King City Cemetery has its heritage designation
By Bill Rea

Mayor Margaret Black and King City Cemetery board Chair Karen Grande unveiled this monument Saturday, commemorating the heritage designation that is now applied to the cemetery.

There is a lot of history within the fences of King City Cemetery, and that has been receiving a lot of recognition lately.

The cemetery now carries a heritage designation, complete with a monument and plaque dedicated to the community members who help found the cemetery 121 years ago.

Mayor Margaret Black and Cemetery Board Chair Karen Grande officially unveiled the monument Saturday morning.

The graves of several of the founders were marked with flags for the occasion.

Board vice-chair Gord Orr also pointed out the Octagonal Deadhouse, located near the rear of the property, received a heritage designation in 2002. It was built in 1887 by William J. Irwin, one of the founding members. One of its uses was to store caskets during the winter, when the ground would have been too hard to dig graves.

King Township Heritage Committee Chair Elaine Robertson commented the monument sheds light on the deeds of those who came before.

Saturday's ceremonies offered the opportunity to explore some of the interesting features in the cemetery. Burt Duclos was showing the grave stone of L.N. Crosley, made of white bronze, also known as zinc. He cited an article in the Bolton Enterprise from September 1889, stating it was imported from the United States. Duclos said there was a company in the U.S. manufacturing such monuments, and they had an outlet in St. Thomas, Ontario. "If they called it zinc, they didn't think anybody would be interested," he commented. He also pointed out such a monument would have been cheaper than granite or marble, and it would have been easier to put intricate designs on them. He also thought the marker might have been placed at the cemetery in the hopes of generating a market for white bronze, but as far as he knows, this is the only one in King. He also pointed to the plates bearing inscriptions, which are removable. He suggested they might have made a convenient hiding place for booze during the time of prohibition.

"They're voices are once again heard," she remarked.

Rev. Bob Biggar, of King City United Church delivered prayers and readings at the ceremony.

The King City Cemetery Company was formed Oct. 15, 1886, according to an information booklet that was prepared for Saturday's occasion. Shares in the company sold for $7 each (most purchasers took two shares) and each share entitled the holder to 100 superficial feet.

Board Secretary- Treasurer Jim Wemyss said that $7 bought room for four graves. Putting things in perspective, he added fourgrave plot would probably cost around $4,000 today.

The first meeting of the board was held the following April, and the next month a tender was approved to James Brett to build a fence around the property for $3.20 per rod (16.5 feet). His final bill, which he presented that December, was for $279.

Gilbert Folliott, 74, was the first person interred in the new cemetery Sept. 16, 1887. His grave, near the front of the property, was part of an eight-grave plot, which he purchased the day the company was formed. Some of Mr. Folliott's descendants were on hand for Saturday's ceremony.

King City Cemetery Board Vice-Chair Gord Orr officiated at Saturday's proceedings.