St. Thomas Mausoleum “Strangers” Ground
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Table of Contents Introduction A Brief History Interesting Landmarks Stories Section A Section B Section C Section E Section F Section G Section H Section I Blocks Old Survey St. Thomas Mausoleum “Strangers” Ground St. Thomas Cemetery Company Today Acknowledgements Index 98 Introduction A Brief History In the early 1800s, Colonel Thomas Talbot received his initial grant of land, which is now Elgin County. He needed to attract settlers to the land. In 1809, Mahlon Burwell surveyed the Talbot Road from Port Talbot through Southwold, Yarmouth, Malahide and Bayham townships. The road continued westward through Aldborough and Dunwich townships in 1811. Once the road was complete there was a flood of applicants for land along the Talbot Road. Colonel Talbot persuaded the government that lots along the road should be open for settlers and that the Clergy should be located north and south of Talbot road. Each settler was responsible for the upkeep of the road in front of his property, as a settlement duty. The first settlers in 1810 were Daniel Rapelje and David Mandeville, who settled at Talbot Rd and Kettle Creek. These were St. Thomas’ first citizens. 1812 had the settlers laying down their ploughs and taking up muskets as the US declared war on Great Britain. Most of the settlers served in the militia and continued to plant their crops between periods of service. The summer of 1812 saw victory at Detroit and British control of Lake Erie ensured that no Americans could penetrate the Talbot settlement. In 1813, the Americans won a battle at Lake Erie and Tecumseh, and the great Shawnee Chieftain was killed. The Americans controlled all of Southwestern Ontario from Chatham to almost Delaware. The Talbot Settlement was in no-man’s land between the British land in the Oxford County area and the American land to the west. General McArthur led 1000 mounted Kentucky soldiers down the Talbot Road to Long Point area and back destroying the mills and farms along the way; December 24, 1814 a peace treaty was signed at Ghent – the end of the war of 1812. The community of the Talbot Settlement began to grow. Daniel Rapelje donated land for a church and cemetery in 1820. The Anglican Church 98 began building in 1822 and was finally completed in1824. In 1833, Thomas Curtis subdivided his lot on the north side of Talbot Street, part of which became the Curtis cemetery. In 1838, on lot two, concession eight, William Drake’s farm butted on the Gravel Toll Rd (now Sunset Dr). Within a fenced area was laid to rest in peace and majesty his daughter-in-law Margaret, who was married to his son Benjamin. She died in the spring at the age of twenty. What a great tragedy for Williams’s son to lose a wife so young. In March of 1842 the reading of William Drake will’s stated his wishes emphatically, “It is my will and desire that a certain part of the above piece of land now fenced off and used as public burying ground be at all time and times hereafter reserved for that use and purpose forever.” As the city of St. Thomas grew in size, the Curtis Cemetery at the foot of Pearl Street, owned by James Thomas Curtis, fell into disuse. The need for a new cemetery was great. A number of citizens saw this need and formed together to purchase a piece of land as a public burying ground. Benjamin and Isabella Drake (his second wife) felt this need also within the community and made available to this group, three (plus) acres of land on April 19, 1850. Included in the three acres was the fenced part where Margaret rests and also Sarah Jane, the one-year-old daughter of Benjamin and Isabella. It seems so fitting for the cemetery to begin with this man who had felt many losses in his short life here in St. Thomas. The Legislature of Upper Canada passed an Act in 1851 to establish the County of Elgin, so following, in 1852 a council for the County of Elgin was appointed and a building was erected on lands donated by Benjamin Drake for a Courthouse and county Seat. Since St. Thomas had received the prestigious honour of being the County Seat, it was incorporated as a village in 1852, with David Parish appointed as the first reeve. We saw, in 1856, the first railroad from London to Port Stanley; this did not give the city the economic boom that was hoped. However, in 1860 the Canada Southern Railway needed a large piece of land for their station and car shop, they chose Millersburg as the site. They located on Talbot Street near Manitoba St. This was actually between the Village of St. Thomas and its tiny rival town, Millersburg. Millersburg prospered due to the influx of people to work for the Canadian Southern Railway. In 1861, St. Thomas was incorporated as a town and M.T. Moore, a prominent tanner, was the first mayor. 