St. Ninian's Cemetery

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19	20	21
22	23	23a
24	25	26
27	28	29

Descriptions

Stone #1:

Captain Daniel McDonald

Dimensions: 49”x22”x6 ½”

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

Capt. Daniel McDonald/

who departed this/

life Dec. 7 1882 in the/

48^th year of his age/

In life he was an affection-/

ate husband a kind father/

and an enterprising man/

and died full of Christ-/

ian hope.

I am the resurection and the/

life. He that believeth in me,/

altho he be dead, shall live.

John XI.25 R.I.P.

Material: Marble

Condition: The stone has lichen and moss growth on all sides, some staining, and the inscription, especially the edges of the main text and the scripture at the bottom of the stone, is eroding to the point of illegibility. The headstone itself, however, is still standing on its base and there are no significant chips, cracks, or breaks compromising its structural integrity.

Captain Daniel McDonald appears at first glance to have been a prominent man in the community of Antigonish. The physical location of his headstone – among the first along the front when entering the cemetery – as well as the praise within his inscription imply that he was at least well respected. In addition, the intricacy of the carving, which features among other types two large chestnut leaves at the bottom of the stone, from which the inscription appears to stem, attest to some level of wealth. However, what the family spent making the stone aesthetically pleasing appears to have been compromised by the inscription. There are a number of spelling errors and unusual abbreviations and the placement of the text is somewhat cumbersome.

The man himself, frequently referred to as “Captain Dan,” was a master mariner, shipowner, husband, and father. An article published in 1857 in the Casket describes the launch of his 125-ton brigantine named “Margaret,” and similarly to his headstone, describes him again as an enterprising young man. He would have been approximately 25 at that time. Four years later, the Casket tells of a second of his ships being launched, a 107-ton schooner named the “John Bull,” which like the “Margaret” was bound for the Newfoundland fishery. The 1871 census indicates that Captain McDonald’s household consisted of 13 people, including two servants. Their home, built in 1858, was located on Main Street. (Building currently houses the Made in Nova Scotia Store and Tasia Jewelry.)

Krista Farrell (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #2:

Stone #3:

Mary Shea

Dimensions: 3’4” x 1’6½” x 2”

Orientation: East

Inscription:

IN MEMORY OF

MARY SHEA

WIFE OF THE LATE

JOHN THOMPSON

DIED

MARCH 5 1880

AGED 82 YRS

May she rest in peace

Material: marble

Condition: In good condition though eroding significantly at the top. Moss appears on the inscription and on the back.

Mary Thompson (née Shea) was born c. 1798 and married John Thompson, a native of Antigonish, in 1824. He was the son of John Thompson, a native of North Ireland, and one of the earliest settlers in the Antigonish region. John Jr. purchased a house, store, and lot of land before they were married, and then in 1825 purchased another on Church Street. Mary had eight children with John – William, Elizabeth, Robert, Margaret, Mary Ann, Walter, Alfred, and John (III) – but her husband died prematurely in 1837 leaving her with little property, means of income, and a brood of children to feed. She did nonetheless manage to survive another 4.5 decades after her husband passed away.

Mary Shea’s tombstone features a large willow tree carving at the top of the stone, which is a traditional symbol for mourning. There is also a cross nestled in the branches of the willow.

David Algee (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #4:

Nora and Lizzie Fitzgerald

Dimensions: 31” clear of 5 ½” base, base 11” sq, stone 8” sq.

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

NORA/

DIED APR. 16, 1891/

AGE 5 YRS/

LIZZIE/

DIED APR. 19, 1891/

AGE 9 YRS/

CHILDREN OF JOHN & MARY FITZGERALD

Material: Marble

Condition: The stone is still legible despite some staining, moss/lichen, and some fairly serious gouges taken out of the edges that obscure some of the text. The carving at the top of the stone – a cross and banner bearing the I.H.S. christogram – is a bit faint but still legible. The back of the stone is inscribed with the details of their father, John Fitzgerald’s death, just three days before the first of two his daughters.

Nora and Lizzie Fitzgerald were the only daughters of John and Mary Fitzgerald (b. Ireland). The girls are recorded in the 1891 census (collected shortly before their death) as aged 9 and 4. Also recorded in the census are Michael, the eldest child at 14, and John A., age 6. There is little information regarding the cause or nature of their death given in their obituary:

Fitzgerald – At Antigonish, on the 13^th and 22^nd Inst. respectively, Nora, aged five, and Elizabeth, aged nine, children of the late John Fitzgerald whose death has been noticed in The Casket of the 16^th Inst. The widow and […] mother has the condolence of the whole community. R.I.P.

