Basswood Ridge Cemetery
Basswood Ridge is one of countless communities in Charlotte County with a long, rich history. Located 16km outside of St. Stephen, Basswood Ridge was first settled by immigrant farmers from Sutherland, Scotland, in 1803 and named for the abundance of Basswood Trees in the area.
Sutherland, like other parts of the Scottish Highlands, was affected by the “Highland Clearances”, the eviction of tenants from their homes and farmland in the 18th and 19th centuries by the landowners. 1,068 families were evicted: representing an estimated 5,400 people. The population was provided with resettlement options in coastal areas, with employment available in fishing or other industries. Many, however, moved to other farms or left Scotland entirely to emigrate to Canada, the US or Australia.
Among the earliest settlers was young Colin Campbell (1806 – 1880), who came to the area with his Scottish immigrant parents at age 5. He would spend the remainder of his life in Basswood Ridge, going on to run the family farm with his wife Barbara and their 6 children. Colin is buried in the Basswood Ridge Cemetery. The long-abandoned cemetery can be found on the Basswood Ridge Road, about 200 meters north of the intersection with Route 730. The cemetery is also of historic note for the small sign that still pays tribute to the victims of a smallpox outbreak that befell the area.
A land grant was approved for the residents to build a school in 1819. By 1871, the farming community had grown to a population of about 159, comprised of about 25 families. The area had its own store and a post office. And perhaps most notable – a small gold mine!
The Blakeney Mine was in operation until the first quarter of the 20th century and also produced small amounts of silver and quartz. Numerous members of the Matheson family that still inhabits the area were among the small workforce. Quartz crystals can still be found in the area by eagle-eyed rock hounds.
