Ebenezer United Church Cemetery
Location:
12274 Guelph Line, Milton, Halton Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 3, lot 22, Nassagaweya Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.5508°N
Longitude: –80.0744°W
History:
Excerpts from The History of the Church, published for the Centennial, 1832-1932
(copy is at the United Church Archives).
The cemetery is located on part of Lot 22 Conc. 3 granted to Wm Trudgeon from Cornwall, England in 1821. In 1823, ministers of the Genesee Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, travelling through the area, preached in Mr. Trudgeon’s house every two weeks. Trudgeon’s youngest daughter married Nicholas Winter but died soon after and was the first person to be buried here (c1831). (For further details of families in the area see History of Nasagiweya (sic) by Joshua Norrish, published 1889 and reprinted in the Nassagaweya Centennial Book 1850-1950; also, a poem mentioning Ebenezer members by George Norrish, brother of Joshua.)
In 1832, a chapel of cedar logs, hewn on the inside and rough on the outside, was built on the east corner of the cemetery. In 1834, Methodist New Connexion Ministers came occasionally. In 1846 Mr. Trudgeon Jr. deeded 50 x 60 feet for one pound sterling for a new frame church, 30 x 45 feet, which was built in 1847. The Trustees were William Fletcher, Joseph Fletcher and Thomas Easterbrook. In 1870, the church became Wesleyan Methodist.
In 1892, land was purchased for a church site from James Adamson for $100, and new sheds were erected.
In 1915, the present brick building was built, and the frame church was torn down. Seven cornerstones were laid commemorating the history and activity of the church. As there was no church for several months, people met in a nearby empty house.
The church records were kept in the residence of the minister across the road, which was later destroyed by fire. When Rev. E. L. Flagg was pastor in 1902, he gathered an historical outline from conversations with older members of the congregation. These notes were lost for years but finally were discovered in Hamilton and presented at the Church’s 133rd anniversary to the Archivist for the United Church, Rev. George Boyle, BA, BD.
There are some plot plans in the possession of Art Deanoni of Nassagaweya.
Miller Peart
In 1989, a $200,000 addition and renovation was begun.
Transcription purchase:
Transcriptions of this cemetery are available for digital download from the OGS website – click here to order via credit card.