Brown’s Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery
Also known as: Munsey’s Cemetery
Also known as: Paisley Cemetery
Location:
Near 17022 Airport Road, Caledon, Peel Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 6E, lot 9, Caledon Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.89072°N
Longitude: -79.89529°W
History:
Brown Wesleyan Methodist Church and Cemetery were located on approximately one acre of land given by James Brown and his wife Mary Kyle Brown. This land is part of Lot 9 Concession 6 EHS Caledon Township.
The church is first mentioned in the 1858-59 Reports, with the list of subscribers including: Isaac Walton, Mrs Walton, John Brown, John Wiley, Stephen Leighton, Henry McCartney, James Munsey, James Folles, James Lindsay and Mrs J Lindsay. It is not known exactly when this church closed, but the last date it is mentioned on a circuit list is 1901. In talking with one oldtimer, he stated that he remembers Jimmy Rogers, the Caledon East Methodist minister conducting prayer meetings at Brown’s church on Wednesday nights. One of the highlights of the year at Brown’s church was the oyster supper. The pulpit from Brown’s church is in the possession of Mr Wilfred McKinley who is now living in Bolton Ontario.
The church was moved from its original location to the side of the lot in May 1915. It was reshingled possibly in 1921, as a motion to have it done was recorded in the Caledon East Cemetery Board minute book in May of that year. In 1938 it was advertised for sale by tender; in 1940, there was an apparent sale; but no mention was made of the removal of the building. Mr Hallie Graham of Inglewood bought the building for $60.00 and took it down before 1942. He used the lumber mainly in house renovations in the Caledon East/Inglewood area according to Mr Dan Early who worked with him. The pine pews were about an inch and a half thick and ten to twelve inches wide. Mr Early could not recall just where the lumber was used, but said if he ever came across any of it he is sure he would recognize it, as it was beautiful pine.
Attached to the workshed in the Caledon East Cemetery is a wooden plaque with the date August 15 1856 and the name “Wesleyan Methodist” on it. It is believed to have come from the old church.
The Burying Grounds were to the back of the church. The earliest stone found was dated 1850, and the last stone, 1964, as members of families who had plots in Brown’s are still buried there. The grounds were taken over for maintenance by the Caledon East Public Cemetery Board in 1910, with the understanding that the plots now occupied were not to be interfered with without permission of the owners, and perpetual care was to be given to the cemetery. This under- standing makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the old stones to be moved into a cairn as the list of plot owners has long since disappeared.
Records marked with an ‘*’ can be found in the register of the Caledon East Cemetery. Across the front of the old graveyard, small plots are being sold for the burial of urns following a cremation. The records are included in the Caledon East Cemetery Register, but the burials are considered to be in the old cemetery. Records 31 and 32 are examples of this.
Ruth Burkholder
Transcription purchase:
Transcriptions of this cemetery are available for digital download from the OGS website – click here to order via credit card.