Tag: Canadian Cemeteries

Cemetery Road Trip: The Muskokas

Posted on Posted in Road TripTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

It’s graving season again in Northern Ontario!

Two weeks ago, I went on my first cemetery road trip of 2024. I was inspired by a book I read at the end of March, called Muskoka’s Most Haunted 2 by Andrew Hind. I have read a few of Hind’s books that have inspired some cemetery road trips, but this one was a bit serendipitous. I was already planning a trip to the Muskokas this summer and had a few cemeteries mapped out, one of which just so happened to be featured in the book. I took that, and the warmer weather, as a sign it was time to get back in the field. 

  • Torrance Union Cemetery also known as Whitting Family and Church Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

The Muskoka District is located north of Lake Simcoe and extends from the southeast shore of Georgian Bay to Algonquin Provincial Park.1 Sometimes referred to as cottage country, the Muskoka area is well known for its beautiful landscapes and rugged shorelines.

The Muskokas are also home to many charming small towns. They dot the landscape among picturesque parks. It is so well known, that many celebrities spend their summer vacations here. In 2023, Shaquille O’Neal, Mark Wahlberg, and Victoria & David Beckham were all spotted in the Muskokas enjoying everything the summer has to offer.2

Small towns are usually accompanied by cemeteries. For this trip, I planned a route that would take us up and around Lake Muskoka. There are many cemeteries in the area, so I was uncertain how many we would actually be able to visit. 

We left bright and early on the morning of Easter Monday, stopping for our obligatory road trip coffee before officially getting on the road. We planned to visit as many cemeteries as we could, while also visiting any attractions that may be open, and of course, stopping for a meal. That second item on the list was a little uncertain as the holiday meant that some places would be closed.

Our first cemetery stop, after enjoying the winding views in Bala, was Torrance Union Cemetery. Since it was so early in the morning, it was a bit chilly out but we still took our time exploring. We spent quite a bit of time at this cemetery, but I don’t want to go into too much detail just yet about our visit. This cemetery has some very interesting stories attached to it that I want to explore a little more in October.

  • Torrance Union Cemetery also known as Whitting Family and Church Cemetery, Torrance ON ©2024

Our next stop was the larger town of Gravenhurst. We made another stop for coffee and then stopped in at the three cemeteries within the city limits. We will have to go back to Gravenhurst sometime in the summer to take in the views of the waterfront and visit some attractions. That’s always the downfall of visits on a statutory holiday—everything is closed.

After a leisurely lunch at Chuck’s Roadhouse in Bracebridge, we decided to change things up a bit. Our next stop was the Woodchester. This beautiful octagonal home is a historic site, that is also an event space. It too was closed when we visited, but many walking trails surround it. Some of the trails have historical plaques that tell the story of the house and its previous owners. We were able to walk the circumference of the house and look at building maps that show what the layout of the inside looked like, when it was lived in. 

  • The Woodchester, Bracebridge ON ©2024

The Bracebridge walking trails meander alongside the Muskoka River and waterfalls. The waterfalls were strong and thundering when we visited. Unfortunately, part of the trail was closed off, most likely due to possible flooding, so we didn’t get to enjoy the full trail. The views were still lovely though and it was a nice way to break up our day. 

After that little pit stop, we visited three more cemeteries. The Annie Williams Memorial Cemetery was the smallest cemetery we visited that day. Only three people rest in that cemetery, which sits in the middle of a park and playground. This tiny gated cemetery sits under some large trees, only a few feet away from an active playground that often hears the boisterous sounds of children playing. It also sits a foot or two away from a popular little library, that was bursting at the seams with books.

  • Annie Williams Memorial Cemetery, Bracebridge ON ©2024

As the day waned, it was time to start making our way back home. But we couldn’t help but stop at one more cemetery. Our last cemetery stop of the day was Port Carling Cemetery. That marked the end of our loop around Lake Muskoka.

This trip was a lot of fun! We ended up visiting a total of eight cemeteries, not bad for a first-time out after the cold of winter. We had beautiful weather that warmed up as the day went on which made our visits comfortable. Which means the weather can only get better from here. I look forward to my next outing and seeing where cemeteries take me. 

Thanks for reading!

References: 

  1. Muskoka | Destination Ontario
  2. This Canadian Town Is A Magnet For A-Listers On Vacation— Here Are 8 Celebs That Were Spotted There This Summer | Buzzfeed

Cemeteries:

  1. Torrance Union Cemetery also known as Whitting Family and Church Cemetery, Torrance
  2. St. James Anglican Cemetery, Gravenhurst
  3. Lakeview Cemetery, Gravenhurst
  4. Mickle Memorial Cemetery, Gravenhurst
  5. Bracebridge United Cemetery, Bracebridge
  6. Annie Williams Memorial Cemetery, Bracebridge
  7. Saint Thomas Cemetery, Bracebridge
  8. Port Carling Cemetery, Port Carling

Puddingstone

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Stone, Road TripTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Have you ever heard of Puddingstone?

I first came across puddingstone while visiting cemeteries on St. Joseph Island. My mother and I visited the island in 2022, with plans to visit every cemetery on the island. We started to notice many gravestones made out of this unique stone. We also found large pieces of it left at gravesites, and in one instance possibly used as a temporary marker. I wanted to learn more about this peculiar stone.

