Reverend Silas Huntington, 1829-1905
A zealous Methodist missionary descended from an early New England family, Huntington was born in Kemptville. With his ordination in 1854 he commenced a long Christian ministry, serving various congregations in eastern Ontario and Quebec until 1882 when he was posted to Mattawa. Using this mission as a base, Huntington travelled extensively, visiting outlying settlements and work camps along the CPR as far west as Schreiber. Reputedly the first Protestant missionary to reach many northern communities, he is credited with establishing several pastoral charges, including this congregation formed in 1882. His unflagging energy and magnetic personality gained him immense popularity and respect throughout the north, and in 1960 Huntington University, now Huntington College in Laurentian University, Sudbury, was named in his honour.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Ontario Plaques. Full page here.