Can you believe we’re already 3 weeks into November? Field season seemed to just fly by this year! We had our first snowfall last week, which solidified the end of the season for me.
That being said, it’s time to turn my attention to my photo archive and research. That includes some heavy reading and crawling through the Find a Grave website. I am currently working on my next cemetery book review, but it’s not quite ready yet. So to tide you over this week, I wanted to share a collection of interesting epitaphs.
An epitaph is an inscription found on a gravestone that accompanies the name, birth, and death dates. These short verses and poems are inscribed to the memory of the deceased. The word epitaph comes from the Greek word “epitaphion” which means funeral oration. “Epi” meaning upon and “taphos” meaning tomb.1
Epitaphs became more popular in the 19th century, as a way to honor and memorialize the dead, but also share a little about the deceased’s life and personality.1 The most common epitaph you will find in a cemetery is the phrase “Rest in Peace”, or the Latin “Requiescat in Pace”. But you might also come across bible verses, poetry, or short sentiments proclaiming everlasting love for the deceased. You might also find a variation of a momento mori poem, a reminder that death is inevitable:
“Remember me as you pass by, / As you are now, so once was I, / As I am now, so you will be, / Prepare for death and follow me.”
So for today’s collection, I wanted to share some of the more interesting epitaphs I have come across on my cemetery travels.
Have you come across some interesting epitaphs on your cemetery walks? Do you have a favorite? Or maybe you have something you would like written on your own gravestone? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.
While doing some groceries the other day, I was surprised to find fresh guavas at my local Walmart. The guavas immediately made me think of the Guava Cobbler recipe I had seen online not long ago. I have never seen guavas before in the produce section, so I thought what better time to try out another gravestone recipe!
This gravestone recipe is found on the grave of Julia Belle Kelley Pate, who passed away at the age of 87 on May 16, 2011. Julia is laid to rest in Frierson-Hendry Cemetery in Fort Myers Florida. According to her gravestone, Julia made the best guava pie and cobbler in the South!
Guava Cobbler recipe on the backside of the gravestone of Julia Belle Kelley Pate. Photo by Find a Grave member, Helen Farrell.
Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:
Guava Cobbler
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Self Rising Flour
Half Stick Butter
2 Cups Cooked Guava
Mix first 3 ingredients together. Melt butter in baking dish. Pour mix in pan, spoon guavas evenly on top. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes till done.
I have never bought or baked with fresh guava before, so this recipe would be a lot of fun! My first thought was how to prepare the guava. The recipe is fairly simple and calls for 2 cups of cooked guava. I had to do a little Google search to see how to eat and prepare guava. Guava is completely edible; skin, flesh, seeds, and all. They are a great source of fiber. So to cook my fresh guava, I gave the fruit a good wash and trimmed the stems away. After that, I sliced the guavas into rounds and put them into a pot with a bit of butter to cook.
While those were simmering I worked on mixing the dry ingredients. The recipe calls for self-rising flour. I couldn’t find any at the grocery store, but I discovered later that bread flour would have worked as well. My solution though was to create my own self-rising flour. I had all-purpose flour on hand, so I mixed in 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into my 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
After mixing my dry ingredients I continued following the recipe and popped my cobbler in the oven. After 30 minutes I used the toothpick method to see if it was ready. It still needed a bit more time so I put it in for another 10 minutes. The 40 minutes was perfect, and it came out looking golden brown and beautiful.
I carved myself a piece right away. In creating these tombstone treats I have found a love of cobblers. This is the second one I have made, the first being O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler. They are so delicious and easy to make. This guava cobbler was no different. This cobbler was not as sweet as the peach cobbler, the guavas do have a sweetness but are also a bit tart. I didn’t have ice cream to pair with my cobbler this time, but I didn’t miss it. The only thing I would do differently next time is remove the seeds. Since the seeds are edible, I decided to leave them in, but I didn’t care for the texture that the seeds created. Next time I would scoop out the seeds.
This recipe is so good and so easy to make! Now I am wondering about Julia’s guava pie recipe. I would have loved to try it!
Have you made this recipe before, or maybe another gravestone recipe? Do you have a gravestone recipe that you would recommend? I would love to hear about it in the comments!
