The Family Attic
Published November 2006
Roots to the Past
A Cemetery in Need
The Porter's Lake Cemetery, Halifax County, NS
by Diana Lynn Tibert
This is the Porter's Lake Cemetery from the road.
If you have never been in a cemetery before, you really don’t know what you’re missing. The headstones within these sanctuaries are a treasure trove of genealogical information.
Whether big or small, the headstones can provide information about our ancestors that may reach back 250 years. We can learn when and where they were born, when they died, their age at death, the names of their spouses and children among other things.
Hundreds of Nova Scotia cemeteries have benefited from perpetual upkeep from property owners, church organizations and community groups. Unfortunately, there are many cemeteries that have been abandoned, neglected or forgotten about. Stones have toppled, broken or have been hidden by shrubs and trees. The genealogical information on these stones is quickly disappearing.
The good news is with the explosion of people researching their family trees, it has created a desire to save and care for these abandoned cemeteries.
One such cemetery crying out to be heard in Halifax County is located in Porter’s Lake. Most of the small cemetery is overgrown with dogwood trees and shrubs. Several stones have toppled from their bases, a few are broken and it is not known how many have been buried beneath organic forest debris.
The
cemetery is not located on an abandoned homestead or lost in a field
away from view. It is beside a busy road with houses and businesses and
a small museum nearby. At one time, the Presbyterian Church, built in
1864, was next door, but the church and most of its history are long
gone.Why has this cemetery been neglected? It is not known, but it seems it has been all but forgotten by other local churches.
Wally Snow (wssnow@telus.net) is trying to change this, but he needs help. Snow lives in Alberta and occasionally visits Nova Scotia. Researching his family tree led him to the Porter’s Lake cemetery. After trying to contact several local politicians and community groups, it appears that no one is willing to take on the task of rescuing this cemetery.
The cemetery contains several Innis (Innes) graves and at least two Upham graves. One grave may contain the remains of a reverend that once served the Presbyterian Church. Reverend Alexander Stuart was born in Aberdeen in November 4, 1809. He died January 26, 1881 at the age of 71.
Discovering and restoring abandoned cemeteries has gained momentum around the province and around the world. Saving Graves (http://www.savinggraves-ca.org/index.htm) is an international group trying to save one cemetery at a time.
If you have an interest in the well-being of your local cemetery, get in touch with your historical society or other community group. There may already be a cemetery restoration project going on in your neighbourhood. The best way to save these heritage sites for future genealogists is to get involved.
Copyright@Diana Lynn Tibert 2005/2006