T a a n i t e MH R e V a ?

eo 4

History of A p p i n Cemetery

Presented by Jim May, August 1, 2000

It is a n h o n o u r t o h a v e b e e n a s k e d t o s p e a k at t h i s m e m o r i a l d e c o r a t i o n d a y a b o u t t h e
h i s t o r y o f A p p i n C e m e t e r y . M y f a m i l y h a s had a l o n g a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h A p p i n C e m e t e r y a n d
h i s t o r y h a s b e e n al a r g e part o f m y c a r e e r . H o w e v e r , p r e p a r i n g f o r t h i s a f t e r n o o n has not b e e n
w i t h o u t its d i f f i c u l t i e s . O l d b o o k s a n d d o c u m e n t s a r e m u s t y a n d | h a v e a n a l l e r g y to o l d b o o k
d u s t . | will b e s u b m i t t i n ga bill f o r a n t i h i s t a m i n e d r u g s to t h e c e m e t e r y s e c r e t a r y - t r e a s u r e r .

N o o n e c a n s a y t h a t t h i s m e m o r i a l d e c o r a t i o n d a y w a s p l a n n e d in h a s t e . A t t h e a n n u a l
m e e t i n g o f t h e c e m e t e r y b o a r d in 1934, a c o m m i t t e e w a s ?to i n v e s t i g a t e t h e p r a c t i c a b i l i t y o f a
d e c o r a t i o n d a y m e m o r i a l service?. N i n e y e a r s later in 1943, a s e c o n d c o m m i t t e e w a s n a m e d to
m a k e a r r a n g e m e n t s . In 1999, W . E . C a r r u t h e r s s u g g e s t e d a d e c o r a t i o n d a y . T h e b o a r d d e c i d e d
to enlist the support of A p p i n United and Presbyterian churches. So you s e e this d a y has been
in t h e w o r k s f o r s i x t y - s i x y e a r s . N o w o n d e r it has b e e n so w e l l p l a n n e d .

W h y is t h e r e a c e m e t e r y o n t h e knoll to t h e north o f A p p i n ? T o a n s w e r m y q u e s t i o n |
w o u l d like to r e f e r y o u to a p a s s a g e f r o m t h e b o o k o f G e n e s i s , t o c h a p t e r t w e n t y - t h r e e (23: 2 - 9 ,
1 7 - 2 0 ) a n d a p o r t i o n o f c h a p t e r t w e n t y - f i v e (25: 8 - 1 0 ) .

S a r a h , A b r a h a m ' s wife, h a d j u s t died. A n d A b r a h a m a s k e d t h e H i t t i t e s to sell h i m a

p i e c e o f p r o p e r t y f o r a b u r i a l place. T h e H i t t i t e s said u s e o n e o f o u r t o m b s i n s t e a d . B u t
A b r a h a m p e r s i s t e d . H e d i d not w a n t to b o r r o wa Hittite t o m b . H e w a n t e d a p i e c e o f g r o u n d o f
his o w n , in t h a t p l a c e , s e t - a s i d e w h e r e h e a n d S a r a h a n d his f a m i l y c o u l d b e b u r i e d . A n d , t h e
H i t t i t e s r e l e n t e d a n d sold him t h e field a n d c a v e at M a c h p e l a h ; a n d t h e r e h e b u r i e d S a r a h .
W h e n A b r a h a m d i e d his s o n s , I s a a c a n d I s h m a e l b u r i e d h i m t h e r e . L a t e r I s a a c a n d R e b e k a h
a n d Jacob?s w i f e L e a h w e r e b u r i e d t h e r e . A n d m u c h later, w h e n the H e b r e w s e s c a p e d f r o m
b o n d a g e in E g y p t t h e y b r o u g h t Jacob?s b o d y w i t h t h e m f r o m E g y p t to b e b u r i e d a t M a c h p e l a h .

| t h i n k h e r e i n l a y s t h e a n s w e r t o m y q u e s t i o n : W h y is t h e r e a c e m e t e r y at A p p i n ? O n
J a n u a r y 29, 1 9 1 4 , a g r o u p o f i n t e r e s t e d r e s i d e n t s o f A p p i n a n d v i c i n i t y m e t h e r e i n t h i s b u i l d i n g
- t h e M e t h o d i s t c h u r c h - to c o n s i d e r ?the p r o c u r i n g o f l a n d to e s t a b l i s h a c e m e t e r y in t h e vicinity
o f Appin?. | i m a g i n e t h e y w e r e motivated b y the s a m e h u m a n desires t h a t motivated A b r a h a m .
T h e y w a n t e d a piece of g r o u n d of their own, in their o w n c o m m u n i t y w h e r e they could bury
their family members.

