Mount Wolfe Primitive Methodist Cemetery
Also known as: Coates Chapel Cemetery
Also known as: Old Methodist Cemetery
Location:
16434 Mount Pleasant Road, Caledon, Peel Region, Ontario, Canada.
Concession 8, lot 23 E1/2, Albion Township.
GPS:
Latitude: 43.954314°N
Longitude: -79.792776°W
History:
On October 4, 1847, James Coates sold 1200 square yards to the Trustees for the Primitive Methodists for the sum of 5 shillings for a permanent chapel. The Trustees were Thomas Davidson, Francis Robinson, Simson Elliott, Samuel Wa__?___, John Brown, John Hall, James Ruston, and William Jessup.
Although neither the Tremaine map nor the 1877 Peel County Atlas indicate a church at this location, “Coates” is on the circuit for the Primitive Methodists by 1843. When the minute books for the Etobicoke circuit begin in 1852, Coates Chapel is listed.
Exactly how the cemetery came to be known as Mount Wolfe is unknown. The death notice in the Christian Guardian for Maria Davison, wife of John Coates, states she died at Mount Pleasant. However that is the name of the Wesleyan Cemetery down the road. Mount Wolfe was the name of the post office, but it was on the Roadhouse farm down the road from where Mount Pleasant was located. As the Primitive Methodist records always refer to it as Coates Chapel these other two names must have been local names.
Exactly how long the church lasted also remains a mystery. William Perkins Bull received the following information in 1932 from a William Boyce: “My father bought that farm from a man called Coates. The church was there as long as I can remember, and we always went to church there.” Another person Robert Logan who was 77 years old remembered Rev. James Smith was the preacher when he attended, and his first funeral was that of Joseph Lipsett.
William Perkins Bull also mentions that the log church would be about 50 years old and was sold to Jno Stiel of Bolton. Coates Chapel is last mentioned on the Etobicoke circuit in 1869. Whether it was placed on another circuit or closed has yet to be ascertained. For the con-firmed period of operation, 1843 to 1869, there should be many more burials than the three that are listed.
Elaine Bertrand
Transcription purchase:
No transcription has been made available for purchase, because the cemetery had so few stones.