Yesterday I decided that after work I would go and attempt to locate a couple of abandoned pioneer cemeteries in the Chippawa – Fort Erie area.
The descriptions on where the cemeteries are located are fairly vague but did not seem too difficult to get to. A little bit of walking in some brush… no problem! I’ll finally get pictures of these long overgrown graveyards!
With a Tom Horton’s coffee in hand, a print out of where these cemeteries are located and my trusty camera in hand my wife and I set out.
Looking for cemetery #1 is where I discovered my 1st mistake. While walking through some light brush I uncomfortably was reminded that I was wearing shorts. Most of the light brush was very thorny… about 20ft later I discovered my second mistake. I was wearing sneakers. What looked to be solid ground wasn’t. I got a soaker… ahh.. rank black liquid filled my shoe.
But that’s ok! I’m going to find this place and get my pictures! I was sadly mistaken.
After much crawling around the brush & walking – I didn’t find this cemetery. I decided to come back another day or wait till fall when I can see further into the brush. Getting back to the car I discovered my 3rd mistake… I didn’t bring bug spray. I was covered with ticks! I freakin hate those bugs. After much brushing, shaking and pulling, I got them off me. Now I’m paranoid.
Off to the second cemetery on my list. This one was supposed to be just 0.8km off the main road, in a group of Pine trees. No problem!
Not wanting a repeat of the previous adventure I walked down the dirt road stopping and peering into groups of trees, looking for the pine tree grove. There were many of them. I didn’t see anything that would resemble a 20 grave cemetery so I temporarily gave up. The ticks didn’t give up on me though. More brushing and pulling them off me & paranoia had me going the whole drive home.
I will find these cemeteries…
St. John’s Cemetery’s history is currently unknown to me. Am doing some research on the location.
“Pictures of the cemetery.”
From St. John’s West Cemetery, posted by Stephen Willett on 5/17/2010 (12 items)
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The Turney-Boyd-Christie Pioneer Cemetery is located south of Pelham Road behind 3 Power Glen with access obtained between 16 and 18 Addison Drive. The St. Catharines Heritage Committee produced the Pioneer Cemeteries Driving Tour in 2008 that includes the following description of this burial ground:
“This small family burial ground is located overlooking the Twelve Mile Creek near the DeCew Hydro Generating Station, in a nineteenth century milling centre now known as “Power Glen”. The cemetery stands on part ofthe lands granted by the Crown to a Loyalist named John Turney, a former Lieutenant in Butler’s Rangers, in 1797. The fenced enclosure contains eight tombstones, commemorating nine members ofthe Turney, Boyd and Christie families, which date between 1812 and 1882. Other unmarked family burials are known to have taken place here. It is said that around 1901 an “Indian burial” was pointed out “in or near this cemetery”. Currently, the plot is enclosed by a stone post and chain fence.”
Grave markers and the associated landscape are important cultural heritage resources telling the story of and raising awareness regarding an important part of Power Glen’s and
13St. Catharine’s heritage.
Warning – This cemetery is on Private Property.
here are a couple of pictures I took:
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Another stop on tacky tourist day, Teresa, Gina, Gord and I stopped at St. Marks Cemetery to take a few pictures. Unfortunately St. Marks Church was closed so we could not get any pictures of the inside the beautiful and historic building.
Here are some of the pictures:
“Random pictures from St.Marks Cemetery while out with Teresa, Gina & Gord.”
From St. Marks Cemetery, posted by Stephen Willett on 5/16/2010 (10 items)
- St. Marks Church – Niagara On The Lake, Ontario Canada
- This picture is of the rifle pit described below: “The American forces occupied the …
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Teresa, Gina, Gord and I decided a couple of weeks ago that we would be taking some day trips in and around the Niagara Region visiting historical locations & points of interest that are either free to visit or low cost to get in. On this weekend we decided Niagara On The Lake would be a good starting point. We went to Fort Mississauga as our first stop playing tacky tourist.
Here are some pictures from the trip:
“Pics from a day trip out to Niagara On The Lake with Teresa, Gord & Gina.”
From Fort Mississauga, posted by Stephen Willett on 5/16/2010 (14 items)
- Fort Mississauga – A War of 1812 Fort. – this is the view to the fort from the golf c…
- Plaque says it all.
- One of the ammo bunkers in the hill. – right, facing golf course.
- The Blockhouse.
- The tunnel facing the Niagara River.
- View of the Block house with the two bunkers.
- A shot of the earthworks. On the right is the tunnel to the river.
- Gord from inside the tunnel.
- and myself.
- Gina in the doorway to the blockhouse.
- One of the barred windows.
- Fort Mississauga
- Teresa
- carving in one of the stones within the entrance wall.
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