The notice about John Fitzgerald’s death was more informative:

Fitzgerald – At Antigonish on Monday 13^th Inst. John Fitzgerald, in the 50^th year of his age. The deceased was native to Kerry, Ireland. In his early work, he had come out to Boston. There [illegible] subsequently removed to P.E. Island from which latter place he came to Antigonish some 13 years ago. During the years that have since gone by he made many friends here, and was generally esteemed as an upright, industrious man, a good neighbor, a sincere and practical Christian. His death was brought on by an attack of scarlet fever of a very malignant type which carried him after a few days of illness. The four little children are stricken with the same disease, two of whom are not expected to recover. Much sympathy is felt for his widow in her great bereavement. R.I.P.

The boys did recover, but clearly Nora and Lizzie were less fortunate. A later piece in the Casket describes the similarly tragic fate of Mary Fitzgerald. In essence, the article relates Mrs. Fitzgerald fell ill while next to the river near her home, where she had frequented that week, and had drowned. The author describes how her mental and physical health had deteriorated since the passing of her husband and two daughters, and the news that her son Michael had died in Whitehorse (which proved to be false), but asserts that the “jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning.” There is no evidence that Mrs. Fitzgerald is buried within the confines of St. Ninian’s cemetery with any members of her family.

Krista Farrell (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #5:

Daniel McDougall

Dimensions: approx. 2m

Orientation: East

Inscription:

IN MEMORY OF

DAN son of

ARCH & MARGARET

McDOUGALL

DIED AT DONALD B.C. MAY 11, 1890

AGED 20 Y’RS & 6 MOS.

MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE

The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken

Away: AS IT HATH PLEASED THE LORD, SO IT IS

DONE: BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!

JOHN 1.21

North Side:

Decoratively rendered wreath of flowers

West Side:

HIS REMAINS WERE

BROUGHT HOME, AND

INTERRED IN HIS

NATIVE CEMETERY

MCDOUGALL (Sculptured)

South Side:

Rosette Cross

Material: White Bronze

Condition: The marker is in very good condition, and has survived weathering to a much greater extent than many of its neighbours.

Daniel McDougall was 20 years old at the time of his death, which was caused by a railway accident in Donald, British Columbia. His obituary in the Casket is sparse, but information released later conveys some more details about the events immediately preceding and, subsequently, following his death. On the day of the accident he asked his superiors in Bear Creek, B.C., to notify his parents. By Sunday, three days later, he had passed away. His body was sent home by the Brotherhood of United Firemen of which he was a member, along with the above monument which marks his grave.

As indicated on the marker, Daniel’s parents were Archibald and Margaret McDougall. They married in 1869, and Dan was born a year later in Hallowell’s Grant, Antigonish County. Archibald McDougall owned a significantly greater amount of land than the majority of his neighbours.

According to the 1881 census, twelve-year-old Daniel had 3 other siblings living at home at the time; Angus, 10 years old, Flora, 8, and John, 6. All of them attended school. Daniel also appears to have had an older brother (perhaps from a previous marriage) who made a living as a blacksmith but also worked with his family as a farmer. There is not much information on Daniel’s life between 12 and 20, but clearly he had found work in western Canada. The family moved to North Grant sometime between 1886 and 1890.

Heather Anderson (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #6:

Mary Elizabeth Hanrahan

Dimensions: 3’11” x 1’7” x 4”

Orientation: East

Carver: J.A. Walker

Inscription:

IN MEMORY OF

MARY ELIZABETH HANRAHAN

DIED

APL. 30, 1886

AE. 21 YRS:

AND HER SISTER

KATIE ANN

DIED OCT. 15, 1890

AGED 19 YRS.

BELOVED DAUGHTERS OF JAMES &

ELIZABETH HANRAHAN

BY NOBLE CHRISTIAN LIVES

THEY HAVE WON CROWNS IN

HEAVEN

J.A. WALKER

Material: Marble

Condition: Good, little erosion.