A t t h a t m e e t i n g in J a n u a r y , 1 9 1 4 t w o c o m m i t t e e s w e r e f o r m e d . T h e f i r s t w a s t o o b t a i n
?such i n f o r m a t i o n a s is n e c e s s a r y t o t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f a c o m p a n y . . . r e s p e c t i n g cemeteries?.
T h e s e c o n d w a s t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e ?site p r o p o s e d o n t h e N 1/2 o f t h e S 1/2 o f L o t 12,
C o n c e s s i o n 2?- in o t h e r w o r d s t h e s a n d y knoll j u s t n o r t h o f A p p i n .

On February 11, two weeks later, they met again. The site committee reported that the
soil and locality w e r e suitable and that four acres could be secured for the cemetery, including
r o a d w a y from James W. Macfie for $400.00.

Eleven men agreed to purchase three shares each to form the company at the rate of
$15.00 per share. Those men were: W.T. May, Charles M. Macfie, John W. Macfie, Martin
Johnson, James C. Allan, James Lotan, Frank Nicholls, John A. McTaggart, T.H. King, W.R.
Stephenson, M.R.Brown. Six of them w e r e Ekfrid farmers, two were Appin merchants, o n e was
a blacksmith, one w a s a s a w y e r and one w a s a cheese maker.
1
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T h r e e d a y s later, F e b r u a r y 14, t h e y m e t a g a i n . T h e c o m p a n y w a s t o b e n a m e d ?The

Appin Cemetery C o m p a n y Limited?. They applied to the local and provincial boards o f health
for approval.

By March 26 the provincial board of health had not yet approved. (Does this sound
familiar?) So the cemetery had not yet been opened or the plots staked. However, John
Richmond o f Ekfrid died and Mrs. Richmond asked to purchase a plot. So, the cemetery
shareholders met the next day, March 27, at John Macfie?s general store to organize the
company. W.T. May was elected as President and Charles N. Macfie as Secretary-Treasurer.
The price of a plot (that is eight graves) w a s set at $15.00.

T h e n e x t d a y , M a r c h 28, 1 9 1 4 , J o h n R i c h m o n d , t h e f i r s t p e r s o n t o b e b u r i e d in A p p i n
C e m e t e r y , w a s i n t e r r e d b e f o r e t h e p l o t s h a d b e e n s t a k e d o r the l e v e l i n g o f t h e site e v e n
s t a r t e d . T h e r e w e r e five m o r e b u r i a l s t h a t y e a r .

T h e l e v e l i n g a n d s t a k i n g o f p l o t s g o t u n d e r w a y in 1 9 1 4 a n d c o n t i n u e d into 1915. In t h e
l e v e l i n g p r o c e s s , t h e plots w e r e r a i s e d a b o v e t h e r o a d w a y s . T h e c e m e t e r y w a s laid o u t o n t h e
f o l l o w i n g p l a n ? S e c t i o n | a n d II f r o m the e n t r a n c e ; R a n g e s 1, 2, 3 a n d 4 f r o m t h e N o r t h side;
N o r t h s i d e p l o t s n u m b e r e d 1 to 2 3 in o d d n u m b e r s , S o u t h s i d e p l o t s in e v e n n u m b e r s 2 t o 24;
h a l f p l o t s m a r k e d N o r t h a n d S o u t h . P l o t s w e r e f i r s t sold in S e c t i o n II so t o d a y t h e e a s t e n d is
the older part of the cemetery.