That’s right, it’s the last weekend in October before Halloween. Time to get in those last autumn days enjoying some seasonal activities, and getting ready for the ghouls and boils to come knocking on your door for treats.
I have a pretty full weekend planned of pumpkin carving, horror movies, and of course one last visit to a cemetery.
This Sunday is the fourth annual Halloween Cemetery Scavenger Hunt, organized by Talk Death. If you are not familiar with Talk Death, they are a death-positive collective, whose mission is to encourage positive and constructive conversations around death and dying.
This annual cemetery scavenger hunt is designed to bring together communities, families, cemetery lovers, and history enthusiasts. It’s a fun way to get outdoors and learn about your local history and art and architecture of different eras.
Want to join the fun?
It’s easy to play along! On Sunday, October 29th, at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT visit your favorite local cemetery and tune in to Talk Deaths Instagram page.
Then follow the clues provided to search for gravestones that match the clues, like symbolism, names, and dates. Take a selfie with the stones and submit your finds using the link in their bio. The first 3 people to fill out the form completely, win!
Although this is meant to be a fun event, please be mindful when visiting any cemetery. Be respectful, and do not disturb the gravestones or grave goods.
That being said, I had a great time participating last year, and l look forward to playing again this year. Last year I visited Park Lawn Cemetery with my Mom. We were the only ones in the cemetery that day, but we still had a lot of fun!
This year, my cemetery of choice is Lasalle Cemetery. It’s a fairly large cemetery and has some older stones. Feel free to join me, if you are in the area!
Regardless of what you get up to this weekend, I hope you have a great one and take some time for a little Halloween fun.
Have you ever heard the term cemetery tourism before? Visiting cemeteries may not be at the top of your list when on vacation, but it should be!
In recent years cemetery tourism has become more and more popular. But, I would argue that it has always been. In today’s blog post, I wanted to talk a little bit about cemetery tourism and share a few upcoming cemetery tours happening in Ontario.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the only open places around were cemeteries. They afforded people an outdoor space to take walks and get fresh air, revealing their importance alongside parks and other green spaces. This also gave people a chance to appreciate cemeteries as more than just places of sorrow and remembrance, but also places of art, history, and culture.
Since then, visiting cemeteries and graveyards has become an increasingly popular trend, not only among taphophiles and genealogists but also among general tourists. Wandering around cemeteries in new places is a great way to learn about the history and heritage of an area, and to also see examples of local art and architecture.
But cemetery tourism really isn’t anything new!
For decades people have been traveling the world specifically to visit tombs and mausoleums. The pyramids of Giza see over 14 million visitors each year, making them one of the most popular tombs in the world.1Granted, the Pyramids are one of the seven wonders of the world, they are also tombs that were built over 4500 years ago by the ancient Egyptians to honor their dead.2
Another popular example is the Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum that was built in memory of an emperor’s wife.3 It sees approximately 7 to 8 million visitors per year.4Visitors flock to this site, not only to experience the exquisite architecture but to also experience the reverence this tomb represents.
Closer to home, I find it’s common to see cemetery stops marked along motorcycle and cycling routes. Not only are cemeteries and graveyards perfect places to stop and stretch your legs on a long bike trip, but they also make interesting points of interest where you can learn more about the history of an area.
Another way cemetery tourism is becoming more prevalent is the creation of cemetery tours. I see more tours offered every year in local or nearby city cemeteries. Not only are they great ways for cemeteries to fundraise, and bring more people into the cemetery. It’s a perfect way to highlight the cemetery’s history, showcase important people, and make history come alive.
Generally, cemetery tours can be done at any time of year. You can often find them happening in the summer months. But, I find October is the best time of year for a cemetery walk. The atmosphere is perfect, with the crisp air and crunchy leaves. It’s a beautiful backdrop to explore history and learn about the past. October cemetery tours can be a fun activity to do if you are looking for something different to do for Halloween. Often, some of the history shared is on the darker side, creating an eerie atmosphere as you stroll among the graves.
Want to add a cemetery walk to your list of activities this month? Here is a small round-up of cemetery tours that are happening in Ontario. I would suggest booking your tickets fast as October is almost over!
