CONTENTS—Burying Places—How Selected—Family Burying Places—For the
Neighbourhood—The Dutch—Upon the Hudson—Bay Quinté—A Sacred Spot
to the Loyalists—Ashes to Ashes—Primitive Mode of Burial—The
Coffin—At the Grave—The Father’s Remarks—Return to Labor—French
Burying-place at Frontenac—Its Site—U. E. Loyalists’ Burying-place
at Kingston—The “U. E. Burying Ground,” Adolphustown—Worthy Sires
of Canada’s Sons—Decay—Neglect of Illustrious dead—Repair Wanted—
Oldest Burying Ground in Prince Edward—Ross Place—At East Lake—
Upon the Rose Farm—“The Dutch Burying Ground”—Second Growth Trees—
In Sophiasburgh—Cronk Farm—In Sidney—Rude Tomb Stones—Burial-place
of Capt. Myers—Reflections—Dust to Dust—In Thurlow—“Taylor Burying
Ground”—The First Person Buried—Lieut. Ferguson—An Aged Female—Her
Work Done—Wheels Stand Still.
THE EARLY BURYING PLACES UPON THE BAY QUINTÉ.
“_Your fathers, where are they?_”
Burying places in all the new settlements were, as a general thing,
selected by the family to which death might first come. This was true of
every part of America. Ere the forest had fallen before the hand of the
axeman, or while the roots and stumps of the trees yet thickly
encumbered the ground, before the scythe had been used to cut the first
products of the soil, the great reaper death passed by, and one and
another of the number were cut down. Some suitable place, under the
circumstances, was selected for the grave, and quietly the body was laid
away. In time, a neighbour would lose a member of the family, and the
body would be brought and laid beside the first buried. And so on, until
a certain circle would be found burying in a common place. But sometimes
families would prefer to have a private burial ground, some conspicuous
spot being selected upon the farm, where the ashes of the family might
be gathered together, as one after another passed away. The Dutch are
particularly attached to this custom. This may be seen even yet in those
old sections of New York State, where the Dutch originally settled,
especially at Hoboken, opposite New York City. Sacred spots were
appropriated by each family upon the farm, in which the family was
buried. The descendants of these Dutch who became such loyal subjects,
and suffering refugees who settled around the bay, followed the same
practice. These spots may be seen along the Hudson, and the Bay Quinté,
which may be regarded as the Hudson of Canada, and are indicated by the
drooping willow, or the locust or cypress. Some from whom reliable
information has been received, state that the spot selected on the Bay
Quinté was often that, where the family had first landed—where they had
rested on the bare earth, beneath the trees, until a hut could be
erected. This spot was chosen by the refugee himself as a suitable place
to take his last rest. Indeed, the devotion of the settler to the land
where he had wrought out his living, and secured a comfortable home, was
sometimes of an exalted character. One instance by way of illustration:—
There came to the shores of Hay Bay an heroic woman, a little rough
perhaps, but one whose soul had been bitterly tried during the conflict
between her king and the rebels. Her husband had been on many a
battle-field, and she had assisted on many an occasion to give comfort
to the British troops. The log hut was duly erected, and day after day
they went forth together to subdue the wilderness. In the sear and
yellow leaf, when competence had been secured and could be bequeathed to
their children, when the first log tenement had fallen to decay, she
caused her children to promise that her body should be laid upon the
spot where that old hut had stood.
The mode of burial was often simple and touching, often there was no
clergyman of any denomination; no one to read a prayer over the dead for
the benefit of the living. Frequently, in the hush of suspended work,
through the quiet shades of the trees whose boughs sighed a requiem,
like as if angels whispered peace to the sad and tearful mourners who
silently, or with suppressed sobs, followed the coffin of the plainest
kind, often of rough construction, which contained the remains of a
loved one to the grave, in some spot selected. The rude coffin being
placed in the grave, those present would uncover, and the father, in sad
tones, would make a few remarks respecting the departed, offer a few
thoughts which the occasion suggested, and then the coffin was hidden
out of sight. The men would return to their labors, and the women to
their duties.
