Upon request by Reverend M. Townsend of Caldwell and Christie Manors, the Church lot was explored by Reverend William Dawes and purchased in 1840. Reverend Dawes had been sent to the area in 1838 by Bishop Mountain to initiate an Anglican revival in settlements along the Richelieu River.
Construction of the church began in 1843, and it was eventually consecrated by Bishop Mountain under the name of St. Saviours on July 28, 1846. The Church was built of field stone with a tower and bell which was installed in 1852. By an arrangement with the Methodists, some of whom had contributed toward its purchase, it was to be rung every day at 9 a.m. and tolled at all Protestant funerals.
The first incumbant, the Reverend Charles Morice, a deacon (1842-1858), resided at Isle aux Noix and also ministered to the troops at Fort Lennox where there was a chapel seating 150 persons. Mr. Morice had his own house at Isle aux Noix and drove for services to Lacolle.
During an interval of about a year (1857-1859), the parish was served by the Reverend John Cornwall while Mr. Morice was absent in England by the Bishops arrangement.
The Reverend C. A. Weatherall came to Lacolle in 1859. Services were taken by Mr. Weatherall at Isle aux Noix, Henrysburg, Napierville and for one year at Sherrington. He remained in the Parish for nearly five years.
The Reverend Anthony Dixon Lockheart came to Lacolle from New Glasgow where he had been stationed for fourteen years. He remained in Lacolle for twelve years from 1864, and was for seven years Chaplain to the soldiers at Isle aux Noix. The parsonage at Lacolle was purchased during the period of his incumbancy and he was accordingly the first to reside in Lacolle.
In 1875 the Reverend Charles Boyd, B.A., became incumbant of the Parish. He came to Lacolle with his sister from the Mission of Thorne in the Upper Ottawa region. During his tenure, services were held at Lacolle, Napierville, Henrysburg and Stottsville. At first Reverend Boyd served from Isle au Noix but later, after the withdrawal of the soldiers from Fort Lennox, he served from Lacolle.
In 1880, the Reverend Robert Acton was appointed incumbant at Lacolle. The old stone built St. Saviours edifice had fallen into a bad state of repair. It had served the parish since 1843, and by 1880, a period of only 37 years, had become unsafe and was continually in need of work. Steps were taken to raise funds for a new church. The sum of $3,000 was raised by the people and another $3,000 contributed by the vigorous efforts of Mr Acton and Miss Tamar Hodgson, who collected from friends in Montreal, St Johns, Clarenceville, Rouses Point and Champlain. After plans were drawn up and approved, a contract was made with Mr. Samuel Roy of Sabrevois. The Hodgson family contributed the brick and ashler stone for the base and trimmings. The new St. Saviours Church, 35 feet by 75 feet with tower and trussed roof, was completed in 1882 and consecrated by Bishop Bond in November of that year.
It was in that same year that the Parish became a Rectory. Robert A. Acton was appointed its first Rector with a stipend of $600. From the old church came the bell, the seats, and lecturns. The ancient font of the old church had a wooden pedestal on which was supported a small marble font given by Mrs. Bowman and Mrs Wright. It continued in use until 1897 when the children of the church installed a new marble font to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond jubilee.
This taken from the writings of the Reverend Ernest E. Dawson, historian and Minister at Lacolle.
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