Saturday, October 28 at 11 a.m. This is a free event. Roughly 2 hours in duration.
A lively, informative tour of selected grave sites in historic Hamilton Cemetery. Each tour will introduce you to some of Hamilton’s more interesting personalities and its rich history.
Monday, October 23 to Monday, October 30. Tours run at 8 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. every night. There is an extra tour time of 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 28. Tours are roughly 75 minutes in duration.
A one-of-a-kind evening filled with storytelling and chills. Experience the darker history of the cemetery’s early days and the ghost stories connected to some who rest there—including strange reports from staff that continue to this day.
Saturday, October 28 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, October 29 at 1 p.m. Both tours are identical and will be roughly 2 hours in duration. This is a free event.
Park Lawn Cemetery is considered an oasis in the West End of Toronto; complete with lush greenery and winding walking paths. Its grounds also contain the earthly remains of some notable—and less notable—Toronto residents whose stories helped shape the city and the country.
If the above dates don’t work for you, or you would rather wander the cemetery at your own pace, some cemeteries offer self-guided cemetery tours. These types of tours can be done at any time of year. You can sometimes find handouts for self-guided tours at the cemeteries office, that include maps, directions, and information about the more notable or interesting things found in the cemetery. There are also sometimes resources online at the cemetery’s website that can be downloaded onto your phone for a mobile-guided experience.
Have you been on a cemetery tour before? Will you include one on your bucket list the next time you are on vacation? I would love to hear about your bucket list destinations or any cemetery tours you would recommend.
In honor of the Spooky season, I wanted to do a sort of spooky show-and-tell. For today’s blog post, I want to talk about some of the creepier grave goods I have come across while exploring and photographing cemeteries.
Grave goods is a term used for items left behind at a grave. I have always found it fascinating what people leave behind. There are a variety of reasons someone might leave grave goods; to pay their respects, to honor their loved one, this list goes on.
The most common grave goods I see in my cemetery travels are flowers, but I have also found coins, toys, figurines, and pieces of clothing such as hats or gloves. I have even found alcohol and cigarettes left on gravestones.
But there have been a couple of times where I have found some pretty creepy things. I would say maybe even sinister grave goods.
A Horse Skull
One of the first creepy grave goods I ever came across was a skull hanging from a tree. I believe this is a horse skull, although I don’t know for certain. A horse skull would make sense for the area where it was found, in Verner Public Cemetery. Verner is a rural area, dotted with farmland.
How the skull ended up in the tree is another question entirely. I remember it was hanging on a tree at the edge of the tree line. Was it found in the forested area? Was it brought from an adjoining farm?
I never expected to come across a creepy doll, the day I entered Blezard Valley Cemetery. It was in late May, that I discovered this one.
A creepy plastic doll, the kind where the eyes close when you tilt it backward. Except this one has a push pin pushed into its plastic eyeball. It was also painted black. I found it leaning up against the backside of a granite gravestone.
How it ended up there, I can’t even speculate. Was it bored teenagers? Or was it left behind with more sinister intentions? I took many photos but left the doll where I found it.
I think this is one of my favorite spooky finds! Technically my mom found it. We had gone off on our own, in separate directions, meandering among the gravestones. She called me over when she spotted this unique grave good.
Laying above a small flat stone marker was this hand-made ouija board. It was painted by hand onto a small canvas. I wasn’t able to locate what had been used as a planchette. My guess is they used a glass or cup of some sort, and made sure to return it to where it came from.
From the looks of it, this hand-made board had been sitting outside for some time. Being an avid Ouija board collector myself, I enjoyed finding this one. But of course, I left it where it was found.
I have written in the past about the cemetery etiquette I follow when visiting cemeteries. I do sometimes clear away debris to get a clearer picture or stand-up fallen grave goods that have been knocked over. But, I would never remove anything from a gravestone, or cemetery for that matter.
Did you enjoy my round-up of the top three spookiest grave goods I have found in a cemetery? It’s one of my favorite things about cemeteries, you never know what you might find!
Have you ever found anything strange left behind in a cemetery? I would love to read about it in the comments.