A selection of puddingstone grave markers from St. Joseph Township Cemetery, Mountain Maple Grove Cemetery, and Church of Mary Cemetery, St. Joseph Island ON ©2022

During our visit to the island, we had a private tour of Adcock’s Woodland Gardens. The gardens, that sprawl for acres, are filled with beautiful trails and ponds, and hundreds of varieties of plants and flowers. My mother was in heaven. At the end of the tour, as we were heading back to the car, I noticed a cute little wishing well that looked to be made out of the same spotted stone we found in the cemeteries. I asked our tour guide about it. Grant, the owner of Adcock’s Woodland Gardens, was happy to share that this type of rock, native to the St. Joseph Island area is called Puddingstone. 

Puddingstone is everywhere on the island. When we visited Historic Fort St. Joseph, we were greeted by a large boulder of puddingstone at the entrance of the Visitor Centre. Since puddingstone is native to the area, when my mother and I toured the ruins, we spent some time at the water’s edge to see what we could find. Although we did find a few interesting rocks and pebbles, we didn’t find any puddingstone. There was also a sign at the waterfront asking that nothing be taken from the area. It is an archaeological site after all. 

On our way out, we of course checked out the little gift shop. Alas, no puddingstone for sale. I was a little disappointed because there was a beautiful piece of puddingstone sitting at their front desk. It was a baseball-sized chunk, that was mostly all natural and rough except for a smooth clean cut, showing the inside of the stone. 

We left the island without a sample of the stone, but I never forgot about it. I found it curious that it seemed like such a common material on the island, with countless gravestones made from it. I also found it curious that it was also a common grave good on the island. I wanted a little piece of my own.

  • Possibile temporary grave marker. St Joseph Township Cemetery, Richards Landing ON ©2022

What is Puddingstone? 

Puddingstone is a jasper conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock composed of rounded cobblestone and other pebble-sized fragments. Conglomerates are formed by river and ocean wave movement.1 In Canada, puddingstone is commonly found on St. Joseph Island and in Bruce Mines, Ontario.2 It is unique to this part of Algoma.

The name Puddingstone comes from British settlers who were stationed in the area, they thought the pale sedimentary rock, dotted with red and brown jasper, looked like “boiled suet pudding with berries”.3

The Last Spike Stone Cairn, a cairn marking the location of where the last spike was driven for the Canadian Pacific Railway, includes rocks from across Canada. Can you guess what stone was sent from Ontario?

That’s right, it was a piece of puddingstone from Bruce Mines.4

The search continues

I checked in with my local gem and mineral shops to see if they carried puddingstone. Surprisingly, they didn’t know what it was. My next thought was to look at any upcoming gem and mineral shows or fairs.

I stopped in at the Galaxy Psychic & Crystal Fair. This weekend event happens annually in the Spring and Fall, but this was my first time attending. I thought there might be some gem and crystal vendors who might be able to help me. Again, no one knew what puddingstone was. One vendor was curious as to what puddingstone was used for. With a Google search, we discovered that it’s thought to have many metaphysical properties and benefits, with dream recall being one.5 She suggested that may be why I was searching for it. Maybe? I was more interested in its use in cemeteries. 

I decided it might be time to visit Bruce Mines again. I planned a cemetery road trip for the summer of 2023. The plan was to visit a few cemeteries, check out some antique shops, have a chip truck lunch, and visit the Bruce Mines Museum. I had read a well-timed Back Roads Bill article about some of the oldest graves in Northern Ontario, and there just so happened to be one in Bruce Mines. According to the article, the Bruce Mines Museum has in its collection, a wooden grave marker that is dated October 6th, 1850, and March 20th, 1851, for two victims of the 1849 cholera epidemic.6

Unfortunately, the Museum was closed when we arrived. I did double-check the operating hours before going, but I found out later that the Museum was short-staffed that summer, and didn’t always follow their posted hours. But we did get to see more Puddingstone. There are a few large pieces of puddingstone decorating the museum grounds.

My mother and I were both a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to visit the museum, but it wasn’t the end of our trip. We still had some antique shops to visit. We saw a lot of interesting items in the shops, but no puddingstone for sale. I did make sure to ask. At the last shop we visited, my mother found a couple of interesting books, so while she was cashing out I asked the clerk if they had any puddingstone. At this point, I didn’t expect them to have any, and they didn’t. 

But they knew where I could find some!

I was directed to a small artists workshop, that doubles as a gift shop called S&S Creations. To my surprise, the shop was full of puddingstone! The shop features beautiful stained glass artwork, that uses traditional stained glass, but also very thinly cut puddingstone. There was puddingstone in all shapes and forms—from book ends and coasters to large stone pieces and jewelry.

The shop belongs to artist Stephanie and her husband and stone cutter, Steve. With over ten years of experience, they take on projects of all sizes, from furniture and custom work to more delicate art pieces and home accessories. No one up to this point had any idea what puddingstone was, so I was so happy to talk to Stephanie. She told me that she had encountered the same thing, and found it as strange as I did. I guess Puddingstone is a hidden gem!

She asked me how I learned about puddingstone and I told her about my passion for visiting cemeteries, and how the gravestones had piqued my curiosity. It turns out that Stephanie and her shop were responsible for the creation of a lot of the puddingstone markers I had visited. We had a very good conversation, and I was able to finally get my own piece of Puddingstone.

