More to know about St. Ninian’s Pioneer Cemetery
In last week’s edition of The Casket, we told you about some of the pioneers buried at St. Ninian’s Pioneer Cemetery. This week, we’re telling you about even more.
St. Ninian’s Pioneer Cemetery is currently being revitalized via a heritage project, which aims to salvage and enhance what remains of the Main Street Cemetery in honour of Antigonish’s forefathers.
Still accepting donations from the community, St. Ninian’s Parish’s project is an ambitious one with an estimated cost of $260,000. However, the project has achieved significant progress and can reasonably be completed before the 2023 Highland Games - with sufficient community support.
“Hopefully, people say, ‘I might have some relatives in that cemetery; I should donate,’” said St. Ninian’s board member Bill Landry in a previous edition of The Casket.
In the hopes of educating residents of Antigonish and surrounding areas about the region’s pioneers and heritage, St. Ninian’s Parish has compiled a list of early settlers who are buried at the pioneer cemetery based on the locations in which the individuals lived before their deaths, which can be found below:
WILLIAM’S POINT
Donald Gillis, from William Point, purchased a lot in February of 1840 and died not long after. His son John farmed at William Point and his grandson John L became the baggage master at the railroad Station in Antigonish. John L’s son, Joseph B Gillis, was killed in action at Passchendaele, France, on Oct. 30, 1917.
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John and Eunice (Una) Macleod Mackinnon died in 1846 and 1847 respectively; they are the parents of Lauchlin Mackinnon, who died in 1875, preceded by his wife Ann (Macdonald), who died in Nov 1869. Another son, Neil Mackinnon, married to Sarah Macdonald (with a son, Allan), died in Nov 1860.
NORTH GRANT
John (Denoon) Macdonald came with his father Alexander to Georgeville, Antigonish, after spending 10 years in Prince Edward Island and moved to Chimney Corner, Cape Breton, before moving back to buy a farm in North Grant from Hugh Denoon. Macdonald died around 1870 and was buried at the Main Street Cemetery - two plots away from his father-in-law, Hector Macdonald of Antigonish Harbour.
BRIERLY BROOK
Kenneth Chisholm, from Strathglass, Scotland, arrived at Monks Head and afterward moved to Brierly Brook. He arrived with his wife, Isabell, and children, Kenneth, Ann, John (Squire) Chisholm and William. He purchased a lot in the cemetery and was buried with Isabell; the rest of his family are buried at St Ninian’s Cemetery on Hwy #4.
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Arthur Mckenna, from Roscommon, Ireland, arrived in Antigonish with his wife and son Patrick and settled in Brierly Brook Antigonish; he is buried in the Main St. Cemetery.
HALLOWELL GRANT (NOW KNOWN AS FAIRMOUNT)
Patrick Hanrahan, from Waterford, Ireland, immigrated to Newfoundland and moved with his family to Antigonish County after his daughter Catherine was born, settling in Hallowell Grant. He, or his family, bought plot 121 in 1854 to bury him beside the church with his wife, Bridget O’langian.
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Thomas Walsh, from Ireland, arrived in Antigonish with his wife Mary Purcell, son Martin and daughter Mary; he lived until 1855. Martin married Mary Hanrahan from Georgeville and Mary married Martin Brophy.
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James Miller, a sea captain, born in Maine, USA, in 1753, moved on 500 acres of land at the mouth of James River. His son Charles moved to Antigonish town. According to Rev. Ronald Macgillivray, he was a Presbyterian but must have changed religion to Catholic to be buried in the cemetery in 1825.