Fernhill Cemetery facts for kids
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1848 |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada  |
| Type | Public |
| Owned by | Fernhill Cemetery Company (Not-for-profit corporation) |
| Size | 125 acres (0.51 km2) |
| No. of graves | 37,000+ |
Fernhill Cemetery is a historic burial ground in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It opened in 1848 and was first called the Rural Cemetery. In 1899, its name changed to Fernhill. This large cemetery covers about 125 acres (0.5 square kilometers).
Fernhill Cemetery has a special area for soldiers who served in World War I and World War II. It is also the resting place of a Canadian who received the United States' highest military award, the Medal of Honor.
When the cemetery first opened, the Church of England was the official church in Britain and its colonies. Because of this, there is a special section for members of the Church of England. In the cemetery's Jewish section, a stone chapel was built in 1950. This chapel was built with help from Hollywood movie producer Louis B. Mayer, who grew up in Saint John. His mother is buried here.
The cemetery also contains the war graves of 103 soldiers from Commonwealth countries. Sixty-seven of these soldiers died in World War I, and 36 died in World War II.
Since 1939, Fernhill has had a crematorium on its grounds. At that time, it was the first crematorium located east of Montreal.
Important People Buried Here
Many notable people are buried at Fernhill Cemetery. Here are a few:
- Amos Edwin Botsford (1804–1894) – A well-known statesman, meaning he was an important political leader.
- Ward Chipman (1754–1824) – He served as the Attorney General of New Brunswick, which is a top legal position.
- Robert Foulis (1796–1866) – An engineer and artist.
- John Douglas Hazen (1860–1937) – A statesman and former Premier of New Brunswick, like a provincial prime minister.
- George E. King (1839–1901) – A statesman, Premier of New Brunswick, and a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada.
- George Frederick Phillips (1862–1908) – A hero of the Spanish–American War who received the U.S. Medal of Honor.
- William H. Steeves (1814–1873) – One of the "Fathers of Confederation", who helped create Canada as a country.
- Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley (1818–1896) – Also one of the "Fathers of Confederation".
- W. Rupert Turnbull (1870–1954) – An aeronautical engineer and inventor, known for his work with airplanes.