  • My new piece of puddingstone, photographed in Cloudslee Cemetery, Cloudslee ON ©2023

I always find it interesting where cemeteries take me, and this was a fun example of that. There is always something new to be learned. I wonder where cemeteries will take me next?

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Sedimentary Rocks | Oregon State University
  2. Puddingstone (rock) | Wikipedia
  3. Puddingstones | Drummond Island Tourism Association
  4. Alex knows Puddingstone | Parks Canada
  5. Puddingstone | All Crystal
  6. Back Roads Bill takes us to the oldest graves in Ontario | Sudbury.com

A Collection of Urns

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

If you spend a lot of time in cemeteries you will often start to notice the repetition of certain cemetery symbols and motifs. In Ontario, more so in southern Ontario, urns tend to be a common gravestone symbol.

Although cremation was rarely practiced in North America at the time, the urn became a popular symbol in the Victorian era. Urns as a funerary symbol were adapted from Ancient Greece. Cremation was commonly practiced by the Ancient Greeks, who used ceremonial urns. As a gravestone symbol, the urn represents the body reduced to its most basic elements and the ascension of the spirit to heaven. Today cremation is a common practice, having started its climb to popularity in the 1980s.

I have found and photographed many urns during my cemetery walks, so today I wanted to share some of them with you.

Like many graveyard symbols, the urn can be found depicted in a variety of ways. Each version of the symbol has a slightly different meaning. This is one of the reasons I find cemetery symbolism so interesting. It is a language unto itself. 

  • Lasalle Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2011
  • Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Centre Wellington Township ON ©2022
  • St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, Kitchener ON ©2022
  • Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022
  • Saint Andrew’s Anglican Churchyard, Grimsby ON ©2023

The Victorians were very fond of drapery, and you might come across what looks to be a fabric made of stone draped over an urn. Fabric draped over a gravestone is often thought to symbolize the veil between life and death. The fabric might also represent the shedding of earthly clothes as the deceased moves from this life to the afterlife. 

  • Hillcrest Cemetery, Parry Sound ON ©2023

Have you ever found a unique version of an urn symbol? I would love to read about your finds in the comments. 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  • The History of Cremation in North America | Une Belle Vie Memorial Urns
  • Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider 
  • Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

Cemetery Recipes: Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have been craving peanut butter lately so I thought it would be a perfect time to try another gravestone recipe. This recipe went viral in June of 2023 after Twitter (now X) user SoloFlow786 replied to a Stephen King tweet with a photo of a peanut butter cookie gravestone recipe. The photo quickly went viral, amassing 500k views and over 5,000 likes.1 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to learn much about this recipe, or whose gravestone it is written on. According to Rosie Grant, of Ghostly Archive it might be inscribed on a gravestone somewhere in Raymond, Maine. I did find that after this tweet went viral, many folks tried their hand at making this recipe, with great success. 

Interestingly, some users on Reddit think this recipe is a variation of an old Betty Crocker recipe from the 1950s. From what I could find, the recipes are a bit similar. The gravestone version does omit a few things and has the added touch of the chocolate kiss.

  • Gravestone engraved with peanut butter cookie recipe. Photo credit: Twitter/X user @SoloFlow786

Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:

Peanut Butter Cookies

  • 1/2 C Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 C White Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 C Crunchy Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 C Butter Shortening
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 C Flour
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda

Mix in order given. Roll into balls, then roll in sugar. Cross mash with fork. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Place chocolate kiss on top of cookie while still warm.

This is a pretty straightforward recipe with few ingredients. So it didn’t take long to whip up a batch. The longest part of the process I found, was rolling the cookie dough into even-sized balls. 

The extra tsp of sugar that the recipe calls for, is for rolling the cookie dough into. For my batch, since it was St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, I decided I would try adding a touch of green to be festive. I managed to find some green sanding sugar, but unfortunately, it was more of a pastel green. More for Easter than St. Paddy’s, so after baking the green colour had pretty much disappeared.

I spaced the cookies out evenly on two baking sheets. My batch made 19 cookies. I found my dough was a bit crumbly, so after mashing it with a fork, they didn’t keep a round shape and some crumbled a little bit. They didn’t spread out too much and kept their crumbly shape. They still taste delicious though. 

I found making this recipe was a little different for me. I often find myself talking aloud to the person whose gravestone the recipe comes from, but this time I don’t know who this recipe belongs to. I find talking out loud while I bake or cook helps me connect to the person. I hope one day I can find out where this gravestone recipe comes from. It would be lovely to be able to put a name to the gravestone.

Until then, I will highly recommend this delicious peanut butter recipe to anyone craving a sweet peanut butter treat.

Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

References: 

  1. This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Is Too Bizarre To Digest | Zee News

Cemetery Stories: Greenwood Cemetery

Posted on Posted in Cemetery StoriesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A cemetery is filled with many interesting stories, stories of the souls that are laid to rest within its gates. But often the cemetery itself has an interesting story to tell. 

Today on the blog I want to introduce a new series called Cemetery Stories. For these blog posts, I plan to focus on the story of individual cemeteries. I have visited a lot of cemeteries over the years, and many of them have interesting stories and historical significance. So for this series, I want to look a little deeper into history, geography, notable graves, and all the different elements that make them unique.

For today’s cemetery story, I thought I would look at Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. 

  • Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

History

Greenwood Cemetery was created in 1858 when land surveyor Charles Rankin submitted a plan to the town council for a new public cemetery. At the time the plan was for 5 acres of land, divided into 27 blocks, including space for vaults.1 Today the cemetery is quite large, sitting on approximately 40 acres of land.2 Greenwood is also sometimes called “The People’s Cemetery” because, in those early days, the land was purchased using the people’s money.1 The cemetery contains 26,700+ burials.1

The oldest home in Owen Sound can be found in Greenwood Cemetery. The house is dated from the 1840s1 and is used as the cemetery office.2 There is also a red brick burial chapel on the cemetery grounds. Built-in 1905, it served as both a chapel and a receiving vault. There is a trap door built into the floor that a coffin could be lowered through, into the storage racks below, to rest until the Spring when the remains could be interred. The chapel stopped being used for burials in the 1930s when the mausoleum opened. The chapel was converted and used as an office space for a time, until the early 90s. Today the building looks to be mostly empty.3

Greenwood is also home to a beautiful mausoleum. Construction of the large mausoleum began in 1927. The Art Deco-inspired exterior is covered in Indiana limestone, while the interior is finished with Italian marble. It also features some lovely stained glass windows and has a large central chapel that is used year-round.1

Mausoleum. Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

The cemetery is dotted with a variety of gravestone styles, and there are three memorial garden sections. It also has a section for members of the fraternal organization, The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), that features a large stone cairn with IOOF symbolism.

Greenwood also has a Potter’s Field and memorial. The memorial honors the more than 1,000 women, children, and men who were buried in unmarked graves between 1858 and 1989. A potter’s field, also known as poor grounds, stranger’s plot, or indigent plot, is a section of a cemetery where those who are impoverished are buried.4 1,242 people are thought to be buried in Greenwood’s potter’s field4, all unmarked aside from the memorial and one lonely gravestone that sits close to the tree line at the back of the indigent plot. According to an article in the Northern Terminus: The African Canadian History Journal, many of the unknown graves are Black pioneers. Only a small few have been identified.

Among the unidentified graves lies an infant, who in 1889 was found in Victoria Park, wrapped in white cloth. The transcription in the cemetery records, simply reads “Unknown, child found dead”.4

  • Potter’s Field Memorial. Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

Notable Graves

Greenwood Cemetery is the final resting place of a few notable memorials. William Avery “Billy” Bishop, Canada’s World War I Flying Ace rests here. There are also two other Victoria Cross recipients buried here; LTC David Vivian Currie (World War II) and Thomas Holmes (World War I). 

Speedskater and world-record holder Lela Brooks is also laid to rest here, as well as professional hockey player, Harry “Apple Cheeks” Lumley. Margaret and John Thomson, parents of famous Canadian painter Tom Thomson, are also buried here. 

There are many more notable pioneers and local celebrities buried here, like Charles Rankin, who submitted the cemetery plan and helped bring the cemetery into reality. The best way to pay your respects is with a self-guided walking tour. The cemetery offers three tours that take you to different areas within the large cemetery and highlights all the notable members of the community who are laid to rest at Greenwood. You can pick up the printed tour guides at the cemetery office. The guides include a map, directions, and a little history for each stop on the tour. 

Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

We visited the cemetery twice on our trip to Owen Sound. Because it’s so large we felt we had to. Our first visit was late in the day, so the mausoleum had been locked up for the night. We were losing light quickly, and every turn on the winding paths revealed new sections I wanted to explore further. We visited again the next morning and were able to explore the Mausoleum and walk the sections at our leisure.

Greenwood was full of life during both our visits. In the evening we saw folks paying respects at graves, but also saw families taking advantage of the safe, paved pathways. Two young children were learning to ride their bikes between the rows. 

The next day, we saw many walkers enjoying the scenery, both young and old. We also saw folks walking their dogs and running into others they knew who were doing the same. It was lovely to see a green space in use but also used respectfully.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tour “The People’s Cemetery” | Print brochure
  2. Greenwood Cemetery | Owen Sound
  3. The Chapel, Historical Owen Sound | Plaque on the cemetery grounds
  4. Owen Sound’s Greenwood Cemetery “A Land for the Living” | Terri Jackson
  • The Chapel, Historical Owen Sound | Plaque on the cemetery grounds

Stone Stories: Canada’s First Black Mayor

Posted on Posted in Road Trip, Stone StoriesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Last October, My mother and I took a little road trip to Mattawa. We planned on doing some hiking, visiting cemeteries, and enjoying the fall colors. We always like to visit local museums when we visit new places, and the Mattawa Museum did not disappoint. We had a great time touring the grounds and learned a lot about the history of the city, including that it has the distinction of having Canada’s first elected Black mayor. 

