The UELAC St. Lawrence Branch has successfully unveiled the first two plaques of its “Loyalist Burial Site” project.
On the evening of June 11, in front of a nice crowd of roughly 35 people, the first plaque was unveiled at Trinity Anglican Church in downtown Cornwall, ON. The ceremony began with several prayers by Rev. Patrick Stephens. He also spoke of the importance of the Loyalists to the church, in particular this year, which represents the 235th anniversary of the community.
Following this were detailed historical remarks by Stuart Manson. He related biographical information about the confirmed Loyalists buried in the cemetery. He also expanded his observations to other interesting characters – those who also sacrificed greatly for their “King and Country” from later periods – who are also buried there.
It was a lovely late-spring evening, with sunshine and just enough of a breeze to keep away the mosquitos. The ceremony was followed by refreshments in the church, and lively conversations.
The next morning, a second plaque was unveiled at St. Andrew’s-Knox United Church in rural Bainsville, ON. This is an idyllic churchyard cemetery surrounded by farmer’s fields. We were again graced with pleasant weather, which has been a rarity in the spring of 2019. Approximately 20 participants were present.
Rev. John Noordhof spoke on behalf of the congregation. Then Stuart Manson described the importance of historical cemeteries, and related details of the life and family of Cato Prime, one of the Loyalists buried in the cemetery. Prime’s tombstone proudly declares him to be a “U.E. Loyalist.” He was a man of African descent, and a former slave in New York during the early part of the American Revolutionary War.
At this event, members of the Edgar family were present, including James Edgar of Melville Saskatchewan. The Edgar family contributed funds towards the first two plaques (Cornwall and Bainsville). They were also the driving force behind the project, which has become a long-term branch endeavour. James spoke about his Loyalist and other ancestors in the cemetery.
Most of the ceremony took place around the tombstones of Cato Prime and his wife Catherine Godet, located on the west side of the church. The plaque, however, is located near the entrance to the property, near the church sign. Bagpiper D.J. McDonald led the way down to the plaque, where the unveiling took place. This ceremony also featured a duck fly-past, which was the most difficult part of the event to organize, but it came together without a hitch.
We thank the congregations of Trinity Anglican Church and St. Andrew’s-Knox United Church for their essential participation in this project. We also thank “Signs by McDougall” and “Fence Depot” for their technical contributions. And finally, thanks to the Bainsville ducks.