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‘BRIGHTON‘S ‘CEMETERTES One of the finst civic issues to come before the newly incorponated village of Brighton was the choice of a auitable site {or a new cemetery. There was at that time a small cemetary within the corporation, in fact it still remains, a€though many of Brighton‘s present day mresidents anre probably unaware of its existence, Tt is Zocated between Prince Edward and Cedar Streets, some déstance back of Sam Covell‘s residence on Harbor Street. A number of the monuments are stillk standing and interments have been made there in recent years, but it apparently was used Zittle after the opening of Mount flope. The cemetary question finrst came before council on March 30, 1861, when a committee was appointed to choose a Zocation. Apparently this group was unsuccessful as another committee was named by council on April 17, 1863. The foblowing year the citizens took a hand in the matter when a petition was presented to the village "{athers" who subsequently made an offer to A.C. Singleton of $150. for five acres of his farm. Two years efapsed and on November . 20, 1866 council passed a xesolution to purchase a cemetary site from Mus. M. Singleton, southwest of John McGaughby‘s property. Final action came on April 6, 1867 when authorization was passed for the purchase of a cemetary site {rom Abraham SingZleton {for $800. A plan was prepared and Zots were sold at a sale on July 6th. Single plots [(12‘ x 12‘) sold {for $2.50 and double plots (12‘ x 24‘] cost $5.00. The cemetary was fenced on three sides in 1868 at a cost of $103.74, and a house was erected there in 1887, according to the old minute book of Buighton Village Council, The vault presently in use for temporary interment was donated by Hugh Bibby. It is not generally known that there is a ptoneer cemetary on Presqu‘ile Point, nevertheless the thousands 0f visitors who visit the park annually drive within a stone‘s throw of it when they travel the new road {from the bay to the Rake shore side. The Rlast remaining stone has {atlen and LZittle visual evidence remains of its existence. One or more members of the Setteck family, who were pooneer settlers at Presqu‘ile around 1800 anre buried there. Tt 4s understood that the nemains of some of the péoneers buried there were fater rnemoved to Mount Hope or the old Covell Cemetary in Brighton. The suggestion has been made that the Department of Lands and Forests should take steps for its preservation by erecting a fence and restonring any of the monuments which xemain. Before the establislhment of cemetenies it was the custom to bury the dead in private plots on the property of the deceased‘s family, One such private burial ground is situated on the farm of Jacobs Boes, in the Lawson Settlement. This burial ground is situated on the "Vansicklin" farm and was only used by the pitoncer Vansicklin family. In 1965, Mr. Arnold Boes erected a fence around the area; Lt was a {fine gestwre on his part; he needed the field for pastwre, and also must have {elt it night and good, to respect the resting places of a good pioneer family. Another private. burial ground 4s at Smithfield, on the former Smith property, settled by John Drummond Smith, around 1800. Through the years a few burials took place to help friends, not connected with the Smith family. 1t has for a number of years been completely neglected, due to the {act that there ane no interested descendants willing to help restore it. It is interesting to know, that in many nural areas, the Womens® Insititutes have taiken over the restoration of theinr LZocal cemetary.