Explore St. Marys’ history on a guided cemetery walking tour

Emily Taylor, curator assistant at the St. Marys Museum, stands next to the headstone of St. Marys local George Graham, who died on the Titanic.

By Alex Hunt

What do a local cemetery, a centenarian born in the 1700s and the Titanic have in common? They all have ties to St. Marys, and people can uncover these fascinating stories on a cemetery walking tour this month.

The St. Marys Museum will be running its fifth annual walking tour at the St.Marys Cemetery on Oct. 25. The tour will cost $10 per person and will last 60-90 minutes.

Emily Taylor, curator assistant at the St. Marys Museum and facilitator for the cemetery walk, says the tour will focus on the historical people who share a connection with the broader and international events of history.

Three notable people featured on the St. Marys Cemetery Walking Tour illustrate the town’s unique historical connections. George Graham, who perished on the Titanic, offers a link to one of the most iconic global events in history, demonstrating St. Marys’ surprising connection to the wider world.

Cornelius Kennedy, a centenarian born in the 1700s who passed away in 1901, lived across three different centuries, a rare and remarkable lifespan. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Arthur Meighen, former prime minister of Canada.

“From a genealogical perspective, the cemetery is such a rich resource, it tells us so much about the early St. Marys history from the people that are buried here,” said Taylor. “It uncovers those stories for the community to learn about how people used to live in this town. There are a couple grave markers that we have found over time that have a high interest from people.”

Taylor says cemeteries in the 1800s served as important public gathering spaces, reflecting the central role that death played in everyday life. With advances in medical technology making death less common, communities have gradually become more removed from this idea. For historians and locals alike, cemeteries remain a vital link to the past, offering insight into the social and cultural history of the era.

“It was a collaborative experience when doing the research for this tour. In our findings, we discovered these stories that connect St. Marys with broader and international history so we wanted to show how this community was connected to those well-known events,” said Taylor.

Taylor said once the graves are selected, staff delve into the museum’s archives, examining family records, newspaper clippings and other historical documents. The burial register provides details, including dates of birth and death, church affiliations, and causes of death, allowing the team to build a more complete picture of each person’s life and the community they were part of.

“We focus on 1885 and afterwards; a lot of people are really interested in the symbols on the graves. If you see a grave with a lamb on it, unfortunately it’s very common for children’s graves,” said Taylor.

“When I started at the museum five years ago, this was one of the first programs that we were doing outdoors. I really do love this tour; it’s fascinating and I love the connections that we discuss, and this is a beautiful location for a Saturday afternoon. This gives people the opportunity to dive into the history within our community.”

Pre-register for the Cemetery Walking Tours by emailing museum@town.stmarys.on.ca or by calling the museum at 519-284-3556.