98 The businessmen who helped shape the village of St. Thomas also took care of the dead. They incorporated the cemetery as a non-profit cemetery in 1865 with a volunteer board of directors, and thus it remains to this day. The cemetery began with a Board of Trustees of caring citizens - Murdock McKenzie, George Southwick MD, William Ross, James Coyne, Joseph Laing, Archibald McIntyre, Alexander Love and of course, Benjamin Drake. In 1871 the city of St. Thomas annexed Millersburg and the annexed portion became known as St. David’s Ward. The town had only four buildings between Metcalfe and John St at that point. The new town of St. Thomas truly had a west end and an east end – plus a very empty center. The gap between the two would be filled in the next 20 years. As we began our journey through time we stand within the gates of the cemetery lovingly constructed under the care of William E. Smith, superintendent of the cemetery in 1925. William designed the pillars and the staff mixed the cement and poured them where they still stand today. Interesting Landmarks The Oddfellows Monument Location: Source: Example The “White Bronze” Monuments Location: Source: Seven Oaks Location: Source: Warren LeMay, PSGM The seven oaks planted on the Masonic Plot in a circle. The circle is a geometric object which symbolizes perfection and has been used to represent the Lodge (where Masons meet), and esoterically signifies the limits to which a Mason can go without compromising his integrity, honor and commitments to the Supreme being family and society. The seven trees represent the seven liberal arts and sciences that Freemasonry hold in the highest regard – grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. 98 St. Thomas Mausoleum Location: Source: Example West Ave Columbarium Location: Source: Example Stories Section A Edward G. O’Donnell Location: Section A Plot 22 and 24 b. c.1819 d. April 2 1906 Source: St Thomas Times-Journal (22 April 1906 P1 C3). Edward Gibson O’Donnell was born in Trillick, Tyrone, Ireland in 1819. He came to Canada in 1855 with his family; they settled in Toronto. Following the death of his father in 1858, he went to stay with his mother’s family in Cardwell until he was fifteen years old. Then he went to Peel County, where he learned the blacksmithing trade. In 1862, Edward served his country in the Fenian Raids. He was a private in the 36th Peel Battalion. He worked many jobs in many places. He was employed in the Patterson Brothers' agricultural works in Richmond Hill, in Hall's agricultural works in Rochester, N.Y., and in Beaumont & Sons’ tool works, Philadelphia. He then returned to Canada where he worked in the St. Lawrence Foundry in Toronto, Haggart Bros.' agricultural works in Brampton, and was foreman for two years in Thompson & Williams' engine and mill works in Mitchell, ON. Finally, in 1872, Edward found his calling in St. Thomas. He was employed as a blacksmith at the C.S.R. shops. By 1879, he was appointed foreman of the blacksmith shop, and in 1884 he was appointed foreman of the boiler shop. Edward was one of the founding members of the Mechanics' Institute. He took an active role in organizing the free library for the city and was part of the Board of License Commissioners for West Elgin in 1892 and 1893. 98 Dr. John T. Pullen Location: Section A Plot 24 b. September 13 1882 d. September 3 1916 Source: St Thomas Times-Journal (5 September 1916 P1 C2). John Tyson “Ty” Pullen was born in St. Thomas to J.T. Pullen, a local grocer. He went to school in St. Thomas and later studied dentistry in Philadelphia. He practiced dentistry for some time before failing health caused him to return to St. Thomas. Here he became associated with the automobile business, working as local representative for Overland automobiles. In this endeavor he was quite successful. Ty was a popular young man who served as president of the Talbot Club. He died in his early thirties of pneumonia, though he had been in poor health for some time before that. His mother and six siblings were left to mourn him. A large red granite monument with an angel on top marks his family plot. Frederick W. Wright Location: Section A Plots 37 and 39 b. c.1858 d. March 1924 Source: St Thomas Times-Journal (20 March 1924 P1 C2). Frederick William Wright was born in Southwold to Thomas B. and Grace M.