In 1840 the Anglicans of Cartwright Township, northeast of Toronto, gathered in the homes of the faithful. By 1851 they had built a church a mile east of the village of today's Blackstock. That church was destroyed by fire in 1876 and a new church, the present building, was erected on the eastern edge of the village. By 1880 there were nine churches of varying denominations in the township. Today only three remain, one of which is St. John's Blackstock. The hardy pioneers of all faiths in Cartwright Township, have shared in the struggles of creating and sustaining their communities through turbulent times and dramatic changes. This book is the story of their struggles and is written as part of the celebrations marking the 175th anniversary of that first Anglican congregation.