The Rockwood Cairn (Part 1)

Rockwood Cemetery, in the village of Rockwood to the east of Guelph, Ontario, contains mostly 20th century gravestones. At the back of the cemetery, however, is a cairn containing two dozen 19th century gravestones from three small local cemeteries that were closed in 1945.

Twelve gravestones were removed from Ascension Anglican Cemetery, nine from St. John's Anglican in Rockwood, and five from Copeland Methodist. While any documents that would show the original location of individual gravestones no longer exist, census data, nineteenth century directories, and historical maps can be used to identify the provenance.

Ascension Anglican Church was located on Lot 21 Concession 4 in Eramosa Township. A church building was constructed in 1861 but the congregation closed in 1879. Many years later in his Historical Sketch of the Parish of Acton and Rockwood, Rev. E. A. Brooks wrote, "today a few forgotten gravestones remain and the outline of the church foundation can be traced on the turf.”

A Wesleyan Methodist church was located three kilometres to the east at Lot 21 Concession 6. This church opened in 1865 on land donated by John Copeland but closed six years later.

Although no longer surrounded by gravestones, St. John's Anglican Church has sat on a hill overlooking the village for more than 160 years. The current stone building dates from 1880 and replaced a frame building constructed in 1859.

James Clark (1779-1862) and Elizabeth Turner (1785-1861)

James Clark and his wife Elizabeth Turner emigrated to Canada from Kent, England. James and Elizabeth were married in Newington, Kent in 1806. In 1861 they were living with their son Thomas (1812–1870) on Lot 5 Concession 8 in Erin Township. The 1861 Census records that James and Elizabeth were members of the Church of England which suggests that their gravestones were originally from the Ascension Anglican Church.

Children of James Abbot and Martha Ann Copeland

Thomas, Martha, Ann, and the unnamed twins were the children of James Abbot and Mary Ann Copeland. All five children were born in Canada. Census data indicates that James and Mary Ann had 14 children altogether. Between 1851 and 1861, James built a two story frame house for his growing family, replacing a 1 1/2 story log house. By 1881, James and Mary had moved north to Durham Township in Grey County. Mary Ann died on December 30, 1894. James died 14 months later on March 24, 1896. Both are buried at Durham Cemetery.

James, the son of Aaron Abbot and Martha Draper, was baptised at Ringstead, Northamptonshire on December 31, 1820, the same day as three of his sisters. His parents were married at Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire on August 5, 1809, and emigrated with six children including James to Upper Canada in 1823. The family appears on the passenger list of the Comet which departed from London and arrived at New York on March 6, 1823. The family took up passage up the Hudson River to Albany then travelled west on the newly built Erie Canal to Rochester. After crossing Lake Ontario to Hamilton, Aaron and his family spent the next few years living in nearby Dundas. In 1829, Aaron was granted 200 acres in Eramosa Township (Lot 17 Concession 6). By 1861 the property has been divided in two with Aaron farming the north half while James farmed the south.

The location of their farm suggests that James and Mary Ann's children were buried at Ascension Anglican.

The 1852 Census records Aaron and Martha's religion as Church of England, however, James and Mary Ann's religion were recorded as Disciples of Christ. The 1861 and 1871 censuses record James as Church of England and Mary Ann as Disciples of Christ.

Aaron and Martha's gravestone is found at Everton Cemetery in Eramosa Township. Martha, who died in 1852, and Aaron, who died in 1868 were buried on their farm. A headstone was erected but Aaron's name was never engraved upon it. In 1942 their remains were reinterred at Everton.

Alexander Moore (1779–1851), Martha Wilson (1791-1855) and Children

Alexander Moore, his wife Martha and their children likely came from Ireland to Eramosa Township during the Irish Potato Famine, arriving before the death of their eldest son, John Wilson Moore in 1845. The 1852 Census shows Martha living with her adult children. All were born in Ireland and all were Church of England adherents. The 1861 Map of the County of Wellington shows four members of the Moore family including Peter Moore occupying Concession 5 Lot 7 Eramosa. This location suggests the gravestones were from Ascension Anglican Church.

