Ebenezer United Church Cemetery
Location:
8999 The Gore Road, Brampton, Peel Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 10, Lot 5, Toronto Gore Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.7722°N
Longitude: -79.6626°W
History:
In the year 1847, James Sleightholm, Esquire, and Ann, his wife, deeded to the community the lot on which the present church stands (it was to be utilized for a church site and cemetery), for the small sum of five shillings, virtually a gift. The first trustees appointed were John Kellam, James Nichols and John Ackrow of Vaughan, Francis Sleightholm of “Toronto in the Gore”, and Thomas Horsley of Chinguacousy, their signatures and seals being attached to the deed, with Daniel Hewgill and Thomas Adams signing as witnesses, the last name being the minister in charge on the Etobicoke circuit at that time. A proviso in the deed stated that there must always be five, or more, trustees. The deed was recorded in the Registry Office, York County, on February 3rd, 1848, at 1 p.m. Libra 18, pages 29, 30 and 31, No. 30745.
John Smith, stepson of Jas. Sleightholm, Sr., who was drowned June 11, 1836, aged 21 years, supplies the earliest death to be recorded in the cemetery. This is no proof, however, that the cemetery was in use at that time, for relatives state that his first burial was elsewhere, and his remains later removed to their present resting-place, quite possibly at the time of his brother’s death in 1848, which is the second burial recorded.
A list of the families attending the first church would doubtless contain the following names: Ackrow, Agar, Allison, Elcoat, Ellerby, Fletcher, Foster, Hewgill, Horsley, Hutchinson, Kellam, Mason, Nattress, Nichols, Pierson, Robinson, Sleightholm, Sanderson, and Saul.
Many members of the above families can be found in Hilltop Gore Cemetery which had been established in 1832 and appears to have been the area burial ground until the opening of Ebenezer in 1847.
In the spring of 1929, a project that had been under discussion for some time culminated in action. The cemetery was cleared of all undesirable trees and unsightly growth, the grounds were levelled, a new fence was erected and a fund had been subscribed by relatives of those interred for the perpetual care and upkeep of the graves. Mr. Samuel S. Hewgill attended to the mowing of the grass when necessary. Cemetery Committee: Jas. A. Sleightholm, J. Julian Jr., and W. T. Dobson.
This History has been taken from the History of Ebenezer United Church, 1858-1933.
Joy Matthews
A Note on the History of Ebenezer United Church
The first church, known as Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1847. The present church was constructed in 1858, as per the above history. In 1925 with the union of the Congregationalists, Methodists and some Presbyterians, the church became Ebenezer United Church. The two signs on the front of the church represent the first church, 1847, and the present building of 1858.
Dorothy Kew
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