GRAVE MATTERS

Marmora & Lake Cemeteries

BELMONT TOWNSHIP

preneveau pioneer cemetery Highway #7 and County Road 50

Thanks to Trevor Howard, we now have a list of some of those souls in the MacConnell Family Cemetery at Lot 9, Concession 12, Rawdon Township. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE DETAILS OF THE MacCONNELL CEMETERY


HISTORICAL GRAVESTONES FOUND IN MARMORA CEMETERY

While mapping and transcribing the upright monu- ments and flat markers at the Marmora Protestant Cemetery in August 1997, volunteer workers noticed that two stood out historically from the others.

Cathie jones leads a cemetery tour - Aug. 15, 2006 Photo by Emily Winowich

One of these monuments belonged to Mary Crawford, daughter of Hugh Crawford and Eliza Hughes. Mary was the wife of John McGee who died on January 30, 1848 at the age of 22 years, four months and 17 days. This monument was recognized as being the earliest recorded monument still standing at the Protestant cemetery. Plot #J-8-21     

 

The oldest headstone in Sacred Heart Cemetery is that of Ellen O'Neill, who died in 1876.

Ellen O'Neill,  daughter of John Wolfe and Mary Young.  She was born in Ireland in 1820,  and married Robert O'Neill. 

The earliest military marker is said to be that of Hector Boudreau1873-1951.

 

This stone sits in the Marmora Common Cemetery but refers to the deceaseds being buried at Lot 18, Conc. 4. There is no marker there.

St. Matilda's pioneer cemetery lot 7, conc. 4

St. Matilda's pioneer cemetery lot 7, conc. 4

Sylvannus MacConnell (1818-1903), Hannah Bartley his wife (1824-1909)and Amanda Beatrice Haggarty his daughter. (1857-1905) Amanda Beatrice married william James Haggerty and had a daughter, Gertrude Alberta Haggerty born Oct. 29, 1888 and a son, Frederok Haggerty born March 7, 1895

Sylvanus MacConnell (McConnell) lived at the west half of Lot 10, Concession 10, Rawdon Township, just east of Springbrook.

 The head stone on the left belonged to Royal Keyes who died on July 28, 1871 at the age of 107 years, one month and 26 days. He was born in the County of Fermanagh, Ireland in 1764.  He is said to have carried a whole bale of hay up the hill on his 90th birthday.  With financial support from the Marmora Historical Foundation, the Keyes monument has been repaired, cleaned and positioned upright in its original site near the cedar tree on top of the hill in the cemetery grounds. The Historical Foundation would like to thank Manley Lavender who faithfully cleaned and cared for the monument several years before it was restored..

Edgar Spry killed by train 1894

Photo by Emily Winowich

Shannon Family Plot- N1/2 Lot 15, Conc. 3, Marmora Twp.

In Memory of Frances Hughes  Wife of Hugh Shannon                Died October 13, 1889 Aged 67 Years   May her soul rest in peace AMEN

Also buried here with no tombstones are 2  babies, Sons of Hugh Shannon Jr. and Josephine Taillon
 
Hugh Alexander Shannon
Born: April 5th, 1885
Died: December 11th, 1885
 
Lawrence Hubert Shannon
Born: July 22nd, 1887
Died: August 8th, 1888

Catherine Nickle Howe

Catherine,  Wife of James Howe Died  May 25, 1873 Aged 64 Yrs Thus she lived and thus she died Catherine Howe the best of wives                                           It is believed that  James Howe and an unknown person are also buried here.The tombstone sits on what was once the James Howe homestead .

 

        LOUIS ALBERT

              Son Of

        Adam & Hannah

             AIRHART

      Died Jan. 21, 1878

              AGED

      16 YRS  6 M's  17 D's

Stoop down my  thoughts

That used to rise and converse

Awhile with death

Think how a gasping mortal lies

And pants away his breath                        J.J. Nicholson Belleville

Obituary of Oliver Airhart,  son of Pioneer Adam Airhart

     Howe Family Plot Lot 25, Conc. 4

Airhart Family Plot                                    Lot 5, Concession 5, Lake Township

 Bonnie Cole wrote:                                                                                In 1983, my husband asked me what I wanted for my 40th birthday and I replied that I wanted to find the Airhart property and copy a tombstone that I had heard about back there, but needed his help getting in there. It was rough going and very muddy and we had to walk the last 5 miles in.

 I was told by some folks in Marmora, that there were several tombstones on this Airhart property but when I went to investigate, found only the one. (see left) It is sitting (hidden) inside a huge lilac bush about 200 ft. on your right (east). This road is going off the main road to the right.  On the corner is an old abandoned schoolhouse now used as a hunting camp and has been for over 40 years now.  When you come to the schoolhouse, you turn right and follow this road for about 500 yards before you can see the lilac bush.  As far as I could see this road has no name but is an extension of the Twin Sisters Lake Road, which is about 15 miles north of Marmora. County Road No. 3 (better known as the road to Cordova) will take you to the North Marmora Road and then on to Twin Sisters Lake Road.

 Adam Airhart (1816 – 1903) was married to Hannah Rosebush (1821 – 1898) and are the parents of the above Louis Albert who was probably one of their youngest children.

 In 1877, Adam at the age of 61, is listed as owning the following lots in Lake Township.

 Lot 5, Concession 5, totalling 200 acres with only 30 acres cleared for farming.  The value of this parcel of land was then $200.    Lot 2, Concession 2, 200 acres valued at $150.  Lot 6, Concession 5, 200 acres with 30 acres cleared at a value of $600.  A total value of $950 for all 3 parcels.

 There were 5 people in his family at that time and since Louis Albert was still alive, they must have had 3 children still living at home. His religion is listed as Baptist.  As a farmer, he owned 18 cows, 20 sheep, 7 hogs and 3 horses. He was well-off financially by the standards of 1877.

 That area of Lake Township is now deserted of any families. I have walked through there and it is still lovely open land, after almost 100 years of no one caring for it.  It is mostly all dense bush until you make a right turn at the schoolhouse and come upon this lovely open area. There is very little left of Adam's house, but quite a pile of dressed lumber where his barn once stood.

Not forgetting the shock of seeing nicely dressed wood in the middle of the now wilderness, I mentioned that to someone later, and was told that Adam had a lumber mill back there.                              Bonnie Cole, April 1983