Middle Sackville Methodist Burying Ground

Methodist Burying Ground, 308 Main Street, Middle Sackville, N.B.

 
METHODIST BURYING GROUND
1788
This half acre site was used by the earliest Methodists in the Sackville area. It served as both a burying ground and as the location of the first Sackville Methodist Chapel built in 1790. Although a cemetery was opened in lower Sackville in 1836 this site continued to have some burials up to 1961.A research and restoration project was carried out at the cemetery in 1977.This commemorative arch replaces an earlier one and was dedicated on 23 September 2001. See Yorkshire 2000: Plaques and Memorials.

In 2004 the site was added to the Sackville and New Brunswick Registers of Historic Places, and in 2006 to the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
METHODIST
BURYING GROUND
1788
(on metalwork arch of gateway) 

ERECTED TO COMMEMORATE
YORKSHIRE 2000, HELD
AUGUST 3-10, 2000,
A MAJOR GATHERING OF
DESCENDANTS OF THE
YORKSHIRE SETTLERS
CELEBRATING THE HISTORIC
YORKSHIRE IMMIGRATION TO
CHIGNECTO 1772-1775.
DEDICATED MAY, 2001.
(On right-hand granite pillar of gateway).
Marker placed by Yorkshire 2000 Legacy Committee, Main Street Redevelopment Sackville Inc., and Sackville United Church of Canada.

 
See Milner, W.C., History of Sackville New Brunswick (Sackville, N.B.: The Tribune Press, 1934), pp. 67-69, which includes a list of those buried in the cemetery (available online at History of Sackville New Brunswick).

Middle Sackville Methodist Cemetery on Find A Grave website (lists all interments).

On the care of the cemetery, see Penner, Peter, The Chignecto ‘Connexion’; The History of Sackville Methodist/United Church, 1772-1990(Sackville, N.B.: Sackville United Church, 1990), p. 136.

This site is listed in the Canadian Register of Historic Places ; see Methodist Burying Ground

Sears, Joyce, “Here Lieth The Past . . and Sackville is taking a look,” The Moncton Times, 15 October 1977, p.15.

Stopps, Phyllis, “Methodist Burying Ground now listed on national historic register,” Sackville tribune-Post, 3 May 2006.
HERE
Lieth the
Body of
WILLIAM FAWCETTWho was a plain industrious
hospitable & deeply pious man
whose uniform christian conduct
gained him the respect of all who
became acquainted with him.
While reading one of Mr. Wesley’s
sermons his immortal spirit was
instantly precipitated into the
Eternal world to take possession
of its final rest by some monster of
iniquity that will be discovered
at the last day who intentionally
shot him dead through the kitchen
window on the evening of
June 19th 1832 in the 63 Year of his ageReader be thou also ready

 
One of the most famous grave stones in the cemetery is that of murder victim William Fawcett (1769-1832).

The circumstances surrounding the murder form the subject of the historical novel, James, Robert, Reader Be Thou Also Ready (Fredericton, N.B.: Broken Jaw Press, 2000).

LeBlanc, Joan, “Novel Shares Chilling Story Of 1832 Fawcett Muder,” Sackville Tribune-Post, 9 August 2000, p.6

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