James Hanrahan was born in Newfoundland to Irish parents. He wed Elizabeth, a Nova Scotian, and established a farm in the Morristown area of Antigonish County. James and Elizabeth would have 6 children; James, Patrick, Timothy, Johanna, Mary (Elizabeth) and Catherine (Katie) Ann. In 1881, all but the last two were attending school. They owned 200 acres of land, and 40 in pasture, a barn, a wagon, and a plough. The farm produced 2.5 acres of wheat, 20 spring bushels, and 100 bushels of oats, 2 acres of potatoes and 13 of hay, and for livestock, they owned 1 horse, 4 milk cows, 3 other cattle, 5 sheep, and 3 swine. They also yielded 240 pounds of butter, 50 pounds of cheese, and 20 pounds of wool. No obituary could be found for either of the women cited on the gravestone.

David Algee (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #7:

Stone #8:

Margaret Henry

Dimensions: 127cm x 52cm

Orientation: East

Inscription:

In memoriam

Mrs. MARGARET HENRY

Consort of

M. Forrestall

of Halifax

Who died

Nov. 1 1865

AEt. 85 years

Native of Co. Kilkenny

Ireland

[epitaph]

the life of deceased forms her [trucst?]

Turn O my soul into thy rest, for

the Lord hath been bountiful to thee

Requiescat in pace

Ps. cap. 116

Material: Limestone

Mrs. Margaret Henry, as indicated on her tombstone, was born in County Kilkenny in Ireland. . Her maiden name was Mary Hendricken, and friends called her “Peggy.” She apparently emigrated and was living in Halifax sometime before 1805 as it was in that year that her first son, Richard James Forrestall, was born. The child was given the name of its father, Michael. Forrestall. Presumably the two were married if Forrestall is acknowledged (and significantly) on her tombstone well after his death and her remarriage.

Before 1816, Margaret entered a relationship with Halifax merchant Robert Nesbit Henry. A Presbyterian, he worked with the local magistracy. Three more children were born of this marriage. The 1817 census indicates that the family had moved to Antigonish, where Henry worked as a postman at that time. Their household, located on Acadia Street, was comparatively quite large, and was comprised of 19 people including four servants. It was known as a fairly cultured home, where ministers among other visitors would visit and speak on issues of the day.

Henry, an educated man, ensured that the children he raised with Margaret received proper education. This is evidenced by the success of his children, especially of Richard (Forrestall) and William.

Richard would become an elected member of the Sydney Company, and later a Registrar of Deeds for Antigonish County. Before his death he would also serve as an MLA in Sydney.

Similarly, William Alexander Henry was admitted to the bar and practiced in Halifax before becoming an MLA, representing the Antigonish region for an extended period of time. He also served as the mayor of Halifax, was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and is considered one of Canada’s founding fathers. The Henry House on Barrington Street in Halifax and the William Alexander Henry Building in Antigonish are named after him.

Heather Anderson (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #9:

Stone #10:

Moses Chisholm

Dimensions: 64” tall. Base 18” sq, headstone 11 ½” sq

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

IN MEMORY/

OF

MOSES McI CHISHOLM/

DROWNED/

AT CANSO/

SEPT 28 1897/

AGED 23 YRS/

REQUIESCANT IN PACE/

Material: Grey Sandstone

Condition: The headstone is significantly eroded and is covered in lichen. Much of the structural details remain, such as the vaulted faces and a large three-dimensional carved urn on the top.

Moses Chisholm was born to Duncan Chisholm and Catherine (also called Ann?) Somers on the 27^th of January, 1874. It appears he was predeceased by an infant brother of the same name. His father was a carpenter, born in Scotland, and his mother was born in Nova Scotia.

The September 30, 1897 issue of the Casket records the death of Moses Chisholm in an article entitled “Sad Drowning Accident.” The community of Antigonish had received news the morning before by telegraph from Canso. Moses had been there working with his brother Angus D. building a house in Hazel Hill. The exact details of the accident were still unknown by the Casket. The body had been found the previous morning, and the pocket watch he was carrying had stopped at 9 o’clock, the presumed time of death. The article speculates that the likely course of events was that Moses had gone to Canso to meet his brother upon his return to work from a trip home to, presumably, Antigonish. It also states that Moses was known to have epileptic seizures could have fallen off the wharf, and additionally, that their father had died just three months prior. A “Resolution of Condolence” from the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association was published in a subsequent edition of the Casket. It read:

Whereas, It has pleased Divine Providence to remove by death Moses Chisholm, brother of our esteemed brother Angus D. Chisholm;

Resolved, That we, the members of this branch, while humbly accepting the Will of God, desire to place on record our sincere regret at the early death of Moses Chisholm, brother of our esteemed brother, Angus D. Chisholm; and we hereby extend to him and the members of his family our heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement;

Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be entered on the minutes of the Branch, a copy sent to Bro. Angus D. Chisholm and to The Casket for publication.

