| Adamsville Private Burying Site
Lot 20, Con 2, Bathurst Twp. Burials – 1866 to 1887 |
Adamsville CemeteryLocation: Lot 20 Concession 2, Bathurst, near Glen TayDetails: Adamsville is located at the bridge crossing the Tay River. There was once a Wesleyan Methodist Church and cemetery located on this site. There is nothing left to indicate either church or cemetery at the present. There are no markers, but it is believed that there were several burials in this cemetery from 1866 to 1887.On June 27, 1866, William Morris Adams sold part of lot 20 on the 2nd concession of Bathurst to the trustees of the Adamsville Wesleyan Methodist Church for the price of $250.
There were three men listed as the cemetery trustees. Their names were James Hargraves, Ralph Dodds and William Robinson.The cemetery was located on the east side of the road and on the south side of the hill overlooking the Tay River. On top of the hill there is a house that is located around 1000 yards away from the site of the church and cemetery. Although the cemetery was situated close to the road, it was hidden behind large lilac trees.Unfortunately, by around 1947-1950 the church foundation and cemetery had almost completely disappeared. At that time, some building stones, and a few illegible and broken headstones remained. There was one stone with the inscription of “Ma–ion”, most likely being the name “Manion” as there was a Manion post office near the area.
Adamsville is located at the bridge crossing the Tay River on lot 20 of Bathurst Township. Apparently there was a Wesleyan Methodist Church and cemetery.
There is nothing left to indicate either church nor cemetery at present. There are no markers and it is believed that there are several burials in this cemetery. No further information–Keith Thompson, 31 October, 2001 |
Photo from Perth Ontario
Bathurst Courier, August 12, 1851
Died, At Adamsville, near Perth , on the 11th inst., Mary Adalaide (Aleerhouse), daughter of Mr. Henry Aleerhouse of that place.
Thanks to Dianne Kehoe Lawrence we can add this this morning.. Thank you for sharing this gem.
One of the burials mentioned is that of my 1st cousin 3x removed: John Kehoe s/o Peter Kehoe and Bridget O’Toole. The story of his death from newspaper articles: The following appeared in the September 22, 1887 edition of the Smiths Falls Record News. “About 8:30 o’clock Tuesday evening it was reported on the street that a man had walked into the river at the foot of Market street and had been drowned. The Record was soon on the spot, and found the report to be true, the strongest evidence being offered in its favour by the body of the unfortunate man lying of the ground limp and lifeless as it had been taken out of the water a few minutes before. Then and since, the following details have been gleaned. The man’s name was John Keough, a framer by trade and said to have been a first-class workman. He has been working of late for a Mr. Healy and a Mr. Giff near town, but for the past few days he has been about the streets here, generally under the influence of liquor, of which he died an unhappy victim. Tuesday evening he was seen on Beckwith street very drunk about half-past five and about two hours later he went into Carrol’s hotel. The bartender there says he did not pay much attention to him but noticed his coming in and sitting down. He asked for nothing, nor spoke to anyone, but sat still in his chair until the bartender told him he wanted to close up and that he had better go. He immediately got up and went out, and as this was about fifteen minutes after eight it is thought he walked down Market street from there and into the river. Mr. Riddell, the night watchman at Frost & Woods, saw him going towards the water and shouted to him from across the street that he would go into the river if he was not careful. Keough told him to go to “h-ll”, and the next instant a splash in the water told what had happened. Another man who was close by ran down with Mr. Riddell, who had a lantern in his hand, but though they were not more than a rod away no trace of the man could be seen. Mr. Riddell and the other man both declare that he never came up after he first went down. The wharf at the end of the street is about four feet higher than the water, which at that point is about ten feet deep, so that nothing could have prevented them from seeing him if he came to the surface. They quickly got a boat round to the place and without difficulty found and raised the body, which was taken to the town hall to await orders. Dr. McCallum, coroner, was summoned, but he did not think an inquest necessary as there were no suspicions of foul play. Chief Vrooman telegraphed to Mr. Burns, of Perth, brother-in-law of Keough’s and he sent word to the other relatives. Yesterday morning Mr. James Noonan, of Bathurst, brother-in-law of the deceased, came to town to take the body to Glentay where the dead man’s wife and children live. The Record saw Mr. Noonan and was told that Keough had at one time been well-to-do, his father having given him 150 acres of good land in Bathurst, but that liquor had been his ruin in life. He leaves a wife and four children, two boys and two girls, the youngest of which is ten years old. His habits of life are said to have been such that his wife refused to live with him and for a number of years they have lived apart. He at one time kept hotel in Perth, from where he went to Almonte, and after remaining there a few years returned to Bathurst. He was a good mechanic, and naturally a quiet good natured man: but his life, through liquor, was unhappy, and his death, through the same, untimely.
SMITHS FALLS NEWS – DROWNED – On Tuesday a carpenter named John Kehoe, while under the influence of liquor, fell from Frost & Wood’s wharf into the river and was drowned. Frost & Wood’s night watchman saw him walking toward the river and warned him not to proceed, but he paid no attention. The watchman and another man heard him fall in and ran to the spot, but could not see the slightest trace of him. After a fruitless search they got a boat and boat hook, and brought the man ashore. As he had been under water some forty minutes the vital spark had fled. The body was taken to the Town Hall and next day his friends took it to Glen Tay for burial. (7 Oct 1887 pg 1)
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Kings Warks and Cemeteries–Interesting Discoveries of Lanark County
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