(2017) Randy Evans and Gary Shrumm @ The Sarnia Journal
It was a tough job but somebody had to do it. And James Capes was up to the task.Between 1880 and 1895, Capes and his band of gravediggers drew upon strong backs and stronger stomachs to dig up the dead from four of Sarnia’s six early cemeteries. Re-interment followed at the community’s new burial grounds, which today are known as Lakeview and Our Lady of Mercy cemeteries.They worked with pickaxes and shovels, and it was a daunting task. After all, Sarnians had been burying their dead for decades at six locations across Port Sarnia:
1 – The Wesleyan Mission at Christina and Devine streets, which was established in the1830’s. Its cemetery was used in 1839 for the burial of Mrs. Anna Maria Penrose Mitton. Hers is often referred to as the first European adult burial in the area.
2 – The Town Cemetery on Maxwell Street (now Harry Turnbull Park). Though formally created in 1852 on a land transfer from George Durand, it appeared to have been used since 1842 as a cemetery.
3 – The Lambton County Jail Yard on Christina Street. The scene of three executions, it had one body interred on site: Elizabeth Workman, who was hung in 1873 for the murder of her husband.
4 – The Roman Catholic Cemetery at St. Michael’s Mission (later Our Lady of Mercy church grounds) The cemetery created by the Catholic Diocese was gifted in the late 1830’s by Sarnia pioneer George Durand, whose first wife, Mary, was Catholic. It was established when the Church was St. Michael’s Mission, located at the west end of the current property. The cemetery was moved easterly when OLM was built in 1878. The first burial in the Catholic Cemetery was that of Maria Donnelly in 1839.
5 – St. George’s Episcopal Cemetery, located on St. Vincent Street
6 – The Methodist Church cemetery, south of Nelson Street.
By the 1870’s these original Sarnia cemeteries had served their purpose. As the population expanded and the number of deaths increased, problems arose.
Concerns were expressed about their deteriorating condition, the associated health risks, and the surprising practice of many Port Huron bodies being transported across the St. Clair River for burial in Sarnia.
The Sarnia Cemetery Company (later Lakeview Cemetery) was formed for the sole purpose of moving the deceased to a place outside of the town. By 1879, the Corporation had acquired the lands now known as Lakeview Cemetery and Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery. Access to both was via Cemetery Road, now known as Colborne Road.
With the new burial lands in place, Mr. Capes was in a position to begin his undertaking.
The first interment at Lakeview was that of Peter McGregor, who died in 1880 at the age of 82.
Authors’ note: Our research was restricted to the re-interment of bodies from Sarnia’s pre-1890 cemeteries. Further research into early Sarnia Township and Lambton County cemeteries would be most welcomed. Be careful where you dig.
Longer Version of this Article:
It was a tough job but somebody had to do it.
James Capes was up to the task.
For fifteen long years ending in April, 1895 the Capes band of gravediggers drew upon strong backs and equally strong stomachs to dig up the dead from three of the six cemeteries of early Sarnia. Re-interment of the bodies followed at the newly developed burial grounds located along Cemetery Rd. and Michigan Rd. in the Township.
Working with the late 1800’s technology of pick axes, shovels and horse and carriage, it was a daunting task faced by the Capes band. Simply put the European settlers of Sarnia had been burying their dead for six decades at no less than six locations in Port Sarnia : 1. The Wesleyan Mission located at now south Christina St.; 2. The Town Cemetery on Maxwell St. ( Elgin Park –now Harry Turnbull Park ); 3. The Lambton County Jail Yard on Christina St.: 4. The Roman Catholic Cemetery at St. Michael’s Mission later Our Lady of Mercy church grounds, 5. St. George’s Episcopal Cemetery located on the west side of St. Vincent St. north of Nelson St. and 6. The Methodist Church cemetery located south of Nelson St. across the road from the St. George’s plots
Each cemetery possessed rich historical background.
The Wesleyan Mission burial ground was established in the 1830’s when Rev. Thomas Turner entered the area under the auspices of the Church. The cemetery was put to use in 1839 by the burial of Mrs. Anna Maria Penrose Mitton mother in law of Sarnia pioneer Commodore Alexander Vidal. Mrs. Mitton’s interment is considered the first European adult burial in the area. At the very least Mrs. Mitton was there joined in eternity by the bodies of two infants.
A report indicates that one of the infants was the child of an early area missionary and the other being that of the son of a Mr. and Mrs. Porter. The same report further indicates that the children had died and were interred prior to the passing of Mrs. Mitton.
The Town Cemetery was formally created by deed dated Sept. 7, 1852 on a transfer of land from George Durand to Malcolm Cameron, Richard Emeric Vidal, Archibald Young and Robert Skilbeck all of Port Sarnia. It is believed that the cemetery was in fact in actual use prior to this land conveyance and that its existence can be dated back to 1842.
The Lambton County Jail Yard was the scene of three executions. Of these only one body was interred on the site namely that of Elizabeth Workman. Mrs. Workman was in 1873 hung for the murder of her husband.
The cemetery created by the Roman Catholic Diocese was located on land gifted in the late 1830’s by Sarnia pioneer George Durand. This act of generosity was made on behalf of Durand’s first wife Mary who was Catholic.
The original Catholic cemetery was established when the Church’s local presence was that of St. Michael’s Mission. Located initially at the west end of the current Church property the cemetery was moved easterly when the current Church was built in 1878 (presumably after re-interments).