Krista Farrell (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #11:

Bridget McKenna

Dimensions: 69cm x 29cm

Orientation: East

Inscription:

IN

LOVING MEMORY

OF

BRIDGET CECILIA

BELOVED WIFE OF

ANDREW McKENNA

WHO DIED

MAR. 25, 1890,

AGED 27 Y’RS.

ALSO THEIR INFANT DAU.

MARY ELLEN

DIED MAY 21, 1891, AGED

2 Y’RS & 7 MONTHS

Material: White limestone

Condition: Relatively good condition. Some small cracks and chips appear on the sides. Very legible.

Bridget McKenna (née Davis) is an enigmatic historical figure. Neither her maiden surname nor her husband’s were common in the area at the time of her death. Her husband Andrew was a farmer of Irish extraction. After Bridget’s premature death, her sisters Lucy and Margaret moved into the home to look after the two small children. When the daughter, Mary Ellen, died, Andrew moved to Pictou County and left young John P, known as “J.P.,” to be raised by his aunts. Andrew remarried to a Ms. Brody, and J.P. would become a successful pharmacist with a store on Main Street.

Heather Anderson (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #12:

Mary McKenna

Dimensions: 3’9” x 1’8” x2 ½”

Orientation: East

Carver: Walker

Inscription:

TO THE MEMORY OF

MARY

BELOVED WIFE OF

PATRICK McKENNA

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

JAN. 3, 1887

IN THE 78^TH YEAR

OF HER AGE

MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE

BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD

WALKER

Material: Marble

Mary McKenna and her husband Patrick were born in Ireland and immigrated to the Brierly Brook area of Antigonish Country. Patrick took up farming, and they had 5 children: Andrew William, Salinger John, Anne, Lucy, and Margaret.

Gleaning figures from the 1871 census, it appears that the family had a successful farm. They owned 200 acres of land, 40 in pasture, 1 barn, 2 carriages, 2 wagons, 1 plough and 1 fanning mill. The farm produced 2 acres of wheat, including 15 bushels of spring wheat, 15 bushels of barley, and 120 bushels of oats. Also, they grew 1 1/4 acres of potatoes and 40 bushels of turnips, and had collected 6 cords of wood. For livestock they had 1 horse, 2 oxen, 5 milk cows, 9 other cattle, 7 sheep, and 2 swine. In addition to this, they produced 300 pounds of butter and 60 pounds of wool.

David Algee (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #13:

Annie Cashen

Dimensions: 54”x21”x3”

Orientation: East/west.

Carver: Name present but illegible.

Inscription:

IN/

Loving memory/

OF/

ANNIE/

Wife of/

Michael Cashen

who died/

June 19, 1891/

Aged 29/

May she rest in peace

------/

---- infant daughter/

Mary H. age 3 weeks./

Material: marble, set in concrete

Condition: Stone presumably has fallen over in the past due to its concrete base. The stone is stained in places and there is considerable moss growth on the stone. The inscription is shallow and difficult to read. There are chips in the marble, but no large breaks or large cracks threatening the integrity of the stone.

There is little information available on Annie Cashen. The family appeared only in the 1881 census, but unfortunately this census lacks a complete return. According to this source, there was only one family of Cashens living in the Antigonish area. The household contained Michael, a farmer of Irish origin, Annie, of English descent, and two other women. The first was Johanna, an 82-year-old widow of Irish descent, and the second a 24-year-old woman named Hannah. We can assume that the former was Michael’s mother and the latter his sister. There is little if any available information other than this on Annie Cashen.

The family may have moved from Ireland due to the economic situation after the Great Famine (Annie was born after the worst years of the famine, but Johanna would certainly have lived through it). They settled in Antigonish with aspirations of a better existence, but neither their land nor luck was especially favourable. It seems that the family may very well have relocated again before the next census. It is likely that both Annie and her infant daughter Mary died because of complications surrounding childbirth.

