Congratulations on 200 years of unwavering service! Your church’s stability has been a cornerstone of strength and faith in our community. No visit is complete without inspecting the impressive Chisholm Family Monument. Seven deaths in seven years led to stories that a “curse” had been placed on the family. Thanks to the work of late historian George Thorman, his publication “Myth and Reality” tells the true story. Many of the founding families of present-day St. Thomas are buried here, including Rapelje, Mandeville, Drake, Curtis, Hamilton, and Warren. Daniel Drake, the first white child born in St. Thomas and later a Mayor, is buried in the family plot. Samuel Eccles was a local brewer who taught John Labatt the art and mystery of brewing lies here. In 1860, Susan Paul, the daughter of another brewer, had a dance with the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII; she is now buried nearby. Veterans of all wars rest here. Octavius Wallace, who was killed in the US Civil War in 1863, fighting for the North. Thomas Kains, who in 1814 helped burn Washington, causing the President’s House to have to be painted White. LCol. Bob Chamberlain, a Military Cross recipient and longtime supporter of the Restoration of the Church. Several monuments mark the Ermatinger family plot. Edward, with a White Bronze monument, his house still stands east of the Church. Charles Oakes, with a large marble slab, was a Judge and early advocate for the restoration of the Church. Judge Hugh Richardson played a significant role in the fate of Louis Riel. Close by, Maria (Ermatinger) Baldwin, wife of Reverand M.S. Baldwin, and her baby daughter are buried under a sandstone monument that has turned black over time due to the elements. Sadly, a story that has now become an urban legend began to circulate in the 1980s, namely that Maria was a “witch.”
Sadly, the years have not been kind to the monuments in the cemetery. It is a huge financial challenge to care properly for it. Old age, acid rain, tree limbs falling, and sadly vandalism have taken their’ toll. There are no grave spaces available, but our Scattering Garden has become quite popular. The cost is $500 for scattering or $1000 for scattering and a monument. Contact St. Thomas Anglican Church at 519 631 7368 for information. The Cemetery Board is a member of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario. The current Chair is Dr. Malcolm Wood. * Quotes from Miss Hattie Robinson from an article she wrote on the church’s history in 1909.
Congratulations to the Old St. Thomas Church on being a St. Thomas Landmark for 200 years!
Serving Elgin County for 3 generations Monuments ∞ Markers ∞ Engraving 43546 John Wise Line 519-631-8668 519-637-3385 (after hours) www.leememorials.ca
OLD ST. THOMAS CHURCH 200th ANNIVERSARY GUIDE
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