Cataraqui Cemetery facts for kids
Cataraqui Cemetery
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1850 |
| Location | |
| Size | 91 acres (0.37 km2) |
| No. of graves | >46,000 |
Cataraqui Cemetery is a special place in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It's a large cemetery that was started way back in 1850, even before Canada became a country! It's still used today. The cemetery is huge, about 91 acres, with trees, ponds, and streams.
More than 46,000 people are buried here. Many important Canadians rest in this cemetery. This includes Sir John A. Macdonald, who was Canada's very first prime minister. Both his family's burial spot and the cemetery itself are recognized as National Historic Sites of Canada.
How Did Cataraqui Cemetery Start?
The idea for Cataraqui Cemetery began with a special law. This law was passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada on August 10, 1850. The cemetery was set up to be a not-for-profit place. This means it doesn't try to make money. It was also made to be open to everyone, no matter their religion.
Sir Alexander Campbell was the first president of the cemetery. A person named Frederick Cornell designed the beautiful landscape. More people started being buried here after 1864. This was because Kingston passed a rule that stopped burials inside the city.
The grave of Sir John A. Macdonald and his family became a National Historic Site in 1938. Later, in 2011, the entire Cataraqui Cemetery was also named a National Historic Site of Canada.
Who Is Buried at Cataraqui Cemetery?
Cataraqui Cemetery is the final resting place for many well-known people. These include politicians, business leaders, people who helped others, and writers.
The cemetery also holds the graves of soldiers. There are 61 service members from World War I and 84 from World War II. These are called war graves.
Queen's University has a special section here. This area is for people who chose to donate their bodies for science and learning.
Here are some of the notable people buried at Cataraqui Cemetery:
- Leonard Birchall – A brave officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
- Thomas Burrowes – An artist and land surveyor.
- John Counter – The very first mayor of Kingston.
- Sir Alexander Campbell – One of the "Fathers of Confederation" and a former leader of Ontario.
- Wallace Bruce Matthews Carruthers – The person who started the Canadian Signal Corps.
- Richard Cartwright – A judge and politician.
- James Alexander Corry – A leader and principal of Queen's University.
- William Coverdale – An architect who designed buildings.
- John Creighton – A politician and warden.
- John James Deutsch – An economist and principal of Queen's University.
- Harriet Dobbs – An artist, writer, and humanitarian.
- George Monro Grant – A minister and principal of Queen's College.
- John Hamilton – A politician and one of the people who helped start Queen's University.
- George Airey Kirkpatrick – A politician and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
- Thomas Kirkpatrick – The first mayor of the Town of Kingston.
- William Leitch – A scientist and principal of Queen's University.
- Evan MacColl – A famous poet from Loch Fyne.
- John A. Macdonald – Canada's first Prime Minister.
- Archibald Cameron Macdonell – A police officer and soldier.
- Agnes Maule Machar – An author, poet, and social reformer.
- John Machar – A principal of Queen's University.
- William Archibald Mackintosh – An economist and principal of Queen's University.
- Thomas McLeod – A Scottish sailor who went on three trips to the South Pole.
- James Morton – A politician and businessman.
- Edward John Barker Pense – A politician and newspaper editor.
- Guilford Bevil Reed – A Canadian medical researcher.
- James Richardson – A businessman who started James Richardson and Sons, Limited.
- James Sampson – A doctor, politician, and one of the founders of Kingston General Hospital.
- Charles Sangster – A poet and a member of the Royal Society.
- David Chadwick Smith – An economist and principal of Queen's University.
- Henry Smith – A politician and lawyer.
- James T. Sutherland – A soldier and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Robert Charles Wallace – A geologist and educator.
- Zachary Taylor Wood – A commissioner for the North-West Mounted Police and the Yukon Territory.
Images for kids
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Cataraqui Cemetery
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Funeral of Sir John A. Macdonald, Cataraqui Cemetery
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Grave of Sir John A. Macdonald, Cataraqui Cemetery