Mattawa, located in northeastern Ontario is a little over two hours drive from me. Mattawa is located where the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers merge, in Nipissing District. The name Mattawa means “Meeting of the Waters” in Ojibwa.1 It is the oldest settlement in the Nipissing District, and today showcases that historic past with beautiful wooden sculptures. Many wooden sculptures of historic figures, important to Mattawa’s history, can be found scattered throughout the town.1

It was an overcast day when we visited Mattawa, but it didn’t deter us from exploring. We admired the two wooden sculptures on the museum grounds and looked for the three white crosses, that stand high on Québec Hill across the Mattawa river. The three crosses were erected in 1686 by missionary priests to mark the place where the two rivers meet.2

(Left) Wooden sculpture outside the Mattawa Museum. (Right) The three crosses. Mattawa ON ©2023

Inside the museum, we found a treasure trove of artifacts; paintings by a well-known Mattawa painter, many indigenous artifacts, and a large exhibit about Canada’s first Black Mayor, Dr. S. F. Monestime. The exhibit features large panels with many photos and a history of what brought Monestime to Mattawa, and how he changed the community for the better. The exhibit also includes some of his personal items, like his signature fedora and a medical skull used in his practice. My Mother and I were both interested in this exhibit the most, and were surprised that we had never heard of him before. We made it a point to pay our respects at the cemetery.

Photo and items from the Dr. Monestime exhibit at the Mattawa Museum. Mattawa ON ©2023

Dr. Saint Firmin Monestime

Saint Firmin Monestime was born in Cape Haitian, Haiti in December of 1909. Monestime grew up during the United States occupation of Haiti, which took place from 1916 to 1935. He graduated with a medical degree from the University of Haiti Medical School, and after graduation was named Medical Officer for the International Route between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.3 He experienced a lot during his medical career in Haiti, living through mass casualty events. He received the Knight of the National Order of Honor and Merit, awarded to those of distinguished excellence. He wrote four books around this time, about rural medicine.3

After becoming frustrated with the politics and what he called “deplorable conditions”, Monestime quietly left Haiti for Quebec. He was part of the first small group of Haitian professionals to come to Quebec in the 1940s. Unfortunately, this meant starting over as he had to train and intern for several years to get his full Canadian medical accreditation.3

Monestime found his way to Mattawa almost by chance. He and another colleague were traveling through Mattawa on their way to Timmins to see about setting up a medical practice. They stopped in for lunch at Chez Francois in Mattawa, and it just so happened that the restaurant owner recognized Dr. Monestime, as he had been operated on by the Doctor in Ottawa. The timing was right. The long-standing doctor in Mattawa had recently passed away and the town needed a new doctor. The restaurant also had a vacant room to rent and office space. Monestime agreed to stay, temporarily, but ended up staying indefinitely.3

  • Dr. Saint Firmin Monestime, Mattawa Museum Exhibit. Mattawa ON ©2023

Monestime found the community to be very welcoming and their generosity encouraged him to stay. His medical practice was booming with a busy office as well as on-call work with the hospital. That’s not to say that he didn’t experience racism in his time there.3 In 1972, he was asked by a reporter if race ever came into play, Monestime replied:

“My practice was booming in no time and from then until now I’ve had no serious problems. You might find a very few—and not the most intelligent—who may say they won’t come to see me because of my race. But very few.”3

Three months after Dr. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, Dr. St. F. Monestime also made history by being elected the first Black mayor in Canada. An active political figure in good standing within the community, regarded for his sense of justice and equality, he was elected mayor nine times.3 Today, the legacy of Dr. Monestime continues and is still felt vibrantly within the community as his family continues to do good works. The most notable of these works is the Algonquin Nursing Home, a project championed by Monestime in his last years.

  • Newspaper clipping, part of the Mattawa Museum exhibit about Dr. Monestime. Mattawa ON ©2023

On October 27, 1977, Dr. Monestime passed away at the age of 67, most likely from pancreatic cancer, which he battled multiple times throughout his life. His Russian Orthodox funeral service took place at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church in Mattawa.3 He is buried in the Petschersky Monestime family plot at Pine Hill Union cemetery.

He is laid to rest beside his son Fedeor, who sadly was accidentally shot and killed a year earlier on February 29, during an altercation outside of Chez Francois.3 Monestimes’ wife, Zena, and her mother are also laid to rest in the family plot, which features a large Eastern Cross. The Eastern Cross or Orthodox Cross has a tilted bar at the base of the cross; a tilted footrest. This is meant to illustrate that the thief crucified on the left side of Christ, thought to be the wise thief, went up to heaven, while the thief crucified on the right side was thought to be unrepentant, and went down to hell.4

Petschersky Monestime family plot

The Petschersky Monestime family plot. Pinehill Union Cemetery, Mattawa ON ©2023

My visit to Mattawa was an eye-opening trip. After exploring the exhibit at the museum, we stopped at the gift shop and spoke with the museum curator after buying a few things. We had a great conversation about the museum contents and how sometimes history is hidden in plain sight. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Monestime, I highly recommend a visit to the Mattawa Museum and also picking up a copy of Where Rivers Meet by Doug Mackey. It’s a well-researched look at the life of Dr. Monestime and also explores life in Haiti as well as Black history in Canada. 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. What About Mattawa? | Town of Mattwa
  2. The Three Crosses | Mattawa Museum
  3. Where rivers Meet: The Story of Dr. S. F. Monestime, Canada’s First Black Mayor by Doug Mackey | Book
  4. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider | Book

A Collection of Cemetery Statues

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

For today’s blog post, I wanted to share a collection of cemetery statues. I find this type of funerary art beautiful, and always enjoy finding detailed sculptures. I do often say that cemeteries are open-air art galleries, and statues are just one example of artistic works that can be found when you visit a cemetery. 

Angel statues are sometimes a very common sight in a cemetery, especially in Catholic cemeteries and graveyards. But, you might also find representations of saints, virtues, and other biblical figures. 

