Matthew Henry Hodge (1805 – 13 January 1877) was a Congregationalist minister who had a substantial career in South Australia, being pastor of the Port Adelaide Congregational Church for 27 years.
He arrived in South Australia with his wife and family aboard the John Munn from London in September 1849, and founded the first Independent (as Congregationalists were wont to style themselves) church in the Port area, which first met in a sail loft in Wills Street.
Notwithstanding the founding of churches by the Baptists and (Wesleyan) Methodists in the area, Hodge's congregation had outgrown the building, and land adjoining on the western side was secured for a new Port chapel.
[1] The builder Walter Smith was contracted and in 1851 the foundation stone was laid, but construction was held up by the Victorian gold rush, when just about every able-bodied man (including Rev.
[1] The chapel was opened for services, and the schoolhouse was used during the week by Thomas Caterer for his private school.