DeForest Pioneer Cemetery
Location:
7020 Walker’s Line, Milton, Halton Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 4, lot 11, Nelson Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.45744°N
Longitude: -79.91687°W
History:
Little seems to be known about this cemetery located on the northwest corner of Walker’s Line and Derry Road on top of the hill. Some of the monuments are gone with only the bases remaining.
The recording is made from Jan Speers’ visit in 1983, Wm. Britnell’s recording of 1977 and from a listing done by the Burlington Historical Society. The following bits and pieces of information were picked up when attempting to find out some of its history. They are not proven at this time.
1. DeForest schoolhouse also held church services.
2. St John’s Nassagaweya Anglican minister mentioned that this cemetery may have been used by early Anglicans. Others thought it was Methodist or just started by necessity by the family with others from area buried there.
3. Elizabeth DeForest received land from the Crown. Later sales of this property always show ‘excepting a small piece’, which was probably the cemetery.
4. In January 1854 George Agnew and his wife sold part of the south west half of Lot 11 Concession 4 North Section to the Trustees of the Episcopal Church .This would be on the other part of the property to the cemetery which is located on the east half of Lot 11.
The following was taken from the DeForest family history by the Burlington Historical Society:
Three DeForest brothers, who were Huguenots, came to New Amsterdam, New York from France in 1600.
Isaac DeForest was a Loyalist and was imprisoned with his son, Abraham. While escaping Isaac was shot but Abraham escaped to Canada at Niagara-on-the-Lake. Abraham, born c1769, married Elizabeth in 1795. He was given 200 acres in Nelson and received an additional 100 acres later. His son James was given land Lot 13 Concession 6 in Nelson Township. Abraham Jr. of Nelson also asked for 200 acres in 1832, receiving it February 28, 1833.
John DeForest had a son David in 1877 by his second wife Eliza. David’s son Norman resided in Central Burlington. David’s sisters were Emma and Mary. One married a Hewson in Milton Heights.
Today the cemetery is looked after by Milton which has no information or records. The widening of Derry Road has cut into the hillside, and hopefully this will not cause further destruction to the pioneer cemetery. Perhaps the cemetery should be considered for a cairn to safeguard the remaining monuments.
Trudy Mann
Transcription purchase:
Transcriptions of this cemetery are available for digital download from the OGS website – click here to order via credit card.