Mount Pleasant Cemetery: An Illustrated Guide: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded

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Introduction to Second Edition

I knew I was in trouble when back in 1990 the people at the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries first asked me to write this book. No, it wasn’t the kind of trouble that would influence my decision as to whether or not to tackle the project, but rather the troubles would begin when I was faced with the task of selecting which of the more than 180 000 stories — that figure being the approximate number of people buried in the cemetery — to include in the work.

There’s little doubt that out of the 180 000 people whose final resting place is here in this beautiful cemetery almost every one has a story just waiting to be told. And here is where my troubles began. In order to pull together a book on Mount Pleasant Cemetery that readers could lift, pay for, and actually carry out of the store it would be necessary to trim those 180 000 or so stories down to a more manageable number, say 288. To reach that goal I began the selection process realizing that each story would have to have universal interest. As a result most of the stories are about well-known personalities of the day — politicians, industrialists, religious leaders — many of whom are still familiar to fans of Canadian history. Included as well are stories that feature some common, everyday folk who, for a moment in time, dared step out of character to tightrope walk over the Niagara Gorge or attempt an impossible rescue. And then there are the unknowns who due to circumstances beyond their control were victims of either a disaster or a murder. Taken together, Mount Pleasant Cemetery is the keeper of thousands of stories, every one of which has contributed in some way to the fascinating history of our city, province, and country.

Also included in the book are several short essays that will help the reader to better appreciate some of the cemetery’s physical features such as its trees and shrubs and outstanding funereal statuary.

Now, before I’m accused of being a male chauvinist, I readily admit that there are few females included in the book. This is not an intentional oversight, but rather emphasizes the way things used to be when women were regarded as being subservient to men. That’s an unfortunate fact of history, something we’ve hopefully left in the past.

As to the layout of the book, be aware that the short (and in some cases not so short) vignettes about some of the people buried here, rather than being arranged in an alphabetical sequence, have been recorded so that they can be visited while touring the cemetery. The main entranceway off Yonge Street is the starting point of your tour. Thanks, in part, to the creativity of landscape architect Henry Engelhardt, the man who laid out the cemetery more than a century ago, a leisurely ramble through Mount Pleasant frequently results in covering the same ground twice. Never mind. If it’s a nice day, just take your time.

As you wander, you’ll find that both time and acid rain have taken their toll on many of the older headstones and flat ground markers especially in the more ancient parts of the cemetery. As a result, the final resting places of a few of the people featured in the book might be difficult to locate and their markers tough to decipher. To assist the visitor, the numbers on the accompanying maps indicate approximate locations of all markers. Be patient and enjoy your tour. And be careful crossing the usually busy Mount Pleasant Road. For safety, use the underpass that connects Plots 12 and 15.

Oh, one last point. Because the cemetery was developed from west to east, most of the historic personalities will be found in the westernmost or Yonge Street end of the property. Newer history awaits the visitor closer to Bayview Avenue.

Early History of Mount Pleasant Cemetery

The origins of Toronto’s Mount Pleasant Cemetery can be described as being older than the city itself. In 1825, nine years before the town of York became the city of Toronto, a small group of responsible community leaders — Thomas Carfrae, Jr., Peter Paterson, John Ewart, Thomas Morrison, and Thomas Helliwell — convened a public meeting to discuss a problem that was beginning to create severe hardships for many of the town’s citizens. In those far-off days, the only authorized cemeteries in York, other than a few isolated family plots, were those that had been consecrated for adherents to either the Roman Catholic Church or Church of England. Deceased citizens who were non-adherents to either of these religions, in addition to any indigents or visitors to the young community who had the misfortune to die while in the town limits, were out of luck. Thus it was that in 1826 a six-acre portion of the Elmsley farm, carefully selected because it was situated well north of the town limits at the northwest corner of Yonge Street and the Second Concession (a street better known today as Bloor Street), was purchased for the munificent sum of $300.

Burials in the new Potter’s Field, as the cemetery was called, started almost immediately and by early 1855, more than 6000 souls had been interred in the six-acre cemetery. However, coinciding with the expansion the community’s suburban cemetery was the development of the adjacent village of Yorkville. The cemetery was stifling Yorkville’s growth, and before long the villagers were petitioning the provincial authorities to have Potter’s Field closed and the remains removed to some other location.

