Mission Statement
TO: Record, preserve and maintain all historical "Lost Villages" burials transferred by the Ontario Hydro Commission to St. Lawrence Valley Union Cemetery in the late 1950's; TO: Work with all funeral directors and memorial dealer sectors to ensure that all regulations of the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services, Cemeteries Regulation Section are observed and to listen to the Rights Holders so that their wishes and concerns can be realized while at the same time making sure those decisions are the best for the long term goals of the cemetery; TO: Commemorate the lives of the deceased in surroundings of exceptional beauty and tranquility that provide both comfort and inspiration to the bereaved and the public as a whole and to offer sensitive and compassionate care of our Rights Holders and their families before, during and after an interment of a loved one; TO: Offer burial and inurnment services to persons of all faiths including the sale of burial lots, cremation niches, related memorials and foundations for a reasonable fee and to keep accurate records of sales, interments, income and expenditures; TO: Inform the Rights Holders of financial and maintenance matters and continue to develop and maintain the cemetery grounds in a safe and accessible manner under the direction of a Board of Directors elected at an annual meeting for all Rights Holders; TO: Provide access to the general public to all interment records in the research of genealogical information; TO: Honour the deceased by conducting a non-denominational Memorial Service on the grounds each year.
History
St. Lawrence Valley (Union) Cemetery is an all-denominational, not-for-profit, charitable cemetery that was established in 1957 as a direct result of the St. Lawrence Power Project of the Ontario Hydro Electric Commission with involvement from the governments of Canada and the United States. The purpose of the project was to construct, maintain and operate power development works in the International Rapids section of the St. Lawrence River, which necessitated the flooding of the land where eighteen cemeteries were located. These eighteen burying grounds were located on the St. Lawrence River Project front of the St. Lawrence River within the Townships of Matilda, Williamsburg, Osnabruck and Cornwall. Fifteen of those cemeteries were relocated to the new cemetery, which was provided by the Ontario Hydro Commission on Lots 6 and 7, Concession 1, Township of Osnabruck, County of Stormont. It was a giant undertaking by the Power Commission. The data on those cemeteries was compiled by James A. Smart, O.B.E. in a manual dated April, 1956. Detailed information is available in the Cemetery office. Reference must be made to those former cemeteries. Most were of historical interest. Some of them dated to the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and were established by the United Empire Loyalists and discharged veterans of the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York, who fought in the American War of Independence. Within the boundaries of those cemeteries lie the remains, some unmarked, of those people who, for the sake of honour, loyalty and duty, sacrificed their all and in some cases suffered great hardships, indignities and persecution at the hands of the American Revolutionaries. In later years, many of their sons again took up arms in the defence of their new homes during the War of 1812-1814 and in the Rebellion of 1837-1838. During those years and subsequently, some of those people and their descendants won distinction in government, judicial, religious and the cultural life of Canada. Therefore, those cemeteries, which were disturbed by the development are a continuing link with past history of the district and, insofar as was possible, the headstones were carefully preserved on a permanent site as a gesture of respect to the memory of those and their descendants whose remains lie within them. Many headstones dating back from the late 1700's to the mid 1800's, were in poor condition, cracked or broken. They were placed in a Memorial wall at the Crysler Memorial Park, Upper Canada Village, midway between Ingleside and Morrisburg. The cemeteries are commemorated by name, the various divisions are crossed by walkways all around them, and in the center of each section are beautiful flower beds each year. Prior to closing the former cemeteries, extensive notice was given to that effect by the Ontario Hydro Commission. By family request, remains were moved and re-interred in the new cemetery, headstones were moved and placed on new foundations and families were allocated graves according to the number held previously or in accordance with the available data. St. Lawrence Valley Cemetery today is a beautiful and active cemetery, honouring those former cemeteries by preserving their history and continues to provide services to their descendant families and to the general public of all denominations and localities.
B Y L A W S
Bylaws are our organization's operating manual. They define: Size of the board and how it will function. Roles and duties of directors and officers. Rules and procedures for holding meetings, electing directors, and appointing officers.
Annual Newsletter
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Statistics
Land Developed - 32 acres
Land Undeveloped -40 acres
Total Interments 6,985 (as at the end of 2017)
Annual Interments - 150(approximately)
Cremation Interment Percentage - 75%