Krista Farrell (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #14:

John O’Brian/Family

Inscription:

North Side:

John O’Brian

DIED

Feb 11. 1891,

AGED 54 Y’RS

AND HIS LOVING

WIFE MARY DIED

APRIL 5, 1888,

AGED 49 Y’RS.

ALSO

THEIR CHILDREN

East Side:

IN LOVING

MEMORY OF

MICHAEL O’BRIAN

KILLED AT STELL-

ARTON, N.S. IN A

RAIWAY ACCI-

DENT SEPT. 28

1898.

AGED 37 YEARS

West Side:

ALICE DIED JAN.

1875, AGE 16 Y’RS.

MAGGIE DIED MAR.

20, 1885,

AGE 16 Y’RS

ALICE DIED AUG 16,

1885, AGE 6 Y’RS

JOHN DIED FEB. 7,

1893, AGED 26 Y’RS

MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE.

South Side:

JAMES O’BRIAN SR.

DIED

JUNE 8, 1876,

AGED 85 Y’RS.

CATHERINE HIS

BELOVED WIFE

DIED FEB. 7,

1879,

AGED 79 Y’RS

Material: Multiple materials, including granite, white limestone and concrete.

Condition: The granite is, naturally, faring the best of any part of the marker. Some lichen is growing on the stone, and what deterioration exists is evident where sections of the different materials meet.

John O’Brian was born in Antigonish County in 1837. His father, James, according to records at the Antigonish Heritage Museum and information provided by a descendant, was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland in 1791. James married Catherine Conners, daughter of a United Empire Loyalist in Nova Scotia. He moved to Bayfield in 1815, and later North Grant and finally 28 Church Street, Antigonish. He built a successful tanning business there, which he handed down to John, one of his 13 children. John married Mary Delaney and they had 5 children together. He maintained the tannery until his father’s death in 1876. John himself died on February 11, 1891.

A Resolution of Condolence from the Sanbeam Lodge No. 171 Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen published in the Casket corroborates that John and Mary’s son Michael O’Brian was killed in a railway accident between Stellarton and Westville, Pictou County, and explains that he died instantly. It is clear from the article that Michael was well-respected among his professional community.

Heather Anderson (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #15:

Dan C. Campbell

Dimensions: 47” x 20.5” x 2”

Orientation: East

Inscription:

IN

MEMORY OF

DAN C. CAMPBELL

DIED

OCT. 18^TH 1896,

AGED 49 YEARS.

ONE PRECIOUS TO OUR HEARTS IS GONE

THE VOICE WE LOVED IS STILLED

THE PLACE MADE VACANT IN OUR HOME

CAN NEVER BE FILLED.

HIS WIFE

MARY

DIED APR. 29^TH 1961,

AGE 96 YEARS.

Material: Marble

Condition: Lichen covers the back of the stone, and there is a break running diagonally completely through the stone, and it appears to have been cemented back together.

Daniel Campbell, son of Charles and Mary Ann, is described in his Casket obituary as a resident of the “old Gulf Road”. He died “after a lingering illness.” There is little information on his life. In 1871, Dan was listed as 26 years old and living with his parents. This creates a discrepancy between his age given in the census and on the tombstone. The family’s assets included a barn, carriage, two cars/wagons/sleds, and a plow and cultivator. He left a widow and three children to mourn his loss.

Chad Leblanc (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #16:

Bernadette Saillant

Dimensions: 27 ¾” in height, 12 ¼” wide and 1 ¾” thick

Orientation: East

Inscription: "IN MEMORY OF / BERNADETTE SAILLANT / DIED / JUNE 10, 1886 / AGE 15 YRS / R.I.P."

Carver: J. McIsaac

Condition: good condition with a few cracks at the top and some chips and moss

Bernadette Saillant's white marble stone is an example of a domed tablet. It curves at the top to simulate the shape of a portal. The stone projects a stern simplicity. The main decorative motif is an ornate, five-pointed crown bi-sected by an ornamental cross. The crown represents the Crown of righteousness and denotes the supremacy of Christ over all living things. The cross echoes this symbolism, emphasing the trinity and religion.