In t h e b e g i n n i n g , a n n u a l f e e s w e r e paid b y plot h o l d e r s to m a i n t a i n a n d c a r e f o r t h e i r
p l o t s . B u t t h e s y s t e m w a s n o t w i t h o u t its f l a w s . S o m e t i m e s t h e y e a r l y f e e s fell into a r r e a r s a n d
t h e d i r e c t o r s w e r e f a c e d w i t h the d e c i s i o n w h e t h e r to r e p o s s e s s t h e plot f o r n o n - p a y m e n t . S o ,
in 1 9 2 8 t h e c o m p a n y i n s t i t u t e d a s y s t e m o f p e r p e t u a l c a r e o f p l o t s . F o r t h e n e x t f o r t y - s e v e n
y e a r s , t h e r e w o u l d b e b o t h m e t h o d s o f m a i n t e n a n c e . M a n y plot h o l d e r s c h o s e to p u r c h a s e
? p e r p e t u a l care?. A n d a f t e r 1 9 5 2 all p l o t s sold in S e c t i o n | w e r e s o l d t h a t w a y . O t h e r p l o t h o l d e r s
c o n t i n u e d to p a y a y e a r l y m a i n t e n a n c e fee. T h e last a n n u a l m a i n t e n a n c e f e e w a s p a i d in 1976.

have compileda list of s o m e of the interesting items about the cemetery ?

| not
necessarily in chronological order.

( 1 ) | T h e c e m e t e r y b o a r d h a s m e t in n u m e r o u s p l a c e s o v e r t h e y e a r s :
T h e M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h , J o h n Macfie?s s t o r e , t h e O r a n g e Hall, t h e C o m m e r c i a l H o t e l , t h e E k f r i d
M u t u a l O f f i c e , Ekfrid T o w n s h i p , t h e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h , t h e h o m e o f C h a r l i e M a c f i e w h e n h e
w a s i n c a p a c i t a t e d in l a t e r life.

(2) My first real recollection of the cemetery was a phone call in 1951 o r 1952, that for
some reason has stuck in my mind. It w a s to my father, probably from my grandfather W.T.
May. Could dad come with his truck to help collect up stones for the cemetery gates?
Stonemason Frank Clifford built those gates. And | thought you might be interested to know
who made donations to build the gates: the Appin Dramatic Club, Appin Women?s Institute,
Appin Park Association, Ekfrid Township, the Orange Lodge, t h e Horseshoe Club.

Later in 1974, a wrought iron arch designating Appin Cemetery w a s added to the stone
gates. T h e arch w a s designed by Arend Smink and donated by W.T. May.

(3) In Section #2, there are three very large family plots, Johnson, Macfie and May. These
date back to the beginning of the cemetery w h e n four of the original shareholders - Martin
Johnson, Charles Macfie, John Macfie and W.T. M a y purchased four plots (that is thirty two
graves) for each of their families.
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| w a n t to m e n t i o na l i t t l e p e r s o n a l a n e c d o t e a b o u t t h e s e l a r g e plots. | h o p e it is all right to

tell a f u n n y s t o r y a b o u t a c e m e t e r y a n d | h o p e m y d a u g h t e r s w o n ' t m i n d . W h e n o u r g i r l s w e r e
y o u n g , J a n e a n d | u s e d to g o o c c a s i o n a l l y for a w a l k in t h e c e m e t e r y w i t h t h e m . O f c o u r s e , t h e y
w e r e i n t e r e s t e d in t h e l a r g e p l o t w i t h t h e i r n a m e M a y . B u t t h e y a l s o n o t i c e d t h e l a r g e M a c f i e plot
b e s i d e it. E v e r y t i m e w e w e n t f o r a w a l k , t h e y w o u l d c h e c k t h e h e a d s t o n e s in b o t h p l o t s t o s e e
w h o w a s a h e a d , t h e M a y s o r t h e M a c f i e s . It w a s a c o n t e s t | wasn?t i n t e r e s t e d in t a k i n g p a r t in.

(4) Ona f e w h e a d s t o n e s , y o u will s e e p e o p l e w h o d i e d b e f o r e t h e c e m e t e r y w a s o p e n e d in

1914. T h o s e a r e r e - i n t e r m e n t s f r o m o t h e r c e m e t e r i e s .

(5) T o t h i s d a t e , t h e r e h a v e b e e n s e v e n h u n d r e d a n d t w o burials. In 1926, t h e r e w e r e n o

b u r i a l s a n d o n l y o n e e a c h in 1 9 3 3 a n d 1 9 4 0 . T h e m o s t b u r i a l s in a y e a r , s e v e n t e e n , w e r e in
1 9 9 5 f o l l o w e d b y 1 9 7 0 w h e n t h e r e w e r e fifteen.