The first person to be buried in the Catholic Cemetery was Maria Donnelly who passed on October 20, 1839.
It is not known if at the making of the gift Durand knew of impending family tragedy. However it is worthy of note that shortly after his generosity his nine month old son James William would be dead in August, 1843 only to be followed the next year by Mary at the young age of 23 years.
The St. George’s and Methodist Cemeteries served as the burial grounds for the faithful of each denomination. Established in 1862 and 1870 respectively these Church grounds continued the then ecclesiastical tradition of accommodating its own dead albeit not at the actual site of worship.
Eventually however by the 1870’s the original Sarnia cemeteries had served their purpose. (They also provided a market for Alexander MacKenzie’s tombstones and marble slab business.) As the town grew in population and the number of deaths increased problems developed.
Homes began to be built in the immediate vicinity of the burial grounds. Space to expand the grounds began to be lessened by this urban sprawl.
At City Council and in the Observer’s editorial pages additional concerns were expressed about the ill tended and deteriorating conditions of the cemeteries, health risks to the population and, surprisingly, the practice of many Pt. Huron bodies being transported across the River for burial in Sarnia. (Perhaps an example of an early form of free trade. )
“While on the subject of health, we might call attention to the very serious consequences likely to result from the practice of permitting burials within Town limits-some of the graveyards being located in the midst of thickly settled sections. It is about time now that these cemeteries were closed up and a more distant spot selected for burial purposes. “Editorial, Sarnia Observer, April 18, 1879.
In response the leading male citizens of the Town formed The Sarnia Cemetery Company (later named The Lakeview Cemetery Company) for the sole purpose of moving the deceased from the Sarnia historical cemeteries to a place of ample grounds outside of the Town. By 1879 the Corporation had acquired those Sarnia Township lands now known as Lakeview Cemetery and Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery.
The Lakeview land purchases were from Mr. James Murphy (45 acres for $500.00.) and Mr. Wm. Y. Bedal (43 acres for $800.00). The OLM land purchases were completed by unpublished terms.
In applauding the acquisitions the Observer described the property as providing the Town with a “rural cemetery in a convenient location which, for quiet natural beauty and suitable soil for a burial place leaves nothing to be desired.” Sarnia Observer, January 23, 1880
Access to the properties was by way of the appropriately named Cemetery Rd. (now Colbourne Rd.).
Mr. Capes was thereby in a position to begin his undertaking.
First interment at Lakeview was that of Peter McGregor who passed on March 22, 1880 aged 82 years.
The 1879 relocation of the Catholic cemetery was conducted under the supervision of Father Joseph Bayard. First burial at the new Our Lady of Mercy was that of the re-interment of the aforesaid Maria Donnelly.
It appears that the first of the re-interments were those whose bodies were claimed by family members. Such were paid for by the supervising loved ones. Afterward it was the turn of the ignored or forgotten dead and by April, 1895 their remains had been dug up and moved at a cost to the Town of $240.91.
Once the work had been completed and all the bodies recovered both the Town cemetery and Methodist cemetery were to become parkland. Formal closing of these two cemeteries was effected by provincial legislation “ An Act respecting the Old Cemetery and the Methodist Cemetery – 7 April 1890. “
From the accounts of the day it appears that the powers of Port Sarnia were satisfied that the re-interments from the Town, Catholic, St. George’s and Methodist cemeteries had been affected.
One question still remains though – What about the bodies from the Jail Yards and the Wesleyan Mission?
Based on previous research it is entirely possible that the remains of Elizabeth Workman are still located in the old Jail Yard.
As for Wesleyan Mission it appears that only one of the infants was re-interred. In a 1935 Observer article the Sarnia historian Mrs. Charlotte Vidal Nisbet reported as follows:
“The little boy who died 100 years ago was called Thomas and when Lakeview Cemetery was opened he was moved to the new peaceful resting place for Durand St. had been continued to the River Rd. and cut straight through the Indian Mission grounds. A stone in the cemetery marks his grave.” Sarnia Observer, April 20, 1935.
No mention was made about the other child buried at The Mission.
Regarding Mrs. Mitton, Mrs. Nisbet wrote that her father Senator Alexander Vidal- grandson of Mrs. Mitton – attended at the Mission Cemetery with the intention of digging up her body for the purposes of re-interring such in the newly created Lakeview Cemetery.
Reportedly Senator Vidal left for the burial place only to return with the news that Grandmother Mitton was no longer to be found. On this Mrs. Nisbet scribed:
“…of his dearly loved Grandmother…He went down himself to superintend the removal but to his surprise there were no remains, not a vestige of coffin or bones. All had returned to dust. “ Sarnia Observer, September 6, 1947.
Without passing judgment on the likelihood of the complete decomposition of Mrs. Mitton’s body and without commenting on what Senator Vidal’s prowess would be with a pick and shovel except to say that Messrs. Capes’ skills would be thereby superior, it is reasonable to believe on the evidence that the remains of Mrs. Mitton and one of the infants continue to be interred at the site of the Mission Cemetery.
Be careful where you dig.
Editor’s Comment : The above article is restricted to the re- interment of the bodies from the Town of Sarnia’s pre 1890 cemeteries. Further research into that era’s Sarnia Township and Lambton County cemeteries would be most welcomed.