Old Zion Cemetery
Also known as: Bertram’s Cemetery
Location:
Wanless Drive (at Hurontario Street), Brampton, Peel Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 1 WHS, lot 16, Chinguacousy Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.72548°N
Longitude: -79.81471°W
History:
One half an acre of land was leased to the cemetery trustees; John Watson, William Lowes, Thomas Taylor and Andrew Ransier and their successors by George Ransier, dated December 17, 1831 and registered on April 13, 1846, in consideration of one barley corn to be paid on the 17th day of December yearly if demanded.
The Indenture of Lease reads as follows; “part of the south-easterly half of Lot No 16 of the first Concession West of the Centre Road of the township of Chinguacousy butted and bounded or may be otherwise known as follows;- Beginning at the south-east corner of the said lot and running on the south side line 13 roods 5 links and one half, then running at right
angles with the Concession line towards the north west six roods, thence running at right angles toward the north east to the Concession line 13 roods and five links and one half; Thence along the Concession line, toward the south-east corner six roods to the place of beginning. Containing one half an acre and no more with all buildings and erections thereon.
To have and to hold the said above devised premises with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said parties of the second part and their successors for land during the term of 999 years in trust for a free or Common School Meeting House and burial grounds from date of lease; which said Indenture of Lease is witnessed by John Woodhall and John
Simpson…to be registered by John Watson, March 12 1846.”
In 1851, the Common School and Meeting House, a log building, was used as a place of worship by different evangelical bodies (according to the census). In 1862, a brick building replaced the log structure. In 1909, a new large brick building with basement was built on Lot 15 Concession 1 east ½, known as School Section #10.
Caleb Groat, who was a soldier and wounded in the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, is buried here.
The last known burial was that of Benjamin Booth in 1894.
The Meeting House was removed and the cemetery eventually abandoned. It is not known exactly how many burials took place in the cemetery due the condition of the monuments and fragments that remain today.
Lot 16 was purchased by the Bertram family who used the land for raising Ayrshire cattle. They remained on the land for less than 50 years, thus the cemetery also became known as Bertram’s cemetery.
In 1965, Ontario Seed Cleaners and Dealers Limited (OSECO) purchased the land from the Bertram Estate. According to OSECO, the land belongs to them; however, the cemetery is now owned by the City of Brampton.
Ronald H. Hibbert
Transcription purchase:
No transcription has been made available for purchase, because the cemetery has so few stones.