(6) | T h e S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r w a s p a i d $ 1 0 . 0 0 in 1914.

(7) In 1 9 3 2 , t h e r e w a s n o a n n u a l m e e t i n g o w i n g to u n f a v o u r a b l e w e a t h e r a n d illness.

(8) W h e r e p e o p l e d r i v e v e h i c l e s in the c e m e t e r y h a s long b e e n a p r o b l e m . In 1 9 1 8 a s i g n

h a d to b e e r e c t e d r e q u e s t i n g p e o p l e to k e e p to t h e d r i v e w a y s o f t h e c e m e t e r y . In 1924, t h e
b o a r d d e c i d e d to s t r i n g w i r e t o p r o t e c t p l o t s f r o m cars. | h o p e w e a r e b e t t e r d r i v e r s t o d a y .

(9) In 1 9 1 9 , J o h n J o n e s w a s i n s t r u c t e d , ?to t a k e steps to d e s t r o y t h e g r o u n d h o g s i n f e s t i n g

t h e c e m e t e r y ? . H e w a s paid $ 1 . 0 0 f o r a m m u n i t i o n . H e m u s t h a v e h a d s o m e s u c c e s s b e c a u s e
in 1 9 2 5 h e w a s o n l y p a i d fifty c e n t s f o r a m m u n i t i o n . H o w e v e r , g r o u n d h o g s c o n t i n u e d t o b e a
p r o b l e m b e c a u s e in t h e 1960?s S t e w a r t P o l e w a s still e x t e r m i n a t i n g t h e m .

(10) L a d i e s h a v e p l a y e d a r o l e w i t h the c e m e t e r y . In 1920, A p p i n W o m e n ? s I n s t i t u t e

p u r c h a s e d c i n d e r s f o r t h e r o a d w a y a n d e v e r g r e e n t r e e s . In 1 9 2 1 , t h e y d o n a t e d $ 1 0 0 . 0 0 for t h e
e r e c t i o n o f g a t e s . A n d t h i r t y - t w o y e a r s later (in 1 9 5 2 ) w h e n t h e y f i n a l l y s a w t h o s e g a t e s , t h e y
m a d e a n o t h e r d o n a t i o n . T h e f i r s t l a d y to a t t e n d a n a n n u a l m e e t i n g w a s Ivy G a l b r a i t h in 1946. It
appears that she w a s a representative of the A p p i n Dramatic Club, which w a n t e d to resurrect
t h e g a t e - b u i l d i n g p r o j e c t . l v y w a s n a m e d t o a g a t e c o m m i t t e e w h o s e w o r k c u l m i n a t e d in 1 9 5 2
w i t h the s t o n e g a t e s c o m p l e t e d . K a t h y T u n k s h a s s e r v e d a s a n a u d i t o r . In 1 9 9 7 t h e r e w a s a
g i a n t l e a p f o r w a r d w h e n Marj Z a v i t z w a s a p p o i n t e d as t h e f i r s t f e m a l e b o a r d d i r e c t o r a n d
S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r . In 1999, I s a b e l l a C a s s - B l a c k m o r e w a s a p p o i n t e d a d i r e c t o r .

(11) | m u s t d r a w y o u r a t t e n t i o n o n c e m o r e to t w o m e n . T h e f i r s t is C h a r l i e M a c f i e . He w a s
o n e o f the o r i g i n a l s h a r e h o l d e r s in 1914. H e s e r v e d a s S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r f r o m 1 9 1 4 to 1 9 5 8
w h e n h e a s k e d to b e r e l i e v e d o f his d u t i e s . T h e b o a r d a c c e p t e d his r e s i g n a t i o n ?with regret?.
He had served for forty-four years.

T h e s e c o n d is W . T . M a y ( m y g r a n d f a t h e r ) . H e , like C h a r l i e , w a s o n e o f t h e original
s h a r e h o l d e r s . H e s e r v e d a s P r e s i d e n t f r o m 1 9 1 4 to 1 9 7 5 ? s i x t y - o n e y e a r s . In t h o s e s i x t y - o n e
y e a r s , h e m a y h a v e m i s s e d o n e m e e t i n g ( i n 1 9 6 2 ) . W h e n h e r e t i r e d in 1 9 7 5 , t h e b o a r d m a d e
him Honorary Chairman.