Susannah Bolton née Lush (1839–1881) and Ann Bolton (1800-1869)

Susannah Lush, the daughter of William and Mary Lush, was born in Eramosa Township about 1839. On March 9, 1864 she married Thomas Bolton who had been born in England in 1824 and had emigrated to Upper Canada with his parents about 1841. At the time of the 1871 Census, Thomas and Susannah were living with Thomas's father John and were adherents of the Church of England. Thomas and his father farmed the NE 1/4 of Lot 19 Concession 4 in Eramosa.

Susannah and Thomas had two children: Hannah, born on May 8, 1867, and Beatrice born on February 15, 1871.

After Susannah's death in 1881 from "inflammation of the lungs," Thomas and his girls continued living on their farm. Hannah married John Coker (1860–1934) in 1883. In 1896, Thomas and Beatrice were destitute and were admitted to the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge. Thomas died there in 1910. Beatrice continued living at the House of Industry and Refuge until her death in 1945. She was buried at the Johnston Cemetery near her sister who had died in 1941.

The gravestone for Ann Bolton, wife of John Bolton and mother of Thomas, was also placed in the cairn at Rockwood. Ann and her daughter-in-law Susannah were likely both buried at Ascension Anglican.

Robert Nickle (1832–1866)

Robert Nickle, the son of John Nickle (1798–1886) and Sarah Perry (1796-1872), was likely born in Ireland. He married Lucinda (1836–1862) and had three sons: Robert William (1856-1917), Henry (1858-1914), and Benjamin (1859-1948). Henry was living with his grandparents in Eramosa at the time of the 1871 Census and was buried at Everton Cemetery, while his brother Robert William was living with his uncle Thomas Nickle. John Nickle farmed the east half of Concession 6 Lot 20 and identified as Church of England in the 1871 Census which suggests his son Robert was buried in Ascension Anglican’s churchyard.

Isabella Rae (1863–1865) and Alexander Rae (1862–1862)

Isabella and Alexander were the children of James Rae and Isabella Crocker, and the grandchildren of Alexander Rae (1787–1891) and Isabella Aitkin (1805-1873). James and Isabella married in Eramosa Township in 1859. Isabella, the daughter of James Crocker and Isabella Mennie, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1827, and died in Eramosa in 1906. James Rae was born in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland in 1839, and died at Fergus, Ontario in 1918. Both were buried at Johnson Cemetery near James’s parents. The 1871 Census shows that James and Isabella had three additional children: Jane (1864–1955), William (1866–1931) and Isabella (1869–1959) who was named after her sister, mother, and both of her grandmothers. The family were Presbyterian and were living near James’s parents whose farmed the west half of Lot 20 Concession 5 Eramosa. The nearest cemetery is Ascension Anglican so it is likely the children were buried there.

Samuel Albert Morris (1866-1871)

Samuel Albert Morris, son of Samuel Morris (1825-1900) and Mary Ann Merrick (1831-1908), drowned at the age of five in 1871. His father Samuel had been born in Kilkenny, Ireland and in 1846 had emigrated to Canada with his parents, George Morris (1793-1876) and Ann Thompson (1796-1879) during the Irish Potato Famine. Samuel and Mary Ann had at least seven children. Samuel, a wagon-maker, moved his family to Guelph between 1872 and 1881. Samuel and his wife, along with his parents, are buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph.

Samuel and Mary Ann were adherents of the Church of England and were living in Rockwood at the time of their son’s drowning. Samuel Albert would therefore have been buried in the churchyard of St. John’s Rockwood.

Othniel Gidley Madick (1815-1866)

Despite his unusual name little is known about Othniel Gidley Madick. Othniel, the son of Henry Maddick and Mary Binney was born in Buckfastleigh, Devon on 19 Mar 1815, and was baptised six days later. A marriage is recorded between Othniel and Mary Ann Belton in Eramosa on December 16, 1844. Although Othniel is not named as such in the 1852 and 1861 censuses, there is a John Maddock, farmer, born in England about 1812 with a wife named Mary Ann. Four children are listed in the 1851 Census, two of whom, Hannah, aged 14, and Hawkins, aged 13, would have been from a previous marriage. The 1861 Census only lists the two younger children, Mary Ann, aged 16, and Sarah, aged 12.

George H Prior (1835–1861)

Almost nothing is known about George H Prior other than his date of death since he died before the 1861 Census was taken. In the census there is a John Prior, aged 22, born in England and living in Rockwood who may have been George’s brother, but no other details about either John or George have been discovered.