Though the land for the cemetery was donated to the community in 1824, the earliest recorded burial didn't take place until 1838, with the interment of Nathaniel Smith, who died May 19, 1838.
Though the donors were Baptist, it was their intention that the cemetery be nondenominational, which it remained for many years, eventually being taken over by the Baptist Church in the latter half of the 1800s.
Sometime after the cemetery was established and before 1843 a Baptist meeting house was erected on the site, remaining in use until a Baptist Church and School was opened in 1843. The old meeting house was sold and moved a few hundred metres west toward Bedford.
, that 1843 Baptist meeting house was also built on the cemetery grounds, remaining in use until construction of the present church in the early 1900s.
lists 189 burials to date, probably close to the real total. It is almost certain that there are a number of now unmarked graves in the cemetery, though.
The Hammonds Plains Historical Society has compiled a quite complete history of the cemetery, excerpts from which appear below.
The Early Days of Hammonds Plains
The priority in the early days was on survival and establishing a home for family. It wasn't until the 1820's that the residents started to attend to setting up village support structures (such as a school, church, shops and a graveyard).
Amos & Dorothy Melvin
• Had come to Hammonds Plains in 1811.
• Had considerable wealth, were able to buy hundreds of acres of land in Hammonds Plains, including much of the middle Of village.
• Were a driving force in establishing a village.
• In 1824 they donated to the village the easternmost acre of their land for burial grounds and a meeting house or school. (Deed wasn't registered until 1831).
Location of Cemetery
It is thought that Amos & Dorothy liked this site for a burial ground because it sat
peacefully on a hill, overlooking First Lake.
The land was given to be used as a community cemetery, as no religious affiliation was mentioned in the deed, although the Melvin's were of the Baptist faith.
Meeting House/School
There was a building put on the site — no record of when or where. It is thought that the building was used as school and a meeting place for church. In 1841, Jacob Melvin donated a quarter acre lot for a school house (on site where Baptist Church now stands). Building open in 1843 as a Baptist Church and School. Building therefore became redundant, after 1843.
Period of Confusion - Mid 1850s
Amos Melvin died in 1829 and his wife Dorothy passed away in 1855. After Amos's death, conflict arose in the settling Of the Melvin estate. Some Of the estate went up for auction in 1852. After the auction, there was some question about who owned the cemetery lot. Community leaders took steps to secure a proper title for the cemetery (1853). One of the leaders in securing the proper title was John Thomas, who acquired the old meeting house and moved it to his property, a few hundred metres toward Bedford.
The Baptist Church oversees Cemetery
During the second half of the 1800s, the Baptist Church became the body to look after the cemetery. References are made in church records of maintaining the cemetery. After Anglican and Catholic Churches were built in the mid 1800s, along with connected cemeteries, it is thought that the Baptist Church decided to use the cemetery as their own, although anyone could still be buried there during the 1800s.
Notes from the 1800s
Not sure when first person was buried in the cemetery. Oldest recorded grave is that of Nathaniel Smith, who died May 19, 1838. A fence was erected around the cemetery at some point in the late 1800s. Gravestones made of different materials (mostly limestone in 1800s, although a few appear to be sandstone, transition to granite, and some marble in the 1900s), came in many shapes and had unique inscriptions. Gravestones of the 1800s more likely to have inscriptions on them. They were thinner for the most part than gravestones of the 1900s. Lots of young children buried in cemetery during the 1800s, as result of epidemics of tuberculosis & diphtheria.
Expansion of Cemetery — 1957-58
At church business meeting, it was motioned to purchase an acre behind the present cemetery (from Wilfred Eisenhauer) at a cost of $200, with the provision that the land be cleared by the landowner. Reference is made in church records from 1958 until the 1960s about the new lot needing to be cleared but it doesn't appear that it ever was.
1965
Morton Eisenhauer donates funds to purchase a gate in honor of his parents, who were buried in the cemetery.
From the Hammonds Plains Historical Society