J.W. Hayter

Joseph Wake Hayter was born in High Bank, Prince Edward Island, on February 6, 1882. Little is known about Joseph's parents or his childhood and early adolescent years. It is, however, highly conceivable that his father was a farmer in the western part of P.E.I. around the Murray Harbour area, since there are accounts of him working on a farm as early as age eight. 

In later years his work efforts were a combination of farming and preaching. Reuban Butchart lists him with others as a member of the Church of Christ in Murray Harbour (Butchart, 1949: 308). Since I know of no time when he ministered to the congregation there, it would stand to reason that he would have been there in his younger days.

The bulk of factual material in this report has been gained from four sources. One of which being “The Christian", a monthly paper whose subject matter and majority of readers were of the "Christian Churches/Churches of Christ" in the Maritime provinces. It was published from 1839 to 1917, and it is only in the year 1917 that any information was found concerning the man. 

The second source was the minute book of the Prince Edward Island Christian Association of which he was secretary/treasurer. These writings are sometimes illegible, however some pertinent information was extracted. The third is a few pieces of information from Reuban Butchart’s "The History of the Disciples of Christ in Canada since 1830". For the most part, Butchart mentions Mr. Hayter only in passing. The fourth source was that of Lucille MacCabe, daughter of Mr. Hayter and Grandmother to myself.

It seems that Joseph never used his full name to refer to himself, but rather was known by his first two initials "J .W.". All references to him in any writing found, use the initials. The names behind the initials were identified by his daughter Lucille.

According to the most valid testimonies, J.W. attended classes at the Maritime Bible and Literary College which had been set up in West Gore, New Brunswick. This would have been in or near the early nineteen hundreds. It is not known whether his attendance was in a full time capacity oor part time, and even the duration of his studies remains nebulous. He also took courses in correspondence from American schools which also remain unknown at this time.

J.W. Married a young woman named Alva Moore, who was also a native of P.E.I.. Alva preferred to spell her name E-l-v-a as she considered it more feminine (The spelling of her maiden name is not certain). J.W. and Elva raised six children, four of which are still surviving.

According to Butchart, J.W.’s first pastorate was in L'etete and Back Bay, New Brunswick, where he probably ministered from 1915 to 1917 (Butchart, 1949: 913). Their first child, Ruth, was born in West Gore or Shubenacadie, prior to the move to L'etete. Ruth is living in Chamcook New Brunswick and is now married to Austin Allen, the widower of her younger sister Lois.

It appears that J.W.°s second pastorate was in Owen Sound, Ontario. In Owen Sound, Elva gave birth to her second daughter, Lucille. Lucille is now living in Alexandra, P.E.I., with her son Orville (who is named after J.W.’s youngest son). She is the widow of the late Ernest A. MacCabe, who passed away on April 24, 1979. She now lives in a bungalow on land that was once part of Ernest’s farm.

The pastorate in Owen Sound, evidently was not a long one. J.W. and Elva and their two daughters returned to the Maritimes, and J.W. took on a ministry to the Church of Christ in New Glasgow. In the January, 1917 issue of "The Christian", J.W.’s first report to that periodical tells of his beginning his work with the church in New Glasgow and Breadalbane on November 5, 1917, and his excitement and optimism about worshipping with the people there. It seems that Breadalbane usually was served by the preacher/pastor who was serving New Glasgow. 

His work in this area followed that of a H.O. Crow, of whom I know little. Butchart’s dates for his ministry here do not quite agree, in that he tells of J.W. beginning a four year work in New Glasgow in 1921. According to Lucille MacCabe, he and his family would have been in Milton and Summerville Center N.S. by this time. However, working with these antique dates probably leaves much room for some distortion.

There are five other references to Mr. Hayter in "The Christian" in 1917. In the August issue is another personal report of his work with these two churches, in which he speaks of repairs necessary to the parsonage in which they were living. In the same issue, I discovered that he spoke at the P.E.I. convention, and was elected secretary treasurer of that body.

Also in the August issue wag a short piece written for the purpose of introducing J.W. to those in the Maritimes who were unfamiliar with him at that time. It read as follows:

"J.W. Hayter is the minister at Georgetown, and the newly elected secretary-treasurer of the provincial board. He is well thought of by those who know him; is a good speaker, conservative, genial, young, and good looking. What more could the most exacting church demand. We hope they pay him what he is worth."

It appears that J.W. was ministering to another church in Georgetown (presumably the Baptist church) while working with New Glasgow. Not at all surprising considering his daughter Lucille recalled that he once was preaching at three or four churches and had to walk or take the train (if he had fare) in the summer, and travel by horse drawn sleigh in the winter. It was not until age 62 that he got his first automobile.

In the November 1917 issue of “The Christian” are two occurrences of the name. One is in reference to him being the secretary of the A. Maclean fund, and the other is a small piece he wrote for the obituary column upon the death of a Mr. Edison Houston of the Church of Christ, New Glasgow.

After he became secretary-treasurer of the Prince Edward Island Christian association, many of the entries in the minute book were signed by him. It is somewhat evident that penmanship was not his strongest attribute; nevertheless upon close examination, some of his writings can be deciphered.