To decipher which saints or figures are being depicted, it’s important to look at the details. Little details like something at the statue’s feet, or what they are holding or doing with their hands can be a big indication of who the statue is representing. 

ANGELS

The most common figures you might find in a cemetery are angels. The winged statues can symbolize many things, most commonly that the deceased is now in heaven. They can also represent a connection between earth and heaven, comfort and mourning. 

An angel statue holding a book, for instance, suggests that this statue is a representation of a celestial scribe, a recording angel. Recording angels are thought to be tasked with recording historic events, actions, and prayers of everyone on earth.

  • Lakeview Cemetery, Midland ON ©2023

You might also come across an angel holding flowers. There are many variations of angels with flowers, ranging from full bouquets to single-stemmed flowers. The flowers are thought to represent how fleeting life is. 

  • St. Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford ON ©2012

Some angel statues are depicted holding a wreath. This symbolizes memory and eternity, an indication that the deceased will not be forgotten. This example below also shows the angel holding their chin as if they are deep in thought, emphasizing the idea of remembrance. 

  • Saint Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cemetery also known as Cimetiere St. Patrick, Perkinsfield ON ©2023

Virtues

The Seven Virtues are traits that some of those of the Christian faith aspire to. According to Tui Snider’s book Understanding Cemetery Symbols, this list of traits was created by Greek philosophers and then adopted by Christian scholars. Sometimes the virtues are labeled on the statue’s pedestal, but most often you must look closely at their design for clues. In this example, we can tell this is Hope, by the large anchor she is dragging behind her. 

Hillcrest Cemetery, Parry Sound ON ©2023

Saints

Based on the details, we can tell that this statue is a representation of Saint Joseph. The carpenter’s square represents his trade, as well as the concept of truth. The lilies represent purity. Saint Joseph is the patron saint of many things, including families, fathers, craftsmen, engineers, and common workers.

  • Espanola Cemetery, Espanola ON ©2021

Jesus

Statues of Jesus can also be a common find in Catholic cemeteries. He is often depicted as a young child or an adult. When depicted as a young child he can sometimes be found in the arms of Saint Joseph. He is also sometimes depicted as a young boy, with both Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary.

  • Sainte-Croix Roman Catholic Cemetery also known as Sainte-Croix Cemetery, Ste-Croix Cemetery, Lafontaine ON ©2023

Jesus is also commonly depicted as an adult, his hands pointing to a flaming heart with thorns, that have rays emanating from it in his chest. This is often called the scared heart, and also sometimes has the addition of being topped with a Latin cross. There is a lot of symbolism here to unpack. The flame represents Jesus’ love for God and humanity, while the thorns represent his passion. The rays emanating from it represent the glory of God. Jesus’s hands point towards his heart, encouraging the viewer to look at it and reflect.

  • Capreol Cemetery, Capreol ON ©2020

One of the more somber depictions of Jesus you might come across is a scene after the crucifixion. A thin and wounded Jesus is cradled in his mother Mary’s arms. He might be still wearing the crown of thorns, or it can sometimes be found lying by his side.

  • Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon SK ©2011

Statuary always seem to stand out to me, when I visit cemeteries. They are beautiful expressions of art and emotion, often made even more moving with the passage of time. Do you have a favorite cemetery statue? I would love to hear about some of your cemetery statue finds in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  • Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider 
  • Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

Stone Stories: Canada’s World War I Flying Ace

Posted on Posted in Stone StoriesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Have you ever flown out of the Billy Bishop airport, in Toronto? Were you curious as to who the airport was named after? I was, but I never got around to looking into it, not until I stumbled upon the grave of William Avery “Billy” Bishop.

In the Summer of 2023, My mother and I stumbled across the Bishop family plot, while visiting Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. We had come to Owen Sound to search for the second grave of Tom Thomson, but the trip ended up being just as much about Bishop.

  • Canadian Military gravestone of William Avery “Billy” Bishop. Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

Billy Bishop

William Avery “Billy” Bishop was born in 1894, in Owen Sound, Ontario. During his stint as a cadet at the Royal Military College in Kingston, World War I broke out. He enrolled in the 9th Mississauga Horse, Canadian Expedition Force and later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.1 He received his pilot’s certificate in 1917, although some considered him a mediocre pilot, he was an expert shot with great shooting skill and extraordinary eyesight.2

Bishop became the first Canadian Airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime. Bishop was awarded the cross for his solo early morning attack on an enemy airfield in June, 1917.1 He single-handedly attacked a German aerodrome, destroying seven airplanes on the ground and shooting an additional four airplanes down, before running out of ammunition.2 Billy Bishop was the British Empire’s second-highest-scoring flying ace, with 72 official victories.1

  • Major William Avery “Billy” Bishop VC, DSO and Bar, MC, RFC 1917

Greenwood Cemetery

When we visited Greenwood Cemetery, we didn’t have any specific graves we wanted to see. I visited the cemetery office when we first arrived, as I had read online that they offered a self-guided walking tour. They were very friendly in the office and gave me a brochure with the walking tour details. There are a couple of different tours to choose from, that take you to different areas in the cemetery. 

