery one mile south of Sharoi», 
 and not in a vault under the Study 
 as was reported by many at the 
 time of his death. The reading of 
 the service devolved upon his eld- 
 est son, John David Willson, 
 David Willson having left a num- 
 ber of sermons, prayers, and hymns 
 on^l-ecord. • 
 
 After this the society began to 
 fail in numbers, many moved 
 away a: d others identified them- 
 selves with other churches. At 
 this time the society has become 
 extinct. The churches still stand 
 as a monument to the memory of 
 the dt parted. 
 
 The Music Hall, and Square 
 House were both removed some 
 years ago.