We learn, on excellent authority, that the burial place for the French,
at Fort Frontenac, was where the barracks now stand near the bridge. But
not unlikely the French, when one died away from the fort at any
distance, committed the dead to the earth in Indian burial places. The
first burial place for the U. E. Loyalists in Kingston, was situated
where St. Paul’s Church now stands, on Queen Street, which was formerly
called Grove Street.
No township is more rich in historic matters, pertaining to the U. E.
Loyalists than Adolphustown. Here settled a worthy band of refugees
whose lineage can be traced back to noble names in France, Germany and
Holland. Here was the birth-place of many of Canada’s more prominent and
worthy sons, and here repose the ashes of a large number of the devoted
pioneers.
As the steamboat enters to the wharf at Adolphustown, the observer may
notice a short distance to the west, upon the summit of a ridge, a small
enclosure in which are a number of second growth trees, maple and oak.
He may even see indistinctly a few marble tombstones. If he walks to the
spot he will find that the fence is rough, broken, and falling down.
Casting his eye over the ground he sees the traces of numerous graves,
with a few marble head-stones, and a long iron enclosure within which
are buried the dead of the Casey family; with a marble slab to the head
of each. The ground generally is covered with the _debris_ of what once
formed enclosures of individual graves or family plots. When visited by
the writer, one grave, that of Hannah Vandusen, had growing out of its
bosom a large poplar tree, while the wooden fence around was falling and
resting against the tree. The writer gazed on these evidences, not alone
of decay but neglect, with great regret, and with a sigh. For here,
without any mark of their grave, lie many who were not only noble U. E.
Loyalists, but who were men of distinction, and the fathers of men well
known in Canadian History. Mr. Joseph B. Allison, accompanied us, and
pointed out the several spots where he had seen buried these illustrious
dead.
In the north-west corner of the ground, with no trace even of a grave to
mark the spot, lies the old Major who commanded the company. Mr. Allison
was present, although a little boy at his burial. The event is fixed
upon his mind by the fact the militia turned out and buried him with
military honors. We stood on the spot overgrown with thorn trees, and
felt a pang that his name was thus forgotten, and his name almost
unknown. Close by is a neat marble headstone to a grave, upon which is
the following: “_Henry Hover, departed this life, August 23rd, 1842,
aged 79 years, 5 months and 17 days._” Noble man! Imprisonment with
chains for nearly two years, with many hardships during, and after the
war, did not make his life short, and we were thankful he had left
descendants who forgot not to mark his resting-place. For account of
this person see under “Royal Combatants.”
The entrance gate to the ground is at the east side. To the right on
entering, a short distance off, is an oak tree. Between the gate and
tree was laid the body of Nicholas Hagerman. Sad to say, nothing
indicates the resting-place of the earliest lawyer of the Province, and
the father of Judge Hagerman. (See distinguished Loyalists). In the
middle of the ground rests the dead of the Casey family. The two old
couple whom we remember to have seen when a boy in their green old age,
lie here. “Willet Casey died aged 86. Jane, his wife, aged 93.” We would
say to all here buried, _Requiescat in pace_. But the very crumblings of
the enclosures which were put around the graves by sorrowing friends
when they died cry out against the neglected state of the ground. The
efforts which have repeatedly been made to put the place in repair ought
to be repeated, and a stone wall at least made to effectually inclose
the sacred dust.
The oldest burying place, we believe, in Prince Edward, is some distance
from Indian Point, upon the Lake Shore, and east of the Rock, commonly
known as Ross’s Burying Ground. In this spot are buried some of the
first and most distinguished of the first settlers of Marysburgh.