In early July, my friends and I went on a cemetery road trip, up through Hailybury and New Liskeard to Kirkland Lake. We made quite a few stops along the way, not only at cemeteries. We stopped at a couple of roadside attractions to stretch our legs and take in the sights.
We did have a few points of interest that we were determined to visit that day. One was the grave of Charles Bélanger, son of famous Canadian sculptor Rose-Aimée Bélanger. You may remember that story, as I wrote about our visit in a blog post called Stone Stories: Art in a Cemetery.
The other point of interest, high on our list to see was a gravestone with an epitaph about U.F.O.s.
One of my favorite things about visiting cemeteries is finding unique gravestones. I love gravestones that stand out, that showcase a sense of humor, or something specific about their life story. I love stones that give you a glimpse of who the person was. Sometimes these peculiar gravestones also present a mystery!
This is the gravestone of Glenn Bradley, who passed away on December 27, 2007. A day before what would have been his 89th birthday. From far away, his gravestone doesn’t seem to stand out. It’s a classic style headstone, in grey granite. But upon closer inspection, the epitaph jumps out at you.
It reads: “Bradley / Glenn E. Bradley / Dec. 28, 1918 — Dec. 27, 2007 / Loving Father of / Linda Sue and Terri Lynn / Beloved Grandfather of / Michelle, Curtis, Anthony, Pamela / U.F.O. Are Real Spacecraft.”
The epitaph continues on the backside of the stone: “Spinning Objects Vanquish Gravity / Spinning Objects Levitate / Spin to Exceed the Earths / Relative Feet Per Second / Honorable 60th C.B. Service / 1942 U.S. Navy 1945”
What does it mean?
I am not the only one fascinated with this gravestone. Bill Steer, also known as Back Roads Bill, wrote an interesting article about this peculiar stone. In it, he shares an interesting tidbit found in Bradley’s obituary. It reads: “He will be remembered for his scientific work such as antigravity and his belief in UFOs.”1
Bradley’s gravestone tells us that he was a veteran of World War II with the U.S. Navy, having served from 1942 to 1945. Is that where he worked on antigravity? Had he seen a U.F.O.?
Recently, NASA revealed a report on UFO sightings, confirming that they are actively monitoring and collecting evidence. In the report, they state that unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) are not definitively connected to alien life, but what they are remains uncertain.2You can read the 33-page report here.
It was on a particularly hot day, that we chose to visit the cemetery. It was the final cemetery on our list, having stopped at many cemeteries along the way. This meant that we were fairly tired when we arrived at the Kirkland Lake Cemetery, also known as Swastika Cemetery.
Kirkland Lake Cemetery is actually located in Swastika, Ontario, a former mining and railroad town. It sits within the Kirkland Lake municipal boundaries.3Swastika was originally a railway station along the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in the early 1900s. The town grew into a small mining community in 1907. It became known for its abundance of gold, which led the company, and officially the town itself, to name themselves after the Sanskrit symbol for “good luck” in 1908.4
I don’t think we were prepared for how large this cemetery is! I was a little disheartened when we arrived, thinking we may not be able to find the fabled UFO stone. Find a Grave lists 7,871 memorials for this cemetery, and it’s marked as only 83% photographed. It’s quite large!
After a brief distraction of falling into my regular photographer’s routine of stopping at gravestones that caught my eye, I remembered our objective. I regrouped with my companions and checked out Google one more time to point us in the right direction. In the end, we used some online photos to help us triangulate the stone’s location by matching up unique stones and markers in the background of the photos.
As mentioned previously, the stone from a distance is fairly nondescript. At the top of the gravestone, there is a coin embedded into it, with the dates 1937 — 1970. The coin reads: “E.W. Bliss Company / Bliss since 1857 / From Ingot to Finished Product”. According to the Military Wiki page, E.W. Bliss was an American company based in Brooklyn, New York. Among other things, they produced a line of special sheet metal work presses, power stamping machines, car parts, torpedoes, shrapnel, and armor-piercing projectiles.5
We spent time circling Bradley’s gravestone, pondering his curious epitaph. Without more background information, and as a layperson it did make me scratch my head in curiosity.
