paragraph removed here due to privacy concerns.
The old cemetery has gotten quite overgrown over the years and we both
thought that at some point we'd like to get back up to Rupert, QC to
find out how big the cemetery is, who might be there, how it got its
name and maybe do a bit of work to clear it. I started doing some reading back in October and visited the site
for the first time in November with some local ladies who knew the area
and could help me out. When the opportunity arose to work at the
cemetery as part of my degree I jumped at the chance.
So here's a start on some of the information I've gathered...
The old cemetery sits on a hill overlooking Fairbairn Lake to the south and the Rupert Union Cemetery to the north. In the mid 19th century a community grew up around the lake and this cemetery served the needs of the largely Irish Protestant community, though at the time it was called the Lake Settlement or North Masham (Geggie 1999). Later the community moved to Leslie's Corners and at some point became known as Rupert (borrowing heavily from N. Geggie's books here). I haven't run across a reference to the settlement as Rupert before 1900 as of yet. Aerial photographs don't go back as far as one would like but there is one from 1926 that shows a road down by the water to the south west, then up and over the hill to the north and east; according to Geggie, it went over to a place called Concern Farm. There is what may be an old road bed running along the west side of the cemetery (on private property!) and it is possible that this is part of the old roadway. It's a lovely view from the top of the hill in both directions and it appears it was accessible by road so it's no surprise why the spot was chosen.
In the Methodist and Presbyterian records that I have gone through the cemetery was referred to as Riley Cemetery, the public cemetery at Masham, the Protestant cemetery at Masham or the cemetery at Masham. When I checked with a local historian and the Gatineau Valley Historical Society we agreed that references in English to Masham can refer to the Township of Masham or what is now called Rupert. Confused yet? There's a French speaking (St Cecile de Masham) Masham as well, predominantly Catholic, but as the Reilly Cemetery is a Protestant cemetery I think we can be sure that the records in English, especially relating to Protestant burials of English speakers, are referring to Masham/Rupert. Why the Reilly Cemetery? I have a record of a burial (not a Riley) at the Riley farm in 1865 so it looks like the cemetery took the name of the landowner. I haven't cross checked this with land registry records yet. I have also been told that the land upon which the cemetery sits was in Reilly hands until about 50 years ago.
At this point in time I've gone through about 400 death records from 1853 to 1905 from the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches-- their records are not complete, there are years missing or with remarkably few entries.There is an issue too of just when Rupert Union Cemetery opened for use and when the Reilly Cemetery closed for good-- so far I don't have a firm date for either and I haven't seen a specific reference to Rupert Union Cemetery before 1911. This is curious as the land apparently was donated around 1900 (again I will have to check this with the land registry). At this point I'm only listing those (54 individuals) that predeceased 1900 and that specify place of burial there so as to prevent confusion. If I find out more I may have to change the list. Gatineau Valley Historical Society has a copy of my initial list, as does the Rupert Union Cemetery Board.
More later.
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