Although Bernadette's stone stands in a row with eight other identical stones belonging to the Sisters of St. Martha, she herself was not a nun. There is one further irony as well, for Bernadette was connected with the nuns of the Congregation of Notre Dame (C.N.D.) rather than the Marthas. There is one possible explanation for the puzzling placement of this stone. Bernadette was one of the first women affiliated with the C.N.D.'s to be buried in the new St. Ninian's cemetery. Her stone betrays little about her personal identity. It blends in perfectly with the standardized design of the Sisters' tombstones around her. This rigid uniformity of tombstone design clearly echoed the paramount importance of the group over the individual.

It should be noted that Bernadette was not even a Novice at the time of her death. She was actually a student at Mount Saint Bernard College. Her aunt, Sister St. Zephyrine, was one of the original sisters to arrive in Antigonish; she was Mother Superior at Mount Saint Bernard College from 1883 to 1894. Bernadette came with her aunt from Montreal to study at the new school, but unfortunately died from a sudden attack of appendicitus the year of her graduation. Although the Mount Saint Bernard Annals reported Bernadette's wake and funeral, her death was not noted in the Casket.

Lindsay MacDonald

Stone #17:

Sarah MacMaster

Dimensions: approx. 8’ tall, with a base measurement of 29” (width) by 26” (depth and an inscribed section measurement of 16” by 12”)

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

"SACRED TO THE MEMORY / OF / SARAH MACMASTER / IN RELIGION / SR. ST. FRANCES OF ROME / CONG. DE NOTRE DAME / DIED JAN 7TH 1906 / AGED 45 YEARS. / R.I.P. / 'THEY / THAT INSTRUCT MANY TO JUSTICE / SHALL SHINE AS STARS FOR ALL ETERNITY’

Carver/Manufacturer: Griffen & Keltic HX

Condition: The monument has a weathered appearance with moss and lichen covering top and bottom, but it has few chips and cracks.

The tombstone of this Congregation of Notre Dame sister, Sarah MacMaster (Sister St. Frances of Rome) is made of marble. It resembles a calvary cross, which is typically a Latin cross standing on three steps or blocks, each signifying faith, hope and love in the Roman Catholic tradition. Sarah's tombstone is highly ornate and eclectic, combining classical, medieval and naturalistic elements. The main face bearing the inscription is highly decorative. It features an Ionic cross (similar in appearance to the medieval Celtic cross) with flaring ends, symbolizing everlasting salvation, love and glory. This symbol is also accentuated with a naturalist leaf and vine motif. This part of the stone is topped by another section ornamented with a eye-catching "M" in "Old English" script and surrounded by a diamond-shaped frame. Above this is another decorative cross, a Fleuree or Gothic cross with flared out ends symbolizing the adult Christian. This section is topped with an ornate pediment and is crowned by the upright cross of the calvary design. This tombstone with its three images of the cross and decorative detailing exemplifies the ecleticism of the late Victorian era with its bold taste for blending historical and cultural styles.

Sarah's monument stands out from the more modest, generic tombstones marking the burial sites of local female religious. The stone reflects an interesting dualism. It proclaims her connection to God and her religious life, but it also gives prominence to her pedigree and family attachments. The selection of a C.N.D.'s tombstone often depended on the affluence of her secular family. In Sarah's case, her larger stone embodied the tastes and aspirations of her middle-class background.

Sister St. Frances of Rome enjoyed some prestigious connections. One of her brothers was a parish priest in Mabou while another was a doctor in Inverness. Still, she was an impressive person in her own right. According to her obituary, "She was a valuable teacher in the schools at Sydney Mines. Her pupils were endeared to her and by them she was loved." Another newspaper account of her funeral noted, "A large congregation was present at the Mass, everything testifying to the esteem and regard in which the late Sister was held by all". In fact, she had "one of the largest funeral processions ever seen in any town in this county."

Lindsay MacDonald

Stone #18:

Dr. John Chisholm

Dimensions: 46” tall, though missing a piece on the top and at its widest, 22” square

Orientation: East

Carver: J. McIsaac

Inscription:

Front:

IN MEMORY OF

JOHN CHISHOLM

PH.D

ALUMNUS OF THE

PROPAGANDA

WHO ON THE THRESHOLD OF

THE PRIESTHOOD

TO WHICH HE AR-

DENTLY ASPIRED

DIED MAR. 10 1889.

AGED 26 YRS.

R.I.P.

