Limehouse Presbyterian

Limehouse Presbyterian Church & Cemetery

SE Lot 23, Concession 6, Esquesing Township.
Sixth Line and 22nd Sideroad, Halton Hills (Limehouse).
GPS 43.6468°N, –79.97°W

History: On 5 July 1832 John Meredith deeded two acres of land in the east corner of Lot 23, Concession 6, Esquesing Township, to the trustees of the Calvanistic Presbyterian Church (Thomas Burns, James Fraser, and William Nickell) to be used as a burying ground and as the site for a church to be known as the Second Presbyterian Church of Esquesing. The payment for the land was two pounds, ten shillings. Previous to this date the first burial was for Agnes Stirrat, a three year eight month old child who had wandered away from home. When she was found a female bear had tried to warm her and care for her, however the exposure was too great for the child and she died on 4 April 1826 and is buried in plot 47.

Most families in the Limehouse area used the burying ground which became known as the Limehouse Union Cemetery. The community feeling was continued when a church building was erected in 1861. The church originally called the Limehouse Union Church. An Article of Agreement was signed by James Lindsay, Thomas B. Fraser, James Fraser, John Nickell, John Meredith, John Newton and Charles Meredith stating that all denominations in the neighbourhood were at liberty to use the church after consultation as to time schedules.

On 5 July 1859 a meeting was called to choose trustees for the burying ground. The minute book for the burying ground begins on that date.

With growth in the community and the church, the Church Trustees saw the need to extend the cemetery grounds with the purchase of the adjoining property in 1968. Plans for the development of the burying area, roadways and landscaping were initiated and the grounds were set apart for their special use at a Dedication Service in 1982.

Highlights from the Minute Book:

  • 1869 – a survey to be made for the exact boundaries and a fence to be erected.
  • 1889 – the names of plot holders to be marked on a plan of the burying ground.
  • 1905 – a subscription rate of $1 per year for plot holders for maintenance of the grounds.
  • 1911-2 – bequests made, to be put out at interest for all time, to help maintain the cemetery.
  • 1927 – a plan of the cemetery plots with numbers and names was deposited with the clerk of Esquesiong Township.
  • 1928 – the fee for a plot was set at $10.
  • 1961 – grounds repaired and tidied up after the church remodelling was completed.
  • 1968 – cemetery grounds extended.

Transcriptions of this cemetery are available on-line by credit card from the O.G.S. web site click here for price/order.