Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Little Dutch Church

44°39′20.95″N 63°35′8.34″W / 44.6558194°N 63.5856500°W / 44.6558194; -63.5856500
Location	Halifax, Nova Scotia
Country	Canada
Denomination	Anglican (Lutheran traditions)
History
Consecrated	1760
Events	1760: steeple added
Architecture
Groundbreaking	1756
Administration
Parish	St. George
Diocese	Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Province	Canada
National Historic Site of Canada
Official name: Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church National Historic Site of Canada
Designated:	22 September 1997
Nova Scotia Heritage Property Act
Type:	Provincially Registered Property
Designated:	27 October 1981

The Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church is a very old and special building in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It's the second oldest building there, right after St. Paul's Church. This church was built for a group of people called "Foreign Protestants" who came to live in Halifax. It is also the oldest place in Canada connected to the Lutheran faith. Because of its important history, it is now a National Historic Site of Canada.

History of the Little Dutch Church
Notable People Buried Here
See also

History of the Little Dutch Church

Early Settlers and Challenges

The story of the Little Dutch Church begins with a group of "Foreign Protestants". Most of these people were German Palatines who settled in the northern part of Halifax between 1750 and 1752. The land where the church stands might have been set aside for their religious use as early as 1750. However, the church building itself was not constructed until a few years later.

When these immigrants arrived in Halifax, the town was facing many challenges. One big problem was repeated epidemics, which are like widespread illnesses. For example, from September 1749 to April 1750, many people got sick. In late 1750, more "Foreign Protestants" arrived, and the population of Halifax grew to 3,200 people.

A Time of Sickness

On September 2, 1750, a ship called the Ann arrived. Many passengers on this ship were very ill or dying. After the Ann arrived, the health of the community got worse, and more people started to pass away. By October, the leader of the colony, Governor Edward Cornwallis, put rules in place to keep sick people separate from healthy ones. This was a type of quarantine. The sickness eventually slowed down, and another serious illness did not arrive until 1752. Experts believe the disease these new settlers brought might have been typhus.

The Mass Grave Discovery

Around the same time as this sickness, about thirty people were buried together in a large grave. This grave was on the same land where the church would later be built. The people buried there did not have any personal items with them. There was also little sign that they were buried in clothes, though their clothing might have decayed over time. Some rope pieces suggest at least one person might have been buried in a simple cloth or shroud.

The large grave was covered with big stones. This might have been done to stop animals from disturbing it. The grave was located right where the church's foundation would later be built. This suggests that the church might have been built on purpose over this burial site.

Uncovering the Past: Archaeological Finds

In the 1990s, scientists studied the bones found in the grave. This study is called osteo-archaeology. They found that the people buried there were a mix of men and women, and different ages, but most were adults. None of the bones showed signs of injuries or long-term health problems. This suggests that whatever caused their passing happened quickly and affected only soft parts of the body.

Diverse Ancestry

At first, people thought everyone in the grave was from Europe. However, later studies showed that one skull belonged to a man in his twenties who might have been Indigenous. While this wasn't fully proven, his skull looked more like someone from North America than from central Europe or Africa. Also, the wear on his teeth was similar to people who ate a hunter-gatherer diet, which includes foods like dried meats and seeds. We don't know who this man was, but some think he might have been a Mohawk. Records from St. Paul's show that a "Protestant Indian" named John Tray was buried in 1750. There was also some evidence that people with possible African ancestry were in the grave, but this also needs more study.

Building and Using the Church

The Little Dutch Church was built in 1756 and officially opened in 1760. The tall steeple on top was added in 1760, it wasn't part of the original building. Otto William Schwartz helped establish this church. It is the oldest church in Canada still standing that is connected to the German-Canadian community.

The church was used regularly until about 1800. After that, the church community grew bigger. Many people started going to the newer and larger St. George's "Round" Church, which was just a block away. Because of this, the Little Dutch Church was not used as much. The churchyard was used for burials until the mid-1800s. Burials stopped then because of health concerns and the growth of the city.

Later Discoveries and Restoration

In December 1896, workers were fixing the church's foundation. They found bones beneath the church. These bones were later reburied in a different spot. This new burial spot was also found during later studies.

In 1994, a fire happened at St. George's Church. This meant the Little Dutch Church was used regularly again. People then noticed that its foundation had problems. A project began to fix and restore the church. The government of Nova Scotia became interested, and in 1996, archaeologists started to investigate. They confirmed the discovery of bones from 1896. A bigger study happened in 1998 when a new concrete foundation was being laid for the church.

After the archaeological work was finished and the bones were studied, the people were reburied in a new common grave. This was done in a special ceremony that included the church, descendants of the original German settlers, the German Canadian Association of Nova Scotia, and Mi'kmaq spiritual leaders.

In 1997, the Little Dutch Church was named a National Historic Site of Canada. This helps to recognize the German heritage in Canada and is a symbol for German-Canadian identity.

Notable People Buried Here

Many interesting people are buried at the Little Dutch Church or in its cemetery.

Major Leonard Lockman, who has a street named after him (now Brunswick St.).
Elliot and Ella, children of Mark P Seward, from the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot.
Elizabeth, wife of John Fraser, a surgeon from the Nova Scotia Fencibles.
Johann Nikolaus Batz, a Hessian (soldier), in an unmarked grave.

Otto William Schwartz (his tablet was moved to St. George's Round Church in 1831)
Robert Fitzgerald Uniacke
Johann Matthäus Holland, a Hessian (soldier)
Anthony Henry Holland
Anthony Henry (Printer)
Rev Bernard Michael Houseal (a Loyalist from New York; a friend of Prince Edward)