CHISHOLM

Right Side:

FOR BEING MADE

PERFECT IN A SHORT

SPAC EHE FULFILLED

A LONG TIME: HIS

SOUL PLEASED GOD

THEREFORE HE HASTENED TO BRING

HIM OUT OF THE

MIDST OF INIQUITIES.

WISDOM IV.13.14.V

J. MCISAAC

Material: Marble

Condition: The stone is considerably eroded, and moss and lichen cover the different sections of the stone. There was at one time a carved object on the top of the stone, perhaps an urn or cross, but this has broken off. There are two flowers carved into the stone on the south side.

Dr. John Chisholm came from a relatively prosperous family. His father, at the time of the 1871 census, owned 240 acres of land, a barn, 2 carriages, 3 cars/wagons/sleds, 1 plough or cultivator, 1 horse rake and 1 fanning mill. His comparatively lengthy obituary in the Casket implies that even outside of the educational and clerical community he was well-respected at his young age. His studies at the Propaganda (Pontificia Università Urbaniana, Rome) earned him widespread respect. During the sickness that preceded his death, the admiration he garnered among the clergy is especially apparent. Cardinal Simeon wrote to Bishop Cameron in a letter during that time in which he “spoke highly of John Chisholm as a young ecclesiastic of edifying piety, possessing talents of high order, and [stated that he] hoped that he might be restored to health.”

Chad Leblanc (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #19:

Maggie McIntosh

Dimensions: approx. 110” high, 10” wide by 10” long at the base of the cone, and 15 ½” by 15 ½” in the mid-section with the inscription.

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

East side reads: "IN MEMORY / OF / MAGGIE MCINTOSH / BELOVED WIFE / OF / ANGUS MCGILLLIVRAY, / WHO DEPARTED / THIS LIFE / SEPT. 8, A.D. 1879 / AGED 25 YEARS./ MAY HER SOUL REST IN / PEACE / "BUT THE SOULS OF THE / JUST ARE IN THE HAND / OF GOD; AND THE TORMENT; OF DEATH SHALL NOT / TOUCH THEM. WISDOM. 111.1"

South side reads: "ANGUS / MACGILLIVRAY / JUDGE C.C. / BORN 1842 / DIED 1917 / HIS SON / PALMER / DIED JUNE 14 1920 / AGED 18 YRS." North side reads: "MARY E. DOHERTY / WIFE OF / JUDGE / A. MACGILLIVRAY / BORN MAY 28, 1860 / DIED JANUARY 2, 1951"

Carver: J. McIsaac

Condition: The tombstone is still in good condition although the top of the obelisk is missing and the stone is chipped and sunken.

Maggie McIntosh's white marble obelisk tombstone was erected in 1881, two years after her death. The obelisk monument, an example of Egyptian revival during the Victorian era, is "a tapering shaft of stone, square in section, with a pyramidal top, which was erected to people of some importance." The obelisk with its emphasis on verticality also symbolized the desire to breach the distance between heaven and earth. Despite its monumental proportions, the tombstone is plain in terms of decorative motifs, emphasizing simple refinement and dignity intermingled with stylistic elements from classical antiquity. This obelisk is contained, along with five other stones, within a wrought iron railing that maps out the parameters of the family burial plot and reflects the Victorian preoccupation with family.

Maggie was the first wife of the Honorable Judge Angus McGillivrary, a highly esteemed Antigonish citizen. They married on 5 February 1878 and lived at 143 Main Street. McGillivrary had a distinguished career as a barrister, politician and County Court Judge. Maggie was the daughter of Alexander and Flora McIntosh. Her father, Alexander McIntosh, was the son of John McIntosh, one of the six original Scottish settlers to come to farm in the Lower South River area around 1800. According to the Casket, Alexander McIntosh was "a well-educated man, and one of the early magistrates of the community. He could read and write not only English and Gaelic, but French as well, which for the time and place marked him as a linguist of unusual accomplishment." Maggie's stone clearly reflected her illustrious connections and proclaimed her social status within the cemetery.

Lindsay MacDonald

Stone #20:

Hugh Chisholm

Dimensions: 24 2/4” wide and 45” tall, 3 1/2 “ thick

Orientation: East/West

Inscription:

"IN MEMORY /OF / HUGH CHISHOLM / DIED / JUNE 6, 1880 / AGED 75 Y'RS / ALSO HIS WIFE / ELLEN CHISHOLM / DIED / JAN.18, 1880 / AGED 57 Y'RS / "Blessed are the dead who / die in the Lord. Apoc. 14:13

Carver: McKenna

Condition: slightly chipped and cracked, with some lichen surrounding the decorative motif and wife's name on the face and some moss on the fieldstone, especially the base.

