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The History of Bothwell Cemetery


With Thanks to Marion Matt


2012



When George Brown commissioned the survey and layout of town lots for Bothwell in 1855 he stipulated that there would be no cemeteries within the town proper. While the design of Bothwell was similar to that of Toronto, Brown had purchased four thousand acres and that encompassed a great portion of Zone Township between the Middlesex line and the tenth concession including property to the Thames River.

During the early years, Zone Township Council was the municipal presence; and this included Bothwell. Zone Council was responsible for all official services including cemeteries. The town of Bothwell was separated from Zone and incorporated in 1867 with confederation. However the first records of the new municipal council for that period were lost.

My record begins in 1872 with documentation from Bothwell Town Council minutes. It was during this period the provincial government began the regulation of keeping records and registering all burials. At this time, Bothwell Council established a cemetery committee to oversee the sale of cemetery lots which included eight plots and maintenance. Council further authorized the planting of 105 maple trees, some spruce and ornamental for total cost of $26.76. A hitching rail was also erected costing $5.50 and it was the duty of the committee to keep the cemetery clean.

By 1889 the first section of the cemetery was fenced and lots were marked with wooden posts. Council set a fixed price of $3.00 for cemetery lots and the money was used to improve the cemetery. Improvements in 1893 saw the erection of tie posts for horses and chain railing along the front of the cemetery bordering Longwood’s Road. The cemetery is in bad shape. Without the use of vaults many graves are falling in and range markers are roughed out. The map which would be hand drawn is also in poor shape. At this point the cemetery committee report to council that maybe they should consider buying more land. Lots in the cemetery were bought and sold like real estate, and record keeping of cemetery deeds was shabby.

The committee, decide to appoint a caretaker and grave digger in 1897; and they also build the first driveway that circles around section one. Four years later, according to the 1870 plan the committee has the lots were re-staked and council purchase more land from Thomas Blake for an extension to the cemetery.

It becomes apparent by 1904 that the cemetery committee can’t find all the records. So they bought a new record book because they were not sure who owned the lots or were they were situated. A new tool shed was built and a canvas spread was purchased for the grave digger to cover the earth removed from grave sites.

The cemetery committee recommend to council in 1909 that owners be asked to donate for the upkeep of the cemetery. Later they replace the fence across the front and install one small walk through gate and one large gate for the hearse carrying the casket. In the same year 1911, council receives complaints about unauthorized persons taking bodies from the cemetery. Both undertakers were notified not to do this without consulting the cemetery committee. This request was put forward in a motion of council that the removal of bodies to obtain more room be left with the committee.

In 1914 members of the Women’s Institute come to council as a delegation wishing to make improvements in the Bothwell Cemetery. Council accepted their plan giving them authorization to take on the responsibility of care and beautification of the cemetery. They hired Clifford Rolston as caretaker and Institute members canvassed lot owners telling them of the changes. The ladies were vigilant about their duties as they organized work bees with shovels, hoes, watering pails and rakes. They painted the tool shed and started holding the annual Memorial Day Service.

Council made a grant to the Institute yearly for their service. The Institute purchased clay flower pots, arranged with Glen & Dorothy Pringle to fill the pots, to deliver them to the cemetery and place them on grave sites where the owner had paid for the flowers and watering.

The ladies knew how to keep books, on an annual base they contacted owners and made arrangements to collect perpetual care money. Each owner gave trusted the Institute to purchase a bond for $100.00; this money was invested and the Institute prudently supervised and managed the funds. Along with these fees, they also collected the usual $7.50 for the service of ordering the flowers and watering.

Rates for lots changed in 1921 when more land was purchased to extend the cemetery. The WI requested that council install an electrical power service for $4.64 at the cemetery; to run the water pump they had purchased in 1932. They also had drains and waterlines installed to lighten the work load of carrying water for the flowers all summer. These enthusiastic women had a new fence built with attractive stone pillars erected at the two main gates in 1935.

Then in 1934 council purchased one acre of land from Jimmy Tunks and removed an oil well. They removed many loads of dirt and leveled the property. More trees were added and lots in section #2 were staked. During 1936 council signed a lease with George Willits on property to the rear of the cemetery. The following year new pipe fence was added on Longwood’s Road side. By 1937 the second range of lots were staked and mapped.

In 1940 the price of lots changed to $10.00 each for resident owners and non-residents rate payers were charged $20.00. The first mention of steel and cement vaults appear in 1944. Then in 1948 the provincial government initiated regulated payment of perpetual care that came into effect immediately. Also in 1948 the W I purchased the first power lawn mower.

For many years the Women’s Institute held a memorial service for Decoration Day on the 3rd Sunday of June and during the 1950s the Bothwell Legion started to place wooden crosses at the Cemetery for all veterans.

An agreement was made with Mrs. Harry Roberts in 1955 for 121 feet of frontage on highway #2 to form a part of the cemetery at a cost of $968.

In the late 50s, council gave a grant to the Institute of $350.00 toward the upkeep of the cemetery and that was increased to $400.00 in 1960. An extension of the cemetery was discussed in 1964 and Section #3 was opened in 1967 with new lot rates being $75.00 for resident ratepayers, and non-residents paid $150.00 however only full lots of 5 plots could be purchased.

In 1971 the Ministry responsible for Cemeteries ordered council to pass a bylaw to charge ratepayers $45.00 for the opening of graves in summer and $50.00 for winter months being November through the end of March.

Earl Rolston resigned as caretaker in 1972 and was replaced with William Klassen. During that year council passed bylaw 269 for the purchase of further land from Jimmy Tunks. Early in 1973 George Tunks sent a letter to council with respect to the access driveway to the Tunks property between the cemeteries to be complete by the end of the year. The transaction was complete later in the year for $500.00. At that point council purchased a new riding mower for $590.00 and built a cement block utility service building. The next year the mower needed repairs and council had to install curbs throughout the cemetery to prevent cars running over the lots the times of burials. This required the WI to come up with recommendations for rules and regulations for the cemetery. This was followed by installation of a new drain located south of section # 1. Mr. Tunks agreed to allow the drain to be installed in exchange for the old outhouse at the back of Potters field. Council agreed and a new fence was installed to complete the transaction.

During the 1980s, the provincial government cemetery division requested that council take back the responsibility of the cemetery and to appoint a new Cemetery Board that would report directly to council. This ended the long tenure and excellent service of the Women’s Institute. When the Board was appointed, it was officially recognized and given authority to manage the property. The new Board had a difficult time making sense of the records and as a result Marion Matt built a computer program to enter all records. Members of the Board along with students totally documented the property and along with index records of the Kent Genealogical Society the work was completed. Records of the Bothwell Cemetery were the first to be totally computerized in Kent County. Later the Board had the firm of David McGeorge draw a new map of the cemetery and Dan Liberty took over as caretaker. He and his crew staked section #3 to have better control over placement of stones and to define roadways.

In the 1990s the Board purchased further land from Mike Joyce behind section#3 for future use. This land was surveyed and Mr. Joyce agreed to pay rent for land use until such time as the land is needed.

By 1998 the amalgamation of Chatham-Kent evolved and all responsibilities were relinquished to the new municipality.