Greenwood is quite large, covering approximately 40 acres of land in the southwestern part of the city. It also has a long history, having opened to the public in 1854. It’s a traditional cemetery, with both upright and flat markers, a large mausoleum, memorial gardens, and a potter’s field memorial.3 

We unexpectedly came upon the Bishop family plot after getting out of the car. I had parked in the heart of the cemetery. A small Canadian flag marked the grave, the flag blowing in the wind had caught our eye. There is a large upright stone that lists the family members buried there, with names on both sides of the stone. There are smaller flat markers laid in the earth surrounding it, marking where each family member is laid to rest. There is also a Canadian military marker for Bishop that stands apart from the rest. The upright grey granite marker lists his military designations alongside the emblem for the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Victoria Cross.

Bishop family plot in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound ON ©2023

Bishop passed away at the age of 62, on September 11, 1956, in Palm Beach, Florida. His funeral service was held at the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, the same church that he was married in. 25,000 people lined up outside the church to pay their respects. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried in the family plot, in Greenwood.4 He is laid to rest with his family; including both his parents, his sister Mary, and his brothers Hiram, and Reginald Bishop.

Bishop’s wife Margaret remarried after his death, and is buried with her second husband in Beachwood Cemetery in Ottawa. She passed away in 1981 at the age of 83.5 

The Billy Bishop House

The next morning, we decided at breakfast to visit one more thing before we left Owen Sound. My mother loves history, so I figured she would enjoy touring a historic home, The Billy Bishop House. She loved the suggestion, it seemed only appropriate to stop since we had already paid our respects at his grave. 

The house, built in 1884, is the childhood home of Bishop and has been preserved as a historic site and museum. The first floor has been decorated with period-appropriate antiques and items owned by the Bishops. It looks very similar to what it would have looked like when Bishop was growing up. There is a timeline in the parlor that details all the major milestones in Bishop’s life. I found this floor to be the most interesting. There is a lot of information to take in, but also lots to look at; like Bishop’s uniform, personal items, and a copy of Winged Warfare, a book Bishop wrote in 1918 that details his experiences in the air.2

The second floor looks more modern and houses changing exhibits. When we visited there was an exhibit of interviews with veterans from the war in Afghanistan. In what would have been Bishop’s boyhood room, there is a wooden framed airplane for children to explore, and the room is decorated with film posters and other memorabilia.

The Billy Bishop House & Museum

The Billy Bishop House & Museum

The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. I had a nice chat with them about Bishop, as well as the haunted history of the house. I can’t help but ask when I visit a historic location! They were not phased by my line of questioning at all, and I’m sure it’s something they get asked often. The museum runs a ghost walk in the summer months.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend one of the walks, but I did get to hear some of the stories. The house is reportedly haunted by two spirits, an older woman and a young child. The spirit of the young child is thought to be Hiram Kilbourn Bishop, who died of diphtheria at the age of 4 years old, in 1892.6 People say they have seen a small child wandering the house, wearing what looks like a dress. Young children, regardless of gender, often wore dresses during that time period, which leads the staff to think it is the spirit of young Hiram. 

We didn’t experience anything paranormal on our visit, but we did enjoy exploring the house and learning more about life in that era, Bishop’s personal life, and his legacy.

My mother and I both love history and getting to explore Bishop’s childhood home was a great way to end our Owen Sound adventure. We traveled to Owen Sound to learn more about art, but we ended up also learning more about our Canadian Military history. That’s one of the reasons why I love road trips, you can plan as much as you want but it’s often the spontaneous finds that end up being the most interesting. What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | Government of Canada
  2. William Avery “Billy” Bishop | Find a Grave 
  3. Greenwood Cemetery | Owensound.ca
  4. Billy Bishop, VC by W.D. Mathieson | Goodreads
  5. Margaret Eaton Burden Hughson | Find a Grave
  6. Hiram Kilbourn Bishop (1887 – 1892) | WikiTree

Cemetery Recipes: Spritz Cookies

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

It’s the holiday baking season! A time when many family members are baking delicious sweet treats to share with loved ones. What better time than to try out another gravestone recipe? 

For this month’s recipe, I wanted to try Naomi Miller-Dawson’s Spritz Cookies. I have been saving this recipe to try specifically for this month. I hope to share these cookies with my loved ones this Christmas, at our annual family get-together. 

This cookie recipe can be found on the grave of Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson. Beloved mother, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. She passed away in June of 2009 at the age of 87. Her gravestone, which can be found in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, features an open-book design.

Commonly a book represents the Bible or book of life, but an open book is sometimes used as a device to display the deceased’s details, like names and dates. Miller-Dawson’s son, Richard, told Medium in 2019, “It’s probably from the design that [one would] use if someone was putting a Bible verse onto the headstone, but instead of having the Bible verse, we put the part of the recipe from spritz cookies.”1  

Naomi Miller-Dawson was a first-generation American, her parents and two older sisters having been born in Barbados. Her family immigrated to America before she was born. She lived in Brooklyn, NY and supported her family by working as a postal worker for over 20 years. She was also an excellent baker, so much so that her two children immortalized her cookie recipe on her gravestone.1

  • Spritz Cookies recipe on the grave of Naomi Odessa Miller Dawson. Photo by Find a Grave member Brenda Barr-Gilbert.

Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:

Spritz Cookies⁠

  • 1 cup of butter or margarine⁠
  • 3/4 cup sugar⁠
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla⁠
  • 1 egg⁠
  • 2 1/4 cups of flour⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder⁠
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

You may have noticed that this gravestone recipe only lists the ingredients. I have not baked a lot of cookies in my lifetime, so I did need to do some extra research to figure out the directions of this recipe. I learned that spritz cookies are similar to a sugar cookie but more buttery, and require some extra care when combining the ingredients. 

