St. Peter’s Anglican Church Cemetery
Location:
3041 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Peel Region, Ontario, Canada
GPS:
Latitude: 43.54342°N
Longitude: -79.65876°W
History:
In 1825 a group of settlers met for an open-air service at the home of Colonel Peter Adamson. From this beginning, St Peter’s was born.
St Peter’s was established for the use of the inhabitants of Toronto and Trafalgar Townships, being members of the Church of England.
On August 30 1828 the property was purchased from the Crown for 10 shillings by Peter Adamson of Toronto Twp, Joseph Adamson of Toronto Twp, Alexander Proudfoot of Trafalgar Twp, William Thompson of Toronto Twp, Frederick Starr Jarvis of Toronto Twp and Henry Carpenter of Trafalgar Twp.
The site chosen far the church and burying ground was on a tract of land, part of the Mississauga Indian Reserve on the Credit River. It is composed of part of Lot no 3 In the first Range north of Dundas Street containing 2 acres and 32 rods (Old Survey).
The first church building was dedicated on September 23 1828 and received its name St Peter. The wooden building was replaced in 1887 by the building which stands today. The tower and spire and Narthex Hall were added In 1910 and 1959 respectively. By 1966 the beautiful Gothic style Church building constructed of Credit Valley stone was completed.
The first rector the Rev James Magrath was born in Ireland in 1796 and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He applied to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel for a Colonial Missionary and emigrated to Upper Canada with his family. In 1827 he was appointed to the Toronto Mission on the Credit River.
Magrath acquired considerable land in the area and there build his home ‘Erindale’. The name was later adopted by the settlement which developed nearby. Magrath served his parish until his death in 1851. A plague which has been erected to Rev James Magrath by the Ontario Heritage Foundation stands at the entrance to St Peter’s Church.
On June 23 1985 St Peter’s celebrated its 160th anniversary. On this occasion, the descendants of the founders and early settlers that could be located were invited to attend the anniversary service under the incumbency of Rev Charles P Edwards.
The cemetery, which is still in use, commemorates army officers, pensioners and the sons and daughters of United Empire Loyalists. An 1829 marker notes the grave of John Smith, the earliest standing monument. The first recorded burial is however in an unmarked grave. The monuments that have survived the march of time have been restored and this has helped to
preserve the heritage of St Peter’s.
Sources on Erindale:
– Erindale at the Crook of the Credit by Jean Adamson.
– St Peter’s Church, Erindale, 1825-1977 (booklet).
– The Streetsville Review, 1890-1930 (on microfilm, Peel Archives, Brampton).
– Reflections From Yesterday, 1827-1977, St John the Baptist Anglican Church, 719 Dundas St E, (Dixie) Mississauga by Frederick M Hetchen.
– From Strachan to Owen by Wm Perkins Bull.
– Cosmopolitan/Union Cemetery (adjoining St Peter’s Cemetery).
– Indian Village Springfield (located in the Halton-Peel Collection, Chinguacousy Library, Bramalea City Centre).
– St Peter’s Anglican Church Parish Registers, 1828-1975 (on microfilm)
(1) Miscellaneous Register Book.
(2) Parish Registers – Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Confirmations
(located at Mississauga Central Library, 110 Dundas St W, Cooksville).
– Index to 1871 census of Ontario – Halton-Peel Counties
Transcription purchase:
Transcriptions of this cemetery are available for digital download from the OGS website – click here to order via credit card.