Pioneer Cemeteries

Please note that many of the following cemeteries are on private property and the public is therefore requested to respect the privacy of the landowners. For this purpose the exact addresses are not included.

For more information please contact the City's Cemetery's Office at 905-354-4721 or use our Contact page.

City's involvement

The 1970 revised Ontario Cemetery Act states that any "abandoned" cemetery situated within the boundaries of the municipality shall be the responsibly of the municipality. In 1973 the City of Niagara Falls passed a by-law (View the Cemeteries By-law page) that allowed for the "maintenance, management, regulation, control and taking over of certain abandoned cemeteries". Thirteen pioneer cemeteries were listed.

The City's Cemetery Services schedules regular grass cutting (twice per month from May to September) and/or brush clearing, as well as fence repair and monument restoration on an as-needed basis.

Former Willoughby Township

Byer Burial Ground

• Location: Bossert Rd. at Niagara Parkway
• Size: .03 acres (20' x 60')
• History: Original property of John Byer. The City acquired ownership in 1973.
• Known Burials: John Byer (1839), wife Mary (1855) & Jacob (1895) Byer
• Features:
  • approximately .8 km west off the Parkway on a dirt road
  • cemetery located on south side of Bossert in a pine grove
  • very poor accessibility during certain times of the year due to road conditions

Dell Cemetery

• Location: Reixinger Rd at Dell Rd.
• Size: 1 acre
• History: Henry, son of Basnett Jr. & Ann (DeFields) Dell petitioned for land as a Loyalist soldier in 1796. In 1851 Henry deeded one acre of land to the Methodist Episcopal