Ontario Abandoned Places will be rebranded as Ominous Abandoned Places

Hume Cemetery

Closed Cemetery in Middlesex Centre, Ontario, Canada

Jan 15 2020

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Recent status Closed
Location # 16347

Old Cemetery on a park like piece of land. Found this extensive information online from the Heritage of Lobo:

"Thomas Hume, contrary to some beliefs did not donate the land for Hume Cemetery. It was in use before Hume's arrival. It opened in 1825 with the burials of Janet and Malcolm McKellar and continued to be used until 1907. In 1833, Dougald McArthur, Archie McKellar and Dougal McColl received the deed for one acre of land, in trust for the township, from William Marikle or Markle. While it is located in the area described as Coldstream it was used almost exclusively by the Scottish settlement.

While the name McKellar probably occurs most often it is also the last resting place of McCall's, McColls, McVicars, McLeans, Campbells, McLaughlins, McKeiths, McArthurs, Camerons, Mitchells, Carmichaels, Grahams, Pauls, Grays, Brown, Sinclairs, McIntyres, Morrisons, Smiths, Wards and Woods. A bit of township history is evidenced on the stone of John, son of Archie and Nancy McKellar. The inscription tells that " He was burnt to death on a train on the G.W.R. between London and Komoka Feb. 28, 1874 age 33 years".

Other stones relate the tragedy of the deaths of children who died in the various epidemics that plagued the community. Although this would be an excellent choice of a site, such was not the case, for once the surface of the ground is broken one finds stone and water. Tales are told that often at burials it was necessary to weight the casket with stone to make it sink in the water in the grave. This was probably the chief reason that use of the cemetery was discontinued following which it fell into neglect and became overgrown with weeds and shrubbery.

In the early 1920's at the urging of the Coldstream Woman's Institute several bees were organized and it was cleaned up. By 1953 it was again in a deplorable condition and the sunken graves made it impossible to maintain. Through the efforts and urgings of Mrs. Neil McLean, who had come as a bride, to the adjoining farm two years previously, a meeting was called, three trustees were appointed and descendents traced and asked to contribute to the cleanup. The response was excellent and enough money was collected to remove the monuments, level the ground and set the monuments in concrete in a central location. The land was then seeded making it possible to mow the grass and control the excess growth.

In 1987 the Hume Cemetery along with the other abandoned cemeteries was taken over by the township and placed under the care of an appointed board. Repairs were made to the monument collection and trees planted on the grounds, some of which were donated by the various Women's Institutes as well as by individuals. It is believed that these plantings will grow and become a fitting tribute to those pioneers of Lobo whose remains are interred here.".

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