Another old burying place in Prince Edward is at East Lake, at the
commencement of the Carrying Place. Here may be found the graves of some
eighteen persons who made the first settlement of East Lake. The lot
upon which it is situated belonged to Mr. Dyse. It is no longer used,
but is partially in a ploughed field, and partially covered by a second
growth of trees.
Upon the road along the south shore of Marysburg, a short distance west
of the Rock, upon the Rose farm, are to be seen the lingering remains of
the first church of this township. It was erected at an early date, and
was twenty-four feet square. Here Weant was wont to preach to his flock
of Lutherans, and here at times Langhorn from Bath also held forth. The
situation is pleasant, upon the brow of a comparatively steep hill,
overlooking a pleasant low-land, with the shining Ontario, and Long
Point stretching away into its waters; while to the right is the well
sheltered Wappoose Island. But another object attracts our attention.
Almost immediately fronting us upon a sand-hill close by the water’s
edge is to be seen “the old Dutch burying ground.” It is about
half-a-mile from the road, and we will descend the hill and take the
road through the fields along the fence, the way by which so many have
passed to their long home. The old graveyard is overshadowed by good
sized second growth pines, whose waving tops sigh not unharmoniously
over the ashes of the old Hessian and Dutch settlers. The adjacent shore
washed by the ever throbbing lake gives forth to day the gentlest
sounds. These old burying places remind one that Canada is ever growing
old. Here lie, not alone the early pioneers, but their grand-children;
and over the spot cleared are now good sized second growth trees. The
head boards are fallen in decay, the fence around the plots have
crumbled in the dust.
The oldest burying place in Sophiasburgh is upon the Cronk farm east of
Northport.
Nearly midway between Belleville and Trenton is situated the oldest
burying ground of Sidney. It is pleasantly located upon an eminence by
the bay shore, and affords a fine view of the bay, and opposite shore.
The visitor will be struck with the irregularity of the graves in the
place primarily used, as if the graves had been dug among the stumps.
Some of them are almost north and south. At the ends of mostly all are
placed stones, rough they are, but lasting, and have, in a large number
of cases, more permanently indicated the position of the graves. Upon
some of these rough stones are rudely cut the initials of the occupant
of the grave. In a great number of cases tablets painted on wood have
been placed to commemorate the individual deceased. But these are
totally obliterated, and the wood is falling to decay. Probably the
temporary mark of affectionate sorrowing was as lasting as the life of
the bereaved. We lingered among the graves here, and they are numerous.
We see the name Myers. And we know that old Capt. Myers was buried here,
after an eventful life. Around him also repose his old acquaintances and
friends—and enemies. They are gone with the primeval woods that covered
the slopes by the Bay Quinté—gone with the hopes and aspirations, and
prospects, and realizations that crowned their trying and eventful life—
gone so that their ashes can no longer be gathered, like the old batteau
which transported them thither—gone like their old log houses whose very
foundations have been plowed up—gone like their rude implements of
agriculture—gone by the slow and wearisome steps of time which marks the
pioneer’s life.
It is gratifying to see that while the ground has been extended, a new
fence has been built, and elegant tombstones, 1868.
The first place set apart in which to bury the dead, in the township of
Thurlow was the “Taylor Burying Ground.” It is situated in Belleville,
at the east of the mouth of the Moira, in view of the bay. The first
person committed to the earth here was Lieut. Ferguson, who had been
associated with Capt. Singleton. The second individual is supposed to
have been the mother of John Taylor. She had been brought to the place
by her son, her only son, two having been executed by the rebels during
the war, when almost ninety years of age. But her stay on earth had
almost ended; not long after, she was one day engaged in spinning flax,
and suddenly ceased her work, and told them to put away the wheel, as
she would spin no more. A few minutes after she ceased to live, and the
weary wheels of life stood still. For many years this ground was the
repository of the dead, about the mouth of Myers’ Creek.
DIVISION V.
THE EARLY CLERGYMEN AND CHURCHES.