Old Catholic Cemetery, Main Street

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Descriptions

Stone #1:

Reverend William Chisholm

Dimensions: 7’x2’x2’

Orientation: East

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

On file at the Antigonish Heritage Museum:

Rev. William Chisholm/

A Native of Invernesshire/

Scotland, who departed this life/

31 Day of August A.D. 1819/

(Note: this inscription may be missing a line or more, as more characters are visible on the stone than indicated in the transcription above)

New Black Granite Plaque installed on East Face (Front)

REVEREND WILLIAM CHISHOLM/

BORN: KNOCKFIN, SCOTLAND 1779/

SON OF DONALD CHISHOLM/

<GOBHA> A GAELIC BARD./

EDUCATED: ROYAL SCOTS COLLEGE./

VALLEDOLID, SPAIN AND A JESUIT/

HOUSE NEAR BALTIMORE./

ORDAINED: U.S.A. 1811. PASTOR OF/

ANTIGONISH, SEPT. 1817 – 3 AUG. 1818/

ALSO TO OTHER HIGLANDERS IN THE/

COUNTY. DIED WHILE ON A SICK CALL/

TO CAPE GEORGE, 3 AUG. 1818/

South face:

The law of truth/

was in his mouth/

and iniquity was/

not found in his lips/

he walked with me/

in peace and in/

equity and turned/

many away from iniquity/

Malach[i II.vi]

Material: Sandstone

Condition: Reverend Chisholm’s stone is a bit of a puzzle. The gabled roof top of the stone is quite worn and covered in moss/lichen growth, but the sides of the pillar/body of the monument are quite clean and barely worn looking. The inscription on the front face was worn enough to warrant a new black granite plaque installed over it, but the north and south face are still in good, legible condition. Additionally, the carvings on both sides – a thistle on the north and chalice or candlestick on the south – are in good condition.

Reverend William Chisholm, son of Donald Chisholm, a gobha (blacksmith), was born in Knockfin, Scotland in 1779. He was educated at Royal Scots College in Valladolid, Spain between the 30^th of October and the 22^nd of November 1808. After being ordained in the US in 1811, Reverend Chisholm served in the Diocese of Baltimore before becoming the Pastor of Antigonish in September of 1817 where he served until his death on August 3, 1818. He died on a sick call to Cape George.

Connie Feltmate (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #2:

Stone #3:

Ann Chisholm

Dimensions: 34”x17”

Orientation: N/A. Laying flat. A stones in the St. Mary’s/Old Catholic Cemetery have been moved from original position.

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

IN MEMORY OF/

ANN/

WIFE OF/

DUNCAN CHISHOLM/

DIED/

AUG. 31, 1873/

AGED 36 YRS/

R.I.P./

Condition: The stone is among the more legible of the examples to be found in this graveyard. Almost all are lying on their backs with the inscriptions getting direct exposure from any and all weather. Had the carver not used majuscule block letters for the entire inscription this might not be the case, as the fine details in the wooden cross image at the top are barely visible.

According to census information, Ann Chisholm (full name Mary Ann Chisholm) was originally from New Brunswick, of Irish extraction, and raised a Roman Catholic. She and Duncan lived in Antigonish Harbour, next to the Bigelow family, with five children: Mary, Flori, Margaret, William, and John. Mary was born in New Brunswick, which is probably where the couple met, and a few others born in the United States, where the family must have lived for a period of time before finally moving to Antigonish. It is possible that Ann’s early death occurred during childbirth. The fact that the family’s burial plot was bought thirty years in advance and Ann’s small and plain headstone might very well indicate that the family did not have much disposable income.

Mandi Hayne (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #4:

John McKinnon

Dimensions: 54”x31”

Orientation: N/A

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

SACRED/

to the memory/

of/

John McKinnon/

Who departed this/

life 20^th March 1846/

Aged 82 Years/

And/

Una McLeod/

his spouse/

Who departed this/

life 11^th April 1847/

Aged 85 Years/

Requiescant in pace/

Blessed are the dead/

who die in the lord/

for their works/

follow them./

Material: Slate

Condition: The stone is in very good condition. The fluted moulding and caps are all still very well defined, as is the inscription. A previous transcription indicates a large I.H.S. christogram at the head of the stone, which is now obscured by gravel from an adjacent parking lot and vegetative matter from oak and pine trees growing above and beside the stones.

John McKinnon was born c. 1764, presumably in Scotland. His grandfather is said to have been from the island of Canna in the Inner Hebrides. One of the earliest settlers at Williams Point, the McKinnons held their property there from the time of their arrival until 1939 when the McFarlanes acquired it. By 1827, the census shows that the McKinnons had 6 sons and a daughter living on the property, as well as 1 male and 2 female servants. Their agricultural holding were also fairly significant; on 40 acres of land, McKinnon owned fifteen bushels of wheat, fifty bushels of other grains, 25 tons of hay, 21 horned cattle, 20 sheep, and 400 bushels of potatoes. The McKinnons would have 11 children in total, a number of whom became well-known members of the community. Their son Colin F. became the first native-born Bishop of the Diocese of Arichat. Their son Neil became a teacher, and son John an MLA.