Maybe one day, answers will come forth as to what Bradley was talking about with his cryptically scientific epitaph. For now, it makes for a curious extraterrestrial mystery!
Have you ever seen a U.F.O. mentioned on a gravestone before? What do you think? Do you want to believe?
I am still on the hunt for Canadian gravestone recipes. The majority of the ones I have learned about are in the United States. Hopefully one day, I will have a Canadian recipe to share with you. Until then I will keep trying out the gravestone recipes I learn about online.
For this month’s gravestone recipe, I wanted to try out Dr. Death’s Ranch!
This is the first savory gravestone recipe I have tried, and it looks like it will be an easy one to make. I first learned about this recipe through Rosie Grant, who you may know as Ghostly Archive on TikTok. This gravestone belongs to Marty Lee Woolf, who passed away suddenly on August 21, 2022.1
According to Woolfs’ obituary, he was a hard-working family man with a good sense of humor. He leaves behind a wife and three children.2I would like to think this recipe was one of his favourites. So much so, that his family chose to inscribe it on his gravestone for others to remember him by. I wasn’t able to find much information about this ranch dressing recipe, so I am very curious; who is Dr. Death? Was this Woolf’s signature dip recipe? Was this his go-to recipe for family gatherings or get-togethers?
What I could find about this stone, is that this gravestone was most likely made in Washington state. The only photo I have been able to find of this gravestone looks to have been taken before the stone was installed at the cemetery, possibly after it had been engraved.
I have recently been able to confirm that Woolf is laid to rest in Saltese Cemetery, in Greenacres Washington. Thank you to a fellow taphophile and reader for sending me a note about this graves location!
Woolf’s Find A Grave memorial also lists a photo of the front of his gravestone. His epitaph reads “The Legend. The Laugh.”
Backside of the gravestone of Marty Lee Woolf. Photo by Rosie Grant (Ghostly Archive on TikTok)
Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:
Dr. Death’s Ranch
1 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. Buttermilk
1 Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/8 Tsp. Paprika
1/8 Tsp. Garlic Powder
This has to be the easiest gravestone recipe I have made so far. There are only 6 ingredients and there is no baking or cooking involved. My kind of recipe! The hardest part for me was gathering the ingredients. Being in Canada, we sometimes don’t have the same name brands of foodstuffs. I wasn’t able to find any Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix, so I substituted in some Club House Ranch Style Dressing and Dip Mix. I tried to compare the mix ingredients to see if the mix I had found was close, but I wasn’t able to tell since both mixes don’t go into detail on what spices are actually in them. Hopefully, the flavors aren’t too off!
After easily mixing everything by hand with a whisk, until smooth, I let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few minutes to let the flavors combine. While the dressing was resting, I sliced up some cucumbers and red bell pepper to make a little veggie platter. I also threw some cherry tomatoes and baby carrots on there for some variety.
When the veggie platter was ready, it was time to try Dr. Death’s Ranch.
This is a super tasty recipe! I wasn’t sure about the buttermilk as I don’t think I have ever had it before like that, but the bright flavor combination is a winner. I also love how quick & easy it is. I was surprised at the amount of dip this recipe makes too. The addition of the buttermilk helps smooth out the texture and thins it out a little, making it a decent-sized batch.
This would be the perfect thing to bring to a Summer get-together with friends and family, or maybe to some game day festivities. The next time I go to a potluck, I know I will be reaching for this recipe again for super easy veggies and dip platter.
Have you heard about this gravestone recipe before? Are you going to give it a try? Tell me about it in the comments!
I had the idea for this collection when I was wandering through Maple Ridge Cemetery in Thessalon. I found some very interesting wood markers there, and it reminded me of some other interesting wood markers I have found in the past. So, for today’s blog post, I wanted to share a collection of wooden grave markers.
In North America, there was a time when wooden markers were more common. Between 1861 and 1873, wood markers would have been common for graves of Civil War soldiers, but over time marble became more favorable because of its durability.1 Due to the nature of the material, wood is more susceptible to natural decomposition and wood-boring insects. Over a long period of time, the wood just rots away.
Today, wood markers are not a very common sight in Northern Ontario cemeteries. They often tug at the heartstrings, as wooden markers are usually handmade, and you can see they were made with love. Unfortunately, if they are not used as a temporary marker the wood can become hard to read, and eventually falls apart.