(12) Service to A p p i n C e m e t e r y has been very much a family affair a n d before | conclude, |
w o u l d like to m e n t i o n t h o s e f a m i l i e s w h o h a v e g i v e n g e n e r a t i o n s o f s e r v i c e as d i r e c t o r s . T h e r e
is a r i s k in d o i n g this; t h e r i s k b e i n g t h a t | will m i s s s o m e o n e . B u t | w o u l d r a t h e r m a k e t h a t
mistake a n d be corrected than not mention any. S o alphabetically,

Allan - J a m e s Allan a n original director, M u r r a y a n d S t e w a r t

 Blackmore - Isabella a n d Joel, w h o w a s elected President this y e a r

Carruthers - William E and Marjorie Zavitz, the Secretary-Treasurer

Chisholm ?-
A l e x a n d Ed, w h o h a s s e r v e d as S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r

Fletcher - Milton and Hugh

Galbraith = - Angus D., George, Lloyd and Bill

Johnson - Martin Johnson an original director followed by Dunc and James D.

Lotan - J a m e s Sr. a n o r i g i n a l d i r e c t o r a n d J a m e s Jr.

Macfie - J a m e s M a c f i e sold the land, C h a r l i e a n d J o h n M a c f i e , w e r e botho r i g i n a l

d i r e c t o r s , R o n a n d D u n c a n . R o n s e r v e d a s S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r f o rt w e n t y -
seven years. B e t w e e n Charlie and Ron Macfie, they served s e v e n t y - o n e
years as Secretary-Treasurer

May ~ W . T . M a y w a s an original director, J o h n M a y a n d myself, Jim. J o h n w a s

President for twenty years and has a wealth of k n o w l e d g e a b o u t the
c e m e t e r y . B e t w e e n W.T. and J o h n May, they served eighty-one years as
President

McDonald ? - S t e w a r t , R o n a n d Rick, R o n h a s s e r v e d a s P r e s i d e n t

Pole - Stewart and Leonard

Roemmele_ - Fred and Don, Don has served as Secretary-Treasurer

A n d o f c o u r s e , o t h e r i n d i v i d u a l s s e r v e , a s d i r e c t o r s like:
Ken Carruthers
Dale C u s h m a n
Les Stevenson
Leonard van der Hooft

In 1958, the directors passed a motion ?to surrender the Charter of the C o m p a n y and
change to a Board of Trustees?. However, they rescinded the motion and so today, Appin
Cemetery is still ?a limited c o m p a n y with shareholders?. What dividends has this c o m p a n y paid
for eighty-six years? They certainly can?t be measured in dollars and cents.

| once heard a Jewish w o m a n speak about surviving the Nazi death camps. Her family
h o w e v e r had perished in those camps. She explained how important it w a s for her to place
bricks bearing the names of her family in a holocaust wall of remembrance because they had
had no cemetery. She, like Abraham, and we are no different, w e all need a place that
c o m m e m o r a t e s our families and neighbours. Has this not been a dividend of the Appin
Cemetery Company?

T h o r t o n W i l d e r ' s p l a y ?Our T o w n ? is a b o u ta v i l l a g e like A p p i n . T h e third a c t is s e t in t h e

g r a v e y a r d o n t h e hill a b o v e t h e v i l l a g e . T h e c h a r a c t e r s a r e t h e p e o p l e b u r i e d t h e r e . O n e thing
W i l d e r is t e l l i n g us is t h a t t h e c e m e t e r y ? like A b r a h a m ' s c a v e ? h e l p s us r e m e m b e r . It g i v e s
o u r f a m i l i e s a n d o u r c o m m u n i t y a s e n s e o f o u r h i s t o r y ? a s e n s e o f w h o w e are.

C a n a d i a n n o v e l i s t M a r g a r e t L a w r e n c e w h e n w r i t i n g a b o u t t h e c e m e t e r y in h e r s m a l l
h o m e t o w n p u t it t h i s w a y : b e c a u s e o f t h e c e m e t e r y , t h e d e a d c o n t i n u e t o live t h e r e t o o .