McInnes family has ties back to 1907 at Knox United

Norma-Jean Johnston
Special to Rainy River Record

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of feature stories written to commemorate the 100th anniversary fo the Rainy River United Church
Isabella McInnes arrived in Rainy River wither her husband Peter during the winter of 1953. She joined Knox United Church in Rainy River on June 21, 1953.
Pete’s family had deep roots in the church with Peter McInnes, Sr. getting involved in 1907. He and Mr. Green were the two session members who brought Knox into the United Church in 1922, three years before Union.
When he died in 1928, Grandma McInnes took his place on the session. She made bread and grape juice for Communion until 1963.
Elaine Sisk was a McInnes granddaughter and served as Clerk of Session. Isabel joined the Session in 1960. The McInnes family, together, has more than 100 years of service to Knox.
Isabel began her service to Knox by teaching Sunday School. There were more than 100 children, with groups meeting in the Church, the basement, the choir loft, and the balcony at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
She had 17 little boys in her class, including her son, David, Rick Nordin, Ron Wood, and Colin Murray.
Other teachers included Irene Hansen, Buddy Hannam, Florence Croxford and Jim Hammond.
Isabel remembers when Earle and Joyce Armistead arrived in Rainy River in June, 1957, with Anne as a baby in arms. The church treasurer was away and left a cheque with Isabel to pay the movers. The next day the stewards had to go to the bank and float a loan to cover the cheque. In 1965, Isabel became treasurer of Knox and later treasurer of the Rainy River-Stratton Pastoral Charge. That baby, Anne, took over from Isabella as treasurer about ten years ago.
Rev. and Joyce Armistead were very active church leaders. Earle led Sigma C group for big boys, Tyros for the little boys, and AOTS (As One Through Service) for the men. AOTS used to put on venison suppers. They would kill several deer, and they would serve dinner to 200-300 people at 3 settings, washing dishes in between. The AOTS built the cupboards at the back of the Church basement and laid the tile on the basement floor. With the UCW, they bought the present tables and chairs.
Jim Crackel’s dad, Jim Sr, was a treasurer. Like Wilf Locking, he always greeted at the door with a peppermint and a joke. When the bridge was being built in 1960 he joked, “ I’ve got money in the bridge. I’ve thrown a few pennies in the cement.”
When the CNR Round House closed down in the 1950’s, Rainy River lost 34 or 35 families, many of whom were members of Knox. It was a blow to community and church. A big farewell party was thrown for the families, and Isabel remember Florence Croxford making corsages from the Sweet William Isabel grown in her garden.
Knox United Church was the main caterer in town in those times. They catered weddings and funerals, graduation and award dinners. Each woman prepared a dish at home and it was brought to the Rec. Centre. Each dish was served into 50 bowls and carried upstairs where guests were served a sit down dinner. “We worked hard. The young men of the church liked getting dressed up to serve.”
In 1962 the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) and the Women’s Auxiliary joined to become the United Church Women. The WMS was a small group whose purpose was to raise money for missions. They corresponded with missionaries and had Bible studies. The WA cared for the Knox church and did a lot of the catering. Isabella remembers, “In 1962, I was chosen as a delegate to go to the inaugural meeting in Kenora. I boarded the train to Winnipeg at 2:30 a.m. arriving at 9 a.m. I then took the bus to Kenora, attended the meeting, hitched a ride to Fort Frances with a Fort Frances member, and boarded the train back to Rainy arriving at 2:30 a.m. 24 hours later.
The UCW was divided into 4 groups. Excelsior was led by Anne Robertson. Anne’s husband, Wilf, was born and died in their home on Third Street now owned by Bob and Brig McGreevy. Elizabeth was the group for young moms and included Eunice Rusnak. The Miriam group ran the annual Valentine social.
The evening group included Florence Croxford, Anna Callan, Isabella McInnes, Enid Warnuk, Bertha Murray, Bernice Sandvik, Aila Crowe and Ethyl Wilson.
“Earle and Joyce left Rainy River in 1961,” Isabel recalls. “I took over the boys group for a while but had to give it up.” I remember one outing when some of the boys walked to a small lake past the rock cut. Dave McInnes and Dave Hammond helped. Garry Wilson was also there. We cooked beans over a campfire but the rock split and the beans fell into the fire. Another time Glen Armstrong’s dad, Bud, drove a bus load of kids out to the Milne farm (Elsie Gerula’s dad) for a sleigh ride. Scott Gosnell drove the tractor that pulled the sleigh. The best time of all was when the bus upset and the kids climbed out through the back door.”
Isabel has been the representative for Knox Church to Presbytery for many, many years. At Conference this year, she had only a few moments to reminisce with the Rev. John Freeman, who ministered in Red Lake, was instrumental in building the Atikokan Church 50 years ago. Rev. Freeman, Isabel and other member of Kenora-Rainy River Presbytery once drove to Red Lake, boarded airplanes and flew to Sandy Lake, Deer Lake and Pikangikum. They were there for the opening of the Adam Fiddler Church, which burned to the ground a few years ago. When the Rev. George McMillan, of Fort Frances United Church, passed away, a memorial fund was started in his honour and funds went to support the churches at Pik and Sandy.
In 1973, Kenora-Rainy River Presbytery merged with Superior Presbytery to form Cambrian presbytery and the McMillan fund was discontinued.
Isabel reminisced about the 80th Anniversary celebrations for Knox United Church. There was a big display of quilts in the Sanctuary, and Earle had an antique display in the basement. An ad was placed in the newspaper and anyone married in Knox was invited to come and renew their vows in a special service. The Parks, Callans and Shatfords were some of the couples who participated. Isabel took the Synopsis of the History of Knox previously written by Vic Croxford and updated it. A red Cookbook was assembled by the UCW. The church honoured all who had been active at a congregational supper.
Isabel remains a vital and loved presence at both Knox Rainy River and Cambrian Presbytery. Presbytery recently highlighted her service on their website http://www.cambrianpresbytery.org.