# Woolwichers and the Ontario Old Order beginning 1889 ยท Overview In 1889 Ontario Mennonites divided after years of disagreement about changes in congregational practice, including Sunday schools and evangelistic meetings. Abraham Martin of Woolwich Township was among the bishops leading the Old Order fellowship. Many of his supporters lived in northern Waterloo County, giving rise to the local name Woolwichers. The name identifies a regional community within the wider Old Order story. Martinite was another name associated with this Ontario division. It needs a geographical qualification: Jonas H. Martin's followers in Pennsylvania, who separated in 1893, were also called Martinites. Abraham Martin and Jonas Martin therefore belong to distinct regional histories, even though their fellowships came to recognize a shared Old Order relationship. Woolwichers and Martinites should be read with those local contexts in view. - [Mennonite Archives of Ontario: Old Order Mennonites, administrative history](https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/catalogs/archives/old-order-mennonites) - [Conrad Grebel University College: Mennonites in Canada, volume I, chapter 11, page 267](https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/sites/default/files/uploads/files/mic_i_11_0.pdf) - [GAMEO: Old Order Mennonites, Ontario beginnings and regional names](https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Old_Order_Mennonites) - [GAMEO: Weaverland Mennonite Conference, the two Martinite usages](https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Weaverland_Mennonite_Conference) - [Supplied Church History chart, IMG_9380: named Old Order Mennonite subgroups](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/blob/main/sources/church-history/photos/IMG_9380.jpg) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/events/woolwich-old-order-beginnings/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Woolwichers+and+the+Ontario+Old+Order+beginning&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AWoolwichers+and+the+Ontario+Old+Order+beginning%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fevents%2Fwoolwich-old-order-beginnings%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+woolwich-old-order-beginnings%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1889%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)