I would argue that this is one of the best reasons why photographing gravestones is important. Over time, these wooden grave markers will be lost to time, so documenting them helps preserve the memory of the deceased. It creates records for those looking to piece together their family history and become great resources.
Have you found wooden grave markers in your local cemeteries? I would love to read about your finds, in the comments.
For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister. I have been meaning to share this one for a while now. This is one of my favorite cemetery books, and one of my go-to reference books when it comes to looking up symbolism. I see it pop up now and then on the cemetery side of Instagram and Facebook and thought I should finally share my thoughts on it.
This book has been on my bookshelf for a very long time and it is something I go back to over and over again. It is a great resource for explaining the meaning and history behind most of the symbolism and iconography you will come across in a cemetery. Every symbol has a meaning, and the descriptions can range from simple to quite in-depth. The book itself is compact, so it’s easy to slip it into your hiking or camera bag if you want to take it with you on your cemetery travels. It’s filled with full-color photos as well to help identify all the variety of symbols you might come across.
Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display; flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Douglas Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research.”
I don’t recall where I picked up my copy, but it is a reference I use often. I never bring mine with me on my cemetery travels, but my cloth-bound hardcover copy has a special place at my desk for easy access when I need to look something up. This book covers iconography from A to Z, as well as the different art styles and architecture that can be found in cemeteries. It covers everything from religious and military symbols to fraternal organizations and secret societies. Douglas Keister is also an amazing photographer and his beautiful color photos of detailed gravestone symbols add depth to the descriptions. It also has a very thorough index at the back, which is very handy for moving back and forth throughout the book.
The name Douglas Keister may sound familiar to you. This is not the first book of his that I have reviewed. Back in July 2022, I reviewed his book Going out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity. You can read that review here. Douglas is no stranger to cemeteries and has written quite a few books about them. He is a photographer, author, and co-author of forty-five critically acclaimed books, twenty-five of which are on architecture.2
I highly recommend this book to any budding taphophiles and those interested in learning more about cemetery symbolism and history. This book would be a handy tool for genealogists as well, as many interesting and thoughtful things can be learned about the deceased based on what is on their gravestone.
This book has been an invaluable resource for me. I have always loved learning more about the stories that gravestones can tell us, and finding new symbols to research and learn about is one of my favorite things. It’s a beautiful, high quality book, that I think is an essential addition to any taphophiles library.
Have your read Stories in Stone? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to share yours in the comments. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.
If you’re a long-time reader of my blog, you may remember a post I wrote last year about searching for the first grave of Tom Thomson.
Yes, this famous Canadian painter has two final resting places. Although there is speculation on where he actually rests in peace. Last August, my mother and I went on a camping trip in Algonquin Park, to find the spot of his first burial. This August, we wanted to pay our respects at his second, and supposedly final resting place.
Tom Thomson is one of Canada’s most notable painters and a forefather of the Group of Seven. To this day, his death remains a mystery. He was last seen alive on July 8, 1917. He was setting out on a solo trip on Canoe Lake in his signature dove-grey canoe. Eight days later, on July 16th, his body was found floating in the lake. The story goes that he was hastily buried in Mowat Cemetery, on Canoe Lake. When his family found out, they had his remains exhumed and brought to Leith, Ontario to be buried in the Leith United Churchyard.1 Many questions remain; What happened to Thomson? Was his body really moved? This is where the details get muddy, and almost immediately rumors swirled about how Thomson died, and where his resting place truly lies. Over the years there have been many attempts to find out the truth, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Maybe we will never know…
Since my mother and I had made the trip to visit Canoe Lake last year, we thought it only fitting to make a trip to Owen Sound this summer to pay our respects at Thomson’s second gravesite. Visiting Owen Sound and Leith also gave us the chance to see Thomson’s artwork in person. Our first stop when we arrived in Owen Sound, was to visit the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, lovingly referred to as The TOM.