The authorities acceded to the villagers’ request, while at the same time enacting legislation which permitted the owners of Potter’s Field to become a non-profit entity called the Toronto General Burying Grounds Trust (a name subsequently changed to Toronto Trust Cemeteries, then to Commemorative Services of Ontario and, in 1998, to the present Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries) with the authority to acquire land for cemetery purposes. Members of the new Trust acted quickly to acquire a fifteen-acre cemetery on the west bank of the Don River at the end of Winchester Street that had been started a few years earlier by a private syndicate.

Unable to come up with the full $16 000 purchase price, three of the Trustees offered to lend the trust $15 000 while the Trust itself contributed the remaining $1000, all the non-profit organization had on hand.

The Necropolis, as the new cemetery was called, became part of the new Toronto General Burying Grounds Trust on July 11, 1855. To comply with the Government’s order that the old Potter’s Field be closed and the remains therein re-interred elsewhere, the Trust offered the relatives of those buried in the old cemetery new plots in the Necropolis. Many families took advantage of the offer and soon most of the remains in Potter’s Field were re-interred in the Trust’s new cemetery on the banks of the Don.

As the population of the city continued to grow (42 000 inhabitants in 1855, 47 000 just a decade later), so too did the number of dear departed. As a result, it wasn’t long before the capacity of the Necropolis too was being taxed. Anticipating future needs, the Trust began actively seeking out additional land on which to develop a new cemetery in 1872.

One year later, a 200-acre farm on the east side of Yonge Street, in the Third Concession from the Bay, township of York was purchased for $20 000. At a meeting of the Trustees called to confirm the acquisition of this new property, described at the meeting in more familiar terms as being several hundred yards north of the little community of Deer Park, it was agreed that the third of the Trust’s non-sectarian cemeteries would be called Mount Pleasant.

The responsibility for laying out the new cemetery was assigned to Henry Engelhardt, a German-born landscape architect whom the trustees hired, based on his successful experiences developing public grounds, gardens, and cemeteries in various American and Canadian cities.

Engelhardt’s concept for the Trust’s new cemetery would follow the newly emerging landscape style that was gaining prominence south of the border. He drew on Boston’s innovative Mount Auburn Cemetery for many of his ideas.

Work started at the Yonge Street end of the property. Over the next few months, Engelhardt supervised the transformation of ordinary farm fields into a park-like setting complete with trees, shrubs, pathways, and even a small lake. The first interments in the new cemetery were the few unclaimed remains from the old Potter’s Field that had not been removed to the Necropolis.

As Engelhardt’s work progressed, the emerging Mount Pleasant Cemetery became such a departure from the ordinary type of burial ground that it soon became a featured item in the city’s daily newspapers. The cemetery was perceived to be an attraction of such uniqueness that city souvenir guide books made a point of recommending a visit into the countryside north of the city to witness its wonders. One publication was very specific commenting that No visit to Toronto will be complete without a visit to Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The cars of the Metropolitan Street Railway run right to the main entrance.

On the afternoon of November 4, 1876, a little more than two years after the Trustees purchased the 200-acre Yonge Street farm, the public was invited to attend the official opening of Toronto’s new Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

The Monuments of Mount Pleasant Cemetery

by Heinz Mueller, Stone Mason, and Stone Carver. Assisted by Benita DesRoches.

Show me your cemetery, and I shall tell you what society you live in.

This is certainly true of Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto. If one is an historian, Mount Pleasant is indeed a treasure house to explore. A picture of societal changes in Toronto over the past 150 years is truly written in stone within these gates. The gentle hilly terrain, the majestic old trees and the historic expertly crafted family monuments all contribute to the peaceful atmosphere which makes Mount Pleasant one of the most beautiful cemeteries in North America. The memories of those who have gone before us seem to live on in this sanctuary of remembrance. Let us embark on a journey into the living cemetery.