This headstone is a simple tablet, rectangular in shape, uniform in thickness, and lacking curvature, slanting lines, or other angular features. The tombstone is constructed mostly of fieldstone, but is faced with white marble. The decorative detailing includes a sacrificial lamb lying on a pedestal with a common Latin cross slanting to the right in the background. This resurrection motif is enclosed in a four-pronged clover-like shape (quatrefoil) that is framed by a larger quatrefoil. All of this is enclosed in an outer circle that gradually sweeps inwards so that the entire clover motif is in relief. The name, HUGH CHISHOLM, is engraved on a curved decorative banner. The bold lettering of the name is further enhanced by background texturing. The wife's name, ELLEN CHISHOLM, is carved on a horizontal axis.

Hugh Chisholm was a Nova Scotia-born, Scottish Roman Catholic farmer from Brierly's Brook area. The 1871 census reveals that he and his wife Ellen had 11 children, most of whom were born about two years apart. The census also indicates that the Chisholms owned 300 acres at a time when most farms ran from 100 to 200 acres.

The imagery on the tombstone, most notably the lamb and the Latin cross, epitomizes humble faithfulness to God. The lamb, a representation of "purity, innocence, gentleness and sacrifice", is a prevalent Christian symbol of Christ's crucifixion. It also denotes the resurrected life after death, reinforced by the outer circle as a symbol of eternity.

Lindsay MacDonald

Stone #21:

Stone #22:

Stone #23:

Bishop William Fraser

Dimensions:

- Base: 90” x 48” x 12”

- Stone: 78” x 36” x24”

Inscription:

HONORI et MEMOIRE

RMI GUILLELMI FRASER

ECCAE ARICHATENSIS

PRIMI EPISCOPI QUI

OBIIT IV NONAS. OCTO :AN:DNI MDCCCLI

AETATIS AN:XXVII

OMNIBUS

IN EO PAUPERUM ALTOREM

SUBLATUM

CONLACRYMANTIBUS

R I P

THE REMAINS OF THE VENER-

ABLE BISHOP WERE TRANSLATED

TO THE VAULT UNDER THE

HIGH ALTAR OF ST. NINIAN’S

CATHEDRAL, OCT. 29, 1879

Material: white marble

Condition: Weathered in places making the incised marble hard to read, but overall in good shape.

Bishop William Fraser was born to John and Jane Fraser of Inverness County, Scotland. He was a powerful and respected man, described later by Pat Walsh as someone who “[looked] in lay dress like the general of an army or some great man of the world. Fraser immigrated to North America in 1822 and was made pastor of Antigonish in 1823. We would become the bishop of Arichat and subsequently Halifax. According to the 1827 census his household consisted of 2 male and 2 female servants and numbered among his assets were 12 acres of cultivated land, 1 horse, and 1 horned cow. He spent part of his income supporting aspiring priests, as was the case in 1831 when he “sent five students to the [Prince Edward] Island and tried to support the [St. Andrew’s] college financially.” Other sources corroborate his strong and modest character. In A. A. Johnston’s book Antigonish Diocese Priests and Bishops, Bishop Fraser is described as someone who was “profoundly learned, singularly affable, modest and unobstrusive, [and who] never cared for human applause, nor other any man’s displeasure.” Raymond A. MacLean states that the Bishop as “noted for strength of arm and vigor of intellect, and although “somewhat stern in look and abrupt in speech, his big heart overflowed with the purest benevolence for all.”

Bishop Fraser was originally buried in the Old Catholic (St. Mary’s) Cemetery on Main Street, among his congregation, but in 1897 his remains were exhumed and translated to the vault at St. Ninian’s Cathedal, ostensibly against his wishes. At that time the monument described here was erected. There on carvings/engraving on all four sides of the monument. On the east, there is a cross; the west, a sceptre; the north, two panels featuring a stag’s head with antlers and a simple flower; and the south, two more panels, on one a mitre and the other a chalice.

Chad Leblanc (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #23a:

Close-up of inscription on Bishop Fraser’s table top marker.

Stone #24:

Stone #25:

Stone #26:

Stone #27:

Stone #28:

Stone #29:

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