In fact there is some rather interesting information contained in these minutes, including tables of church records. One church report taken early in 1917 showed 82 members in Breadalbane, and 171 in New Glasgow. Another in July of that same year showed 87 in Breadalbane and 169 in New Glasgow. In a 1919 report the same figures were reported in these areas as just mentioned. In the July 1917 report was also included a list of pay rates for each preacher in his respective area. From New Glasgow, J.W. received $1500.co per annum, and from Breadalbane the sum of $340.00 per year. These two combined exceeded the pay of any of the other pastors in the list except for C.E. Armstrong who was receiving the same figures from Montague and Murray Harbor, respectively.

Also discovered in the minutes, around 1918, was mention of three committees that J.W. had been nominated for, by the association. They were "enrollment", "provincial conference" (subject to interpretation of hand writing), and “obituary”.

It was during these years in New Glasgow that a third and fourth child were born. Lois was born in Mayfield P.E.I. and James was born in the parsonage in New Glasgow. Lois lived much of her life in Chamcook New Brunswick with her husband, Austin Allen, until she passed away in 1983. James, for whom I am named, contracted a case of strep throat, and died at the age of fifteen, while the family was living in Lord’s Cove, Deer Island.

In 1922, J.W. moved the family to Milton to minister to the church there, and also in Summerville Center, Nova Scotia. I assume these to have been Baptist churches, but I am not totally sure. (Note from project editor: These are the current Disciples of Christ churches in Milton and Summerville).

After two years in that area they again moved, this time back into the area of L'etete and Back Bay. it was during their stay here that Winnefred was born. Winnefred is now living in the Cavendish area, and is married to Melville Stevenson who, interestingly, is the son of the doctor who delivered Lois and James.

The areas that J.W. ministered to and the order in which he did so, from this point forward, are relatively certain. The dates for these, however are not so clear. After his work in Back Bay and L'etete, it seems that he spent some time in evangelistic work in the Maritime region, and also in West Gore. During this time, the family lived in Charlottetown. Their youngest son, Orville, was born in the building across from the C.D.P. exhibition grounds that used to be a hospital. He is now living in Sudbury, Ontario.

He later did more of the same type of work, but in between (and possibly interspersed during} these times he ministered to the Baptist congregation in North River. His evangelical work seems to have taken him into the early 1940's, at which time he moved to Deer Island, New Brunswick, and preached at the Churches of Christ in Leonardville and Lord’s Cove. He received the offering that was taken up in these churches, which, according to Lucille MacCabe, amounted to between two and four dollars. 

She recalled some probably not so fond memories of hashed potatoes every night for supper, except for Saturday when they had beans. For meat, nothing ever bigger than a blade roast or shoulder roast a little more than an inch thick. He walked the four miles between Lord’s Cove and Lenardville, unless he was given a ride on the back of a passing horse and wagon.

His ministry in the Deer Island area seem to have lasted at least until 1943, after which he came to work with the people in Hazelbrook Baptist (Where his grandson Orville now attends regularly), Alexandra Baptist, Uigg Baptist, and Crossroads Church of Christ. Most Sundays would see him preach at each of these churches: Hazelbrook in the morning, Crossroads in the afternoon, and Alexandra in the evening. On some occasions he would be at all four areas on a Sunday. This seems to be around 1944-1945.

In Butchart’s work, Mr. Hayter was mentioned as being the present pastor-evangelist at River John, Nova Scotia, in 1945, and as a man long known in the provinces. 1947 found him back in New Glasgow and Breadalbane.

Apparently there was some tension when he returned to the congregation in New Glasgow because what was viewed as false doctrine from members of the “All Canada Committee” had been introduced there (Note from project editor: This is referring to the topic of open membership which was controversial during this time. For more context, please visit the Maritime Christian Missionary Society page). Robert (Bob) Shaw was evidently his greatest adversary. His ministry in New Glasgow was shorter this time. According to Lucille, he went into semi-retirement. He was supplying at Breadalbane in 1948.

On Saturday night, April 8, 1948, after supper, J.W. was in the bathroom shaving and getting ready to make the trip to Breadalbane that evening to preach the next day. He was overtaken suddenly by a massive heart attack and died suddenly, at the age of sixty six. He had arranged to meet some men on the train, who were rather perplexed when he didn’t show up. It was not like him to be tardy. 

Below is the obituary which was run in the Guardian:

IN MEMORIAM 

In loving memory of Rev. J.W. Hayter, who passed away April 3rd, 1948. To live in the hearts of those we love is not to die. Lovingly remembered by Wife and Family.

His wife Elva lived to be eighty or eighty one and was cared for in her later years by her daughter Winnefred.

Lucille MacCabe reports that J.W.’s sermons were powerful and to the point; hardly ever going beyond twenty minutes. He often spoke out against smoking, drinking, card playing. He most likely spoke in some of the temperance halls of that day. His prayers were from hie heart and never ever read. He is also reported to be a fine singer, taking part in his share of quartets.

J.W. Hayter is also mentioned in other parts of Rueban Butcharts work: P. 102, 108, 289, 300, 301, 308, 313, 315, 317, 337, 341, and 350. 

(Project Editors Note: Butcharts work can be access for free online: https://webfiles.acu.edu/departments/Library/HR/restmov_nov11/www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/rbutchart/dcc/DCC00.HTM)