I found some tips for making spritz cookies online and added the ingredients together in the order they are listed on the gravestone. First, I whipped the butter and sugar together, until it was light and fluffy. I used a hand mixer for this part. I then added the vanilla and egg and used the hand mixer again to incorporate them.2

Another tip I found was not to overwork the dough, so I added the flour slowly and folded it into the butter mixture by hand. I then added the baking powder and salt. Making sure not to overwork the mixture created a light and fluffy dough. This is very important for the next part.2 

This is where the cookie press comes in! Spritz cookies are named from the German word spritzen, which means “to squirt”. The soft fluffy dough is squirted or pushed through a cookie press to make fancy designs.3 I had heard of a cookie press before but had never tried one. I did specifically buy a cookie press this summer for this recipe. I purchased my Wilton Cookie press at a local thrift shop, making sure to clean it thoroughly before using it. Since I had never used one before, and my thrifted press didn’t come with instructions, I turned to YouTube to learn how. I found a quick tutorial video that made it look incredibly easy.

Unfortunately, my press has a crack in it where it connects to the barrel, so the process of pressing my cookies was a little difficult. It was a bit of a struggle, but I was able to make it work. Luckily, because the dough is so light and soft, mistakes could be easily scrapped up and put back in the barrel to try again. 

To make them festive, I decorated them with red cherries. Sanding sugar and sprinkles. I had hoped to also use green cherries, but unfortunately, my local shops don’t carry them anymore. 

This recipe makes a fairly large batch of cookies, but because my press was malfunctioning, I don’t know how accurate of a count I can make. I ended up baking 5 full cookie sheets in the oven, at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes each. You need to keep an eye on your cookies, as you only want to bake them until they are golden brown on the edges. They should still be very light in color when they are done. 

All in all, these were a very fun recipe to make, and the cookies turned out delicious. They are similar in taste to a sugar cookie but much more buttery. These would be great to make as an activity with friends or young children because they are so fun to decorate, the possibilities are endless. These spritz cookies also make a great big batch, which is perfect for sharing with friends and family while also enjoying a few, or several yourself.

Will you be trying out this recipe? Or do you have another gravestone recipe that you are dying to try? I would love to read about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Refernces:

  1. Memorializing a Mother Who Fueled Lives With Spritz Cookies | Medium
  2. Tips To Make the Best Spritz Cookies | Go Bold with Butter
  3. Classic Spritz Cookies | Gold Medal Flour

It’s Winter in the Cemetery

Posted on Posted in GeneralTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Winter is here in Northern Ontario! 

We’ve had a few snowfalls since November, and the temperature has been steadily dropping. I have never been a Winter person really, although I have tried many times to find a winter activity that might make me enjoy it more. Figure skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing—not for me!

I tried again today to see if maybe winter cemetery visits might be something I would enjoy. It doesn’t hurt to try right? I was quickly reminded why I don’t like graving in winter, as soon as I exited my vehicle. 

  • Civic Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2023

I hate the cold!

It isn’t even that cold today, but still makes me question why I live somewhere where the air hurts my face. It’s -3°C in Sudbury today, but feels like -8°C with the wind chill. That’s 26.6°F which feels like 17.6°F for my American friends.

Aside from being uncomfortable, the cold isn’t good for my equipment either. The cold can drain the battery life of my DSLR, which would shorten my cemetery trip unexpectedly. I would rather not play that game of roulette. 

Wandering cemeteries in the winter isn’t that safe either, for me or the stones. The snow isn’t that deep yet, but soon it will be a couple of feet deep, which can completely obscure some gravestones. I wouldn’t want to accidentally step on and damage a tombstone. They also become tripping hazards as well. I wouldn’t want to hurt myself tripping over a stone, while also damaging it in the process. Too risky, if you ask me.

I’m sure for some, visiting cemeteries in the winter, is a great past time. If you have the proper outerwear, can tolerate the cold, and come prepared with backup batteries an outing in a snow-covered cemetery sounds delightful.

For me, I see this time of year as a great opportunity to curl up with a good book and a hot beverage or research by the light of my iMac. Reading, scouring the internet, and sifting through my photo archive to work on future blog posts and cemetery trips seems like a much more comfortable use of my time.  

When I visited Civic Cemetery today, I did notice a few beautiful and interesting scenes. Many of the graves were decorated with Christmas ornaments, wreaths, and lights. I also found a small Christmas tree, that looked like it had been recently put up, judging by the tracks in the snow. I also saw some rabbit and possibly dog tracks dotting the fresh snow as well. 

Civic Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2023

Despite the cold weather, the cemetery was a fairly active place today, with a handful of visitors in the mausoleum, a burial taking place, and a couple of folks just out and about for a walk, dressed warmly in their mitts, toques and snow pants of course.

Cemeteries in the winter sure are pretty though. The starkness created by the grey weather, bare trees, and white snow does create a mood. That being said, cemeteries in Autumn are still my favorite.

So until the snow melts, I’ll stick to online research, book reading, and updating my online portfolio. I do have some upcoming Stone Stories to share with you as well!

Stay warm out there, and thanks for reading!