Isiah Limerick was one of the Anglican lay preachers in Nova Scotia, serving first at Birchtown, then Brindley Town and finally Preston.

It seems that Limerick acted as a sort of deputy for Stephen Blucke in Birchtown. By 1787, he had run into problems with his congregation. The impression is that he was a difficult character. Limerick was also handicapped by being unable to assume the civil authority and position as a schoolteacher that typically went along with being a Anglican leader. Blucke was the man who played that role in the Birchtown community.

Limerick was assigned to be the lay pastor and schoolteacher at Brindley Town after the previous leader, Joseph Leonard, came into conflict with the Anglican establishment. Limerick soon ran into conflicts of his own. The blacks at Brindley Town still regarded Leonard as their leader, no matter what sort of letter from Governor Parr Limerick carried. Leonard and Limerick argued in the streets, blacks boycotted the school taught by Limerick, and Leonard's allies in the white establishment campaigned for his reinstatement.

Around that time, an opportunity arose to settle the dispute quietly. William Furmage was found to be spreading Methodism among his pupils at the school in Halifax, and Limerick was reassigned to be the preacher and teacher there. If there were any further disputes, we heard no more of them. Limerick didn't fare so well there though, as he had to pay for the rent on the school personally and fell into debt.

Strangely, Limerick's name appears again with a Birchtown connection, where Blucke appointed him to screen the applicants for the Sierra Leone Colony for good character. Limerick himself traveled to Sierra Leone, and sources make no further mention of him. The school for blacks in Halifax had no teacher and few pupils, and therefore, was closed.

St. Paul's Anglican Chapel in Birchtown.

Story: Faith

The Anglicans

People

Stephen Blucke

Joseph Leonard

Communities

Birchtown

Brindley Town