Passing through the iron gate, you’re literally walking into history as you enter the St. Stephen Rural Cemetery. Encompassing 65 acres of granite memorials resting under the shade of centuries-old pines, the cemetery contains nearly 25km of dirt roads and pathways. Now designated as a Local Historic Place, the cemetery was once owned by farmers George Christie and Scottish immigrant farmer Angus McCoy. After the town purchased the lots in 1856, the cemetery was officially opened that April. Meaning this April will mark its 170th year.
The early design of the cemetery was done by Walter M. Buck. This cemetery is an example of rural cemetery design that became popular during the mid-19th century in New England, elevating the aesthetic profile of cemeteries beyond just religious functionality. The cemetery’s landscaping and pathways, along with its hillside location, create the preferred setting for this concept of rural cemetery.
When the Loyalist Cemetery on King Street in St. Stephen closed, some of the remains were moved to the St. Stephen Rural Cemetery, as well as many from the Methodist Cemetery in Union Mills. In 1867, through the fundraising efforts of the women of St. Stephen and Milltown, funds were secured to purchase an iron fence and gate. The wrought iron arch over the gate was replaced in 1992 however, and the fence was replaced in 2005.
There are now over 15,000 people interred at the cemetery. This includes my own great-grandfather, Wallace James Morrow, who was born in 1901 in Harvey and passed away in 1966. Notable residents of the cemetery include 7 members of the Ganong family, former Premier of New Brunswick (1882 – 1897) James Mitchell, and two veterans of the American Civil War; one of whom, John C. Caldwell, was also one of eight Generals assigned as the Guard of Honor to transfer President Abraham Lincoln’s body from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, in 1865.