The TOM, of course, is named after the iconic Canadian landscape artist. It has a nationally significant collection of contemporary and historical art, including artifacts and important works by Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven.2
My mother and I were both excited to see Thomson’s original paintings, having only seen prints at the art centre in Algonquin Park the summer before. The small collection of his works on display at the time we visited was beautiful. It’s easy to see why he was sometimes called the Canadian Van Gogh. The thing that struck me right away was how small these canvases’ were, small enough to be packed up into a canoe. It was easy to imagine Thomson sitting on the shores of Canoe Lake, bringing these small canvases’ to life.
Along with seeing Thomson’s beautiful work, we also had the chance to see life as Thomson saw it, through photographs he had taken himself. The exhibit Tom Thomson: Field of Vision presents 40 photographs that were taken by Thomson. His niece Jessie Fisk, discovered a small bundle of photo negatives that were captured by the artist, supposedly taken during the last seven years of his life. This collection of photographs presents an intimate look into Thomson’s life, and experiences, through his own lens.3
It was an interesting experience to look at these photos and to see through Thomson’s eyes, in a way. The photo that stood out to me the most was of a gravestone. It’s the gravestone of James Watson, thought to be the first person buried at Mowat Cemetery. That means that Thomson had visited his future resting place while he was alive. I wonder if he ever thought that he would one day be buried there? It’s interesting to note how legible the stone was at that time. Today, the stone is barely legible, with just a faint indication that it was ever inscribed.
While visiting the gallery, we had an interesting encounter with another fan of Thomson’s work, a woman visiting all the way from California. She was very interested in Thomson’s life and death and was on a special birthday trip to visit historic Thomson locations. The week before, she had gone with a guide to visit Mowat Cemetery, by canoe. During our conversations, the question of where we thought his final resting place was came up. She seemed relieved when I said I agreed with her and believed he still rests in Mowat Cemetery.
Yes, I think there is strong evidence that he still lies in Mowat. Funny enough, before really knowing Thomson’s full story, when my mother and I left Mowat Cemetery last year, she said that she felt like he was still there. Regardless of our feelings, we still wanted to visit his second grave in Leith, Ontario.
Leith is a small hamlet, about 13 minutes from Owen Sound. In this beautiful part of Grey County, you can find gorgeous views of Georgian Bay, the Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, and the historic Leith United Church and graveyard. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to stop into Coffin Ridge, but there is always next time.
Leith United Church, located on Tom Thomson Lane, was built in 1865, and is considered “one of the finest examples of pre-Confederation architecture in Ontario’s Sydenham Township”.4 The church was closed in 1969, but since 1992, the Friends of Leith Church continue to preserve and restore the building by holding fundraisers and special events, like concerts.4
We had a beautiful day for a graveyard stroll, the day we visited the churchyard. It wasn’t hard to find the Thomson family plot at all. There are historical plaques and signs to direct you right to it. The graveyard itself is a decent size, but not big enough to get lost in. We could see right away that Thomson was still very popular as there were many grave goods left at his graveside, including a cup filled with paintbrushes, and a lovely rock painting of Thomson. The base of his gravestone is filled with stones, coins, and other items left by those who have come to pay their respects.
According to the gravestone, Thomson’s third youngest brother, James Brodie Thomson, who sadly passed away very young, in 1883 also lies here. Along with his maternal grandfather Kenneth Mathison, a member of the Free Masons who passed away in 1879 at the age of 72. Thomson’s oldest brother George Thomson also is laid to rest in the Leith United Church graveyard, with his wife.
I was curious as to where Thomson’s parents are buried. After some searching on Find A Grave, I found that they are both laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. I did visit Greenwood Cemetery on this trip, but didn’t know to search for them. Thomson’s father, John Thomson, is buried with his first wife, Margaret Mathison, and his sister-in-law turned second wife Henrietta Mathison.
I love wandering cemeteries and graveyards, but being able to connect a life and legacy to a name makes it even more rewarding. Viewing original artwork, and photographs that Thomson created, built a connection that deepened the experience of visiting his gravesite and paying our respects. And making these connections all started in a cemetery! I loved learning new aspects of Canadian history and how this trip brought us to places we had never visited before. Owen Sound is a beautiful little city and I look forward to having the chance to visit again. I had so much fun on this trip and look forward to where cemeteries will bring me next.
Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle 