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Some History of The Newcombe Cemetery

Incorrectly known also as the Muckle and the English Cemetery

With Thanks Donna Cofell Dickson and Gordon Dickson

Please note that the following contains text taken directly from a Ridge Community Church History Book titled "To God Be the Glory 1834 - 1985: history of the Ridge Community Church 1920 - 1985."

The Newcombe Cemetery

The Newcombe Cemetery Board seems to have had no burial records. Only a list of plot owners (Which has been turned over to the municipality) and a partial diagram of the half of the cemetery on Lot 20. This shows a laneway on the East side of lot 20 (i.e. between the two lots but no division running across the middle.)

There are no records of the first burial. We are asked to note that the stone of Peter Campbell of 1848 says "in memory of" rather than "lies here". Donna Cofell Dickson mentions that "The lands I researched at the Kent County Registry office indicate ownership by the Newcombe Cemetery Board dated 1854 and 1855.

Gordon Dickson also writes the following. "Newcombe Cemetery was transferred from Samuel Newcombe to a cemetery group in 1854. A Newcombe was a driving force in the Baptist Church across the road. Although there were Muckles in the area. There are a dozen Muckles buried in the cemetery compared to the dozens of Newcombes buried in the cemetery."

Gordon and Donna also note "A year later (1855) the English family provided more cemetery land. This cemetery is located on lots 20 & 21. Donna said the cemetery was not named Muckle or English cemetery."

Donna notes that the there was a burial of ashes approximate date 1990. Then two more were done after that.

In the legal application for transfer of the Newcombe Cemetery to the Township of Harwich tthe cemetery is termed "abandoned".

The Ridge Community Church book states the following...

The Newcombe Cemetery is an important part of the historical heritage of our community. It is truly a pioneer cemetery since many of the original settlers of the Ridge Community are buried there.

The Regular (Harwich) Baptist Church.

The first church built in the Ridge Community was the Regular Baptist Church built across from the Newcomb Cemtery in 1868. The Harwich Baptist Church had been organized in 1844 with services held at the home of Samuel Newcomb and at Rushton's and English's Schools. About one quarter acre of land on the west side of Lot 21 Con 7 LES was purchased from George Morgan by the trustees Samuel Newcomb, Joseph Muckle, John Morgan, Andrew Newcomb, Arthur Morgan and David Waterworth. The building measured 32 by 40 feet with a vestibule 19 by 6 feet and a seating capacity of 250 people. Dedication was held Jan 24 1869.

Services were held until sometime in the 1870's. In 1880 it was moved to Buckhorn (Cedar Springs) to be used as a Baptist Church. The land where it had stood was purchased in 1885 by David Henry Newcombe. The old Church finally closed at that location in 1949 and burned in 1965.

Enlarge your screen to see the following photos in larger format...

See Photographs of the pages of the two old Newcomb Cemetery books that still exist.