Mandi Hayne (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #5:

Stone #6:

Stone #7:

Stone #8:

Stone #9:

Michael Gallivan

Dimensions: about 7’x2’x2’

Orientation: N/A

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

SACRED/

To the memory/

of/

MICHAEL GALLIVAN/

Native of Ireland/

County of Kilkenny/

parish of Moncoin/

who departed this/

life January the 23^rd/

Aged 61 years/

May his soul rest in/

peace Amen/

[A.D. 1842]

Condition: The stone in its current position is significantly eroded when compared to similar stones (like John McKinnon’s), and both staining and lichen/moss cover contribute to the overall deterioration and illegibility of the text. The largest and central of three rosettes featured on the headstone is still quite discernible, although the other two are less distinct. The rosette was an interesting choice for this headstone as the subject was not of Scottish extraction. The incised line outlining the edges of the stone are still visible, but in many places there are large chips in the stone. The bottom has also been broken, partially obscuring the last line of text that dates the stone.

Michael Gallivan appears in the 1827 census for the Town of Dorchester with a household of 7, including himself, his wife, 3 sons, and 2 daughters. Gallivan’s property was modest; he owned 12 acres of cleared land, no uncleared land, 8 head of cattle, 1 horse, 14 sheep, and 5 pigs. It is possible that he was only a part-time farmer as well.

Connie Feltmate (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #10:

Stone #11:

Alexander McAdam

Dimensions: 47 ½”x20 ½”, squared top.

Orientation: N/A

Carver: J. McIsaac

Inscription:

In Memory/

of/

ALEXANDER McADAM/

Died/

November 11, 1861/

Æ. 77 yrs. His son/

ALEXANDER/

Died/

Dec. 28, 1888/

Aged 25 years/

J. McIsaac/

Condition: Much of the inscription is barely legible if at all. The lower half of the stone however reads easier than the top. The carving at the top of the stone – a vaulted inset featuring a downward facing dove, and Agnus Dei motif, and two angels – is still visible but very worn.

Alexander McAdam (the Elder) was, at the time of the 1838 census, living in the town of Dorchester (Antigonish). He was the head of rather large family of twelve – five sons, five daughters, himself and his wife – and owned seventy acres of cultivated land, two hundred acres of wilderness land, thirty heads of cattle, two horses, thirty sheep, and nine pigs. Such assets placed him well ahead of others on the census at that time.

Mandi Hayne (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #12:

Stone #13:

Hugh McDonald

Dimensions: 54”x24”

Orientation: N/A

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

HUGH

Son of

Angus McDonald

DIED

Jan. 17, 1862

Æt. 27 yrs

He was an Ecclesiastical student

R. I. P.

Condition: The headstone is still quite legible, if substantially eroded. All of the critical text is visible despite the wear. The fine details of the berry and leaf motif in the centre of the stone, perhaps representing Hugh McDonald’s young age, are now lost but the outline of the carving is still visible, for the most part. The carving on the upper part of the stone, a knot or infinite loop making 4 circles around a six-point Star of David, is also visible but barely.

According to his obituary in the Casket, Hugh McDonald’s young life as an ecclesiastical student was promising. He was living a chaste life in strict accordance with Catholic doctrine and had a kindhearted disposition. He is also described as being well liked among his acquaintances in Antigonish Harbour, where he resided from the time that he withdrew from the university until his passing.

Connie Feltmate (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #14:

Peter Ronan

Dimensions: 53”x23 ½”

Orientation: N/A

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

SACRED/

To/

the memory of/

PETER RONAN/

who departed this life/

March the 13^th 1837/

Aged 41 years/

Lord have mercy/

on his soul/

Condition: Peter Ronan’s headstone, resembling Michael Gallivan and John McKinnon’s in style and inscription, is still in legible condition despite extensive moss/lichen development and lots of weather-wear on the inscription. The carvings at the top of the stone have eroded similarly to the text, where the original central I.H.S. christogram and Latin cross are becoming harder to see, as are the 8-point (4-leaf, 4-petal) rosettes on either side. There are no large chips or breaks in the stone.

Peter Ronan was recorded in the 1827 census as having a wife and a son and daughter, 20 acres of cultivated land, 10 bushels of wheat, 15 bushels of other grain, 3 tons of hay, and 5 horned cattle. These numbers are small in comparison to some of his neighbours’ assets. By 1837, his family, living in North Grant, had grown to 9.

Connie Feltmate (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

Stone #15:

John McLellan

Dimensions:

- New concrete base: 24”x20”x7” deep.

- Obelisk: 45” tall clear of base. 12”x9” at base, 8”x4” at top

Orientation: N/A

Carver: Not identified

Inscription:

IN/

Memory/

of/

JOHN/

MCLELLAN/

October 17/

1857/

Aged 27 yrs/

Material: Marble/Slate

Condition: McLellan’s stone is in a fairly deteriorated condition. The obelisk itself is in one piece, but it appears that it had fallen over and was subsequently reset in concrete at one time. The stone is chipped and there is some lichen/moss growth. The fairly simple inscription is almost illegible in places, though the carving at the head of the stone (a large cuffed hand closed around a Latin cross with vines throughout) is still mostly visible.

John McLellan’s large memorial is probably due to his young, tragic death rather than the affluence of his family or himself. In the 1838 census indicates that James McLellan, John’s father, owned 40 acres of cleared land, fifty of wilderness, ten cows, and four sheep. This would not have been a large estate, but the family was happy by all accounts. His father especially was known for his singing and dancing, and for joining his friend, Dougald, the “Old Squire,” in annoying the latter’s presumably good-natured mother. The tragic nature of John’s death garnered more representation in the local news than most. Two slightly different retellings of his death tell roughly the same story; that John was on his way home and decided to cross a river in Antigonish and ultimately was drowned before he could escape the cold, running water or be helped by passers-by.

Mandi Hayne (edited by Christopher Greencorn)

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