NOTICE

 

The Municipality of Magnetawan Cemetery Board is currently seeking information in the form of maps, copies of deeds, etc... for the following cemeteries which have now been assumed by the Municipality:

 

St. John's Dufferin Bridge Cemetery

   Spence LOT 39, CON C

 

Orange Valley Cemetery

Spence LOT 27, CON C

 

Dufferin Methodist Cemetery

Spence, PT LOT 40A, CON C

 

Please contact the Municipal Office by phone at (705) 387-3947 or by e-mail at magadmin@bellnet.ca with any information pertaining to these cemeteries.  Thank you.

 

 

CEMETERIES

 

 

ST. JOHN’S  ANGLICAN CEMETERY (DUFFERIN BRIDGE)

 Also Known as VIGRASS CEMETERY

 

Near the Muskrat Valley Road once stood a small St. John’s Anglican Church where now all that remains is the outline of the stone Foundation, guarded by a comparatively young pine tree.  Around it lays the lonely cemetery beckoning the traveler to stop and visit.  Wm. Beasley lies here with two wives, one who died at 19 years, 7 months, probably in childbirth; Ruth Ellen Downing Vigrass, most likely from the same cause at age 18 years, 2 months; three other members of the Downing family, Laura, Richard, and Jean; James Burn’s wife Mary; Annabelle McDonald wife of Garfield Phillips; James and Thomas Hughes 25 and 30; children of James and Martha Vigrass, Lilla Jane 14 and Edwin Paul 22 both drowned in separate accidents; the parents James and Martha Beckett Vigrass, who headstone has been vandalized; Anne E. Granger infant daughter of Wm. And Elizabeth; John Robert Moring’s wife Katherine Mary Stevens; Morley David and Madeline M. Sawdon; Raymond M. and Audrey E.Burns Sawdon; and David Shelswell and his wife Hannah M. Holmes.

 

Conc A  Lot 38  Spence

 

 

 

 

 

 

DUFFERIN  METHODIST CEMETERY

 

Con A Lot 42

 

The Dufferin Methodist Cemetery once boasted a small church but its position is not so well defined.  Here lies the remains of six young children of  James and Janey Morden who died within a few days of each other when a virus hit their home on Muskrat Valley Road in January of 1902.  They ranged in age from a year and a half to twelve.  Only their oldest daughter survived this epidemic, which swept through the area taking others as well. 

There were several Morden families in this settlement one of who was buried here; Joseph, his wife Amelia Vigrass and their son Ernest E. Morden.  Others who rest here:  Alvin’s parents John Alexander and Olive Cooper Farrow; John Brown, his wife Susan and infant son Thomas; Wm. Robinson who had lived out the Rock Hill Road died 1905, age 92; Elias and Laura Ashton lost four young children, baby Charles in 1982, 15 year old Elias in 1900, 10 year old Laura in January 1902 and Emily at 6 years old in February 1902, probably from the same sickness that hit the Morden family; John Vickers, son of Thomas and Lotties; Mary Anne Battlin, 72, wife of Wm. Adams 85, and their son Wm. E. Adams aged 28.  Mr. Adams was a native of Cornwallis, England.

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

THE SPENCE CEMETERY

 

Conc. A  Lot 74

 

The Nelson family is also responsible for the beginnings of the Spence Cemetery.  David’s daughter Betsy lost her first husband, William, due to a hunting accident in 1873.  They occupied the property at the corner of Midlothian Road and as there was no cemetery, Betsy buried Mr. Cairns in a corner of the field.  She later married George Ross and moved to his home, leaving her land for a cemetery.  This is now a fairly large cemetery and space won’t allow a complete list, but the old families are all resting here; Bell, Nelson, Botham, Ross, Smith, Brown, Langford, Carlton, Glass, White, just to name a few.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

SEGUIN CEMETERY

 

To the west of the Nipissing Road on the old side road, lies a small unkempt cemetery whose markers bear many pioneer names, gone and almost forgotten.  Peter Losch and his wife Mary rest there.  Thomas and Charlotte Watkinson Vickers and their son Walter are buried here; John and Harriet Sawdon and daughter Marjorie; members of the Fleming family; Cpl. Hall 1949; Mckinnon, Scott; Marian Irene Vigrass 1896; Annie J. Heydon wife of Henry Good and their son Henry; Margaret wife of Joseph Studholme 1886 and their two young daughters who died on April 13, 1880. Elizabeth Anne 13, and Hannah Matilda 11; John Chisholm; and Joseph P. Stevenson.  I’m sorry to say I may have missed recording some of the headstones, but I can’t stand black flies and they were bad that day.  And on going dispute about who owned the property and who should care for the cemetery has recently been settled and I understand it will be upgraded soon.

 

 

 

 

 

  

CHAPMAN COMMUNITY CEMETERY

 

Hwy #124 and Old Nipissing Road

 

  

 

 

 

 

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH CEMETERY

 

 

 

 

 

AHMIC HAROUR CEMETERY

 

Conc 9  Lot 25  Ahmic Harbour

 

  

 

  

 

 

PORT CARMEN OLD LUTHERAN CEMETERY

 

Directions:  The Port Carmen Old Lutheran Cemetery can be seen south off Hwy #520 about 2 miles from Magnetawan.  The cemetery is rather difficult to zero in on so it is recommended you ask for local assistance once you get in the general area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROCK HILL CEMETERY

 

The Rock Hill Cemetery can be seen about 8 miles south of Magnetawan on the Old Nipissing Trail.  The cemetery trail is East off the Old Nipissing Trail and is 4-wheeler access.  Note:  if you travel to the cemetery from Magnetawan you should know the Cemetery turnoff is about a mile before you hit the Orange Valley Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ORANGE VALLEY ROAD CEMETERY

 

Con 4   Lot 27  Spence

 

  

 

 

Our thanks to Helen Stewart the author of “In Celebration of  The Old Nipissing Road”.

Excerpts from this text where invaluable and this history could not have been written without it.

 

 

MUSKOKA PARRY SOUND GENEALOGY GROUP

http://dansmith049.tripod.com/ParrySoundCemeteries.html

 

 

PARRY SOUND DISTRICT GRAVE MARKER GALLERY

http://nocgg.maddoc.net/parrysnd/index.htm