Our exploration must begin within the oldest section of Mount Pleasant, which is found closest to Yonge Street. Touring these sections, one can see that Toronto had a well-established society in place before the turn of the century. Note that the graves were located in sizable family lots, adorned by generally large impressive monuments. These monuments served complete family units — sometimes up to twenty different family members. These stones generate an imposing image of solidity and permanence, much as an old country estate does. When exploring these old sections, one must remember that the granite industry in Canada was in its infant stage. Although stone quarries were operating, they mainly produced paving blocks. Very few stone saws existed and polishing was extremely difficult. The production in Canada of round polished columns common to this section was impossible. Indeed most of these large polished granite monuments boasting beautiful spires or columns adorned with urns, were imported from Scotland and Northern Ireland. They were delivered from the boat to the cemetery by hand and erected using black and tackle, since cranes were as yet nonexistent. Even most of the granite for the impressive Eaton mausoleum (particularly the columns and expertly carved Corinthian capitals) was imported from Scotland. In general, monument bases were constructed of limestone quarried in Kingston or the Niagara Peninsula. Marble used in this section originated in New England, especially from New Hampshire. Of interest is the fact that a number of zinc monuments were produced locally and can be discovered in Mount Pleasant.

The marble, limestone, and unpolished granite monuments of the time were shaped and carved completely by hand in Toronto and they are a credit to the craftsmen of the British Isles. It was at this time that highly skilled stone masons arrived in Toronto, and opened up granite sheds bearing Scottish names such as McIntosh, Creber, and McIntyre. The fine work, which these craftsmen produced, leaves the impression that people of this period were individuals; very seldom are any two monuments the same. The memorial style was mainly Victorian with heavy solid bases, but there were also some Renaissance and Gothic styles. With the exclusion of a few sculpted angels, there are no sculptures of saints, as in the Catholic cemeteries. Not to be missed are a number of Renaissance styled ladies of sorrow carved in marble imported from Italy. These sculptures can be found encased in beautiful gazebo style monuments constructed of imported granite columns, and their effect is quite beautiful.

Unquestionably, monuments were designed with much individuality but the consistent use of symbolism as ornamentation was also prevalent. The following list of some symbolic interpretations is helpful when viewing these older memorials.

Columns: Broken — a person has passed away in the prime of life. Complete — signifies that life has been completed. Urn on top — a symbol of death. Shroud on urn — a funerary sign meaning burial

Acanthus leaf: very common in the cemetery especially on corners of capitals, holding up globes, etc., symbol of peace in the Garden of Eden

Palm: symbol of peace, also of resurrection, forever lasting life

Ivy: symbol of immortality because it stays green forever

Anchor: used in the catacombs, anchored in the Christian belief which even death cannot change, symbol of hope

Clover: the trinity, symbol of the Irish

Hands: One hand — the hand of God. Two hands — holy matrimony

Laurel: symbol of victory.

Celtic cross: Irish (dear to the Church of Scotland)

Grapes: God’s care, blood of Christ, Last Supper

Eye in Triangle: eye of God in the Trinity, all seeing, all knowing

Alpha Omega: very old sign used in the second century, first and last letter of alphabet (Greek), beginning and end of life

RIP: short form for requiescat in pace (Rest in Peace)

Star with Five Corners: the Pentagram, old Greek sign for magician, symbol of the golden rule, the deceased is under protection of Christ

Olive branch (with dove): peace, symbol of safety which the dove brought to Noah after the flood

Cross and crown: victory with Christ over death

Lily: purity

Ladder: scale of perfection

Also recognizable in the older section are the monuments of many successful merchants such as Messrs. Michie and Fulton.

We also observe many military memorials. This profession was very respected at the time and therefore high social status was designated. One particularly stunning monument honours officers killed in the Northwest Rebellion at Batoche, Saskatchewan in 1885. The carving on this monument is exquisite. As you leave this oldest section of Mount Pleasant, bear in mind the consistency of Anglo-Saxon surnames, with only a smattering of North European and French surnames to be found. Such was society at the time.

In the central sections between Yonge Street and Mount Pleasant Road, the time period leading up to the First World War is largely represented. Imports are still widespread, but much more rough granite is now imported from Barre, Vermont. Unpolished monuments cut by the local craftsmen are common. Because of this, much lead lettering is utilized to create a contrast between inscription and the unpolished stone. The memorial styles are still predominantly Victorian with a slightly higher ratio of Gothic styles appearing. Section N is notable for its abundance of two-grave lots (much smaller than in previous years), characterized by scroll type marble monuments.

