Union Burying Ground and United Empire Loyalist Cemetery
Also known as: Job’s Lane Cemetery
Location:
1001 Plains Road East, Burlington, Halton Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 2, lot 1, Nelson Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.32534°N
Longitude: -79.82885°W
History:
This cemetery was started by a group of United Empire Loyalists in 1848.
The original owner was Chief Joseph Brant. Before his death, he sold the land to others and finally to Jacob Fisher in the mid-1800’s. The land was then divided into equal burial plots for the following people: G. P. Gage, Andrew Gage, Asahel Gage, George Ghent, J. H. Fisher, Peter Fisher, Thomas Baxter, Gilbert Davis and William Davis. Each of these men owned one plot with William Davis owning two plots. The plots were sold for the sum of 2 pounds each.
Each subscriber also paid part of the cost of the brick wall and gates which enclose the cemetery. The old gates, at one time the original entrance, are on the south side of the cemetery above a bank and high stone wall. Entrance to the cemetery is now through two iron gates on the west side, made necessary by the widening of Plains Road.
The original families were:
GAGE – The family settled in Burlington, then moved to Stoney Creek. Gage Park in Hamilton was named after this family.
DAVIS – The cemetery skirted the edge of their property.
GHENT – The family owned a farm on the corner of Brant and Prospect Streets. The house is still standing and occupied.
FISHER – Peter Fisher’s property is now Burlington Mall.
BAXTER – The family owned the first general store in Burlington on Brant Street.
Another interesting person buried in the cemetery is Bishop John Alley. He was a Methodist Episcopal Bishop who, in the mid-1800’s while making a tour of his charges, stopped at the Fisher farm where he took ill and died. He is buried in the Fisher Plot.
During the mid-1800’s, most people had little or no education. Oddly enough, however, most of the original people buried in the cemetery had some type of formal education, such as high school or university.
There are approximately 150 people buried in the cemetery. The average age of death is 35 years for women and 60 years for men.
Jane Watt
Transcription purchase:
Transcriptions of this cemetery are available for digital download from the OGS website – click here to order via credit card.