However in the section west of Mount Pleasant Road you will discover a big change, because in the late 1920s and early 1930s the monument imports from Scotland came to an end. The quarries in Scotland were becoming exhausted just as the granite industry in Canada (particularly in the granite centre of Quebec) was becoming more mechanized. It became uneconomical to shape monuments by hand and consequently many of the large granite sheds in Toronto closed and retained smaller operations for lettering, carving, and sculpture work. Note the more standardized look of these monuments — eight or ten inches in thickness and horizontal, rather than vertical, dimensions. During this period, Italian craftsmen such as Marini, Ranzetti, and Temporale began arriving in Toronto to pursue their craft. Likewise, German sculptors like Schnoen and Hahn also began making their presence felt. A good example of the German sculptor Hahn’s work is found in the Cutten monument (Plot O, Lot 18), evidenced by the two female nudes seated on a bench in classical style. At this point, the Victorian norm is declining as more Renaissance and Gothic styles emerged. The painful effects of the 1930s upon Toronto society are also recognizable in the small inexpensive monuments with rock sides made out of soft Georgia granite. Ornamentation and inscription is simple and to a minimum. Family lots in these sections are clearly smaller indicating that society was becoming more mobile. Although Anglo-Saxon surnames still prevail, the recent immigration of the time is documented by more Dutch, German, and Scandinavian surnames.

Let us cross over Mount Pleasant Road into yet newer sections of the cemetery. In the area between Mount Pleasant Road and the cemetery office you can see the popular steeled monuments in the majority interspersed with more polished monuments, as this option had now become less expensive. Columns, spirals, and other facets of Victorian style have been completely replaced by some Renaissance but mainly Gothic design styles. Emblematic ornamentation (service badges, Masonic symbols, crests, etc.) is common here and floral ornamentation has increased. Mount Pleasant’s first appearances of religious ornamentation (Christ, Mary, praying hands) can be found. Generally, monuments are quite plain featuring rock sides. Examples of early serpentine top monuments can also be found in this section. A large family monument’s significance as a status symbol in Anglo-Saxon society has been replaced by alternative methods of remembrance, such as the practice of donating to charity in memory of the deceased. Consequently, the lot sizes are now smaller.

In the older parts of Plots A, I, and S and east of the cemetery office, we enter a truly multicultural society. Here we find Ukrainians, Poles, Russians, Estonians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Greeks, Italians, Chinese, and many others. The impact of immigration into the Toronto area has made its presence known in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. These ethnic groups have all brought their own unique rich cultural backgrounds with them. This can be witnessed by the different memorial traditions alive in these newer sections.

Before some of these traditions are discussed, however, one should be aware of several fundamental changes which have recently shaped and are still shaping Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Regulations stipulated that soft stones (such as marble and limestone) were no longer permitted. This is a practical consideration, as softer stones are not suited to our northern climate conditions. In an effort to improve the quality of memorials, rock side monuments are not allowed. All sides on monuments have to be finished. In order to offer alternatives to the higher costs of monuments, shared monuments have been introduced in which different families own and use each side of the monument. For this same reason, you can see more flat markers in the ground or mounted on fieldstone walls. As cremation increased, the cemetery responded to this need by creating special features — sundials, flower beds, etc. In Section 40 can be found the Scattering Garden — cremated remains are interred in a wooded area and the names of those persons buried here are commemorated on bronze plaques on a memorial feature. The effect achieved here is one of a peaceful return to nature. Once again, it should be mentioned that because of our mobile society and smaller family unit, the need for large family lots has diminished.

As of the 1960s a collage of nationalities has emerged in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The preponderance of Anglo-Saxon surnames is no longer a given. Some of the first ethnic groups represented here are Ukrainians, Poles, Greeks, and Estonians. Symbolic ornamentation is important among these groups, but the symbols seen in these newer sections differ greatly from the list of symbols outlined previously. For instance, many Ukrainian memorials feature the Orthodox cross or the common use of wheat as ornamentation. Wheat means life and broken wheat means life is discontinued (cut down in the prime of life). The use of Mary as a religious feature is also common, for there have been many visions of Mary reported in the Ukraine. The trident is the national emblem of the Ukraine and the Kalyna is recognized to be the official flower of the military. Many designs taken from the beautiful garments of the Ukraine are adapted to memorial design, and since designs vary from region to region in the Ukraine much personal meaning can be attached to the use of such ornamentation.

The Polish people have two strong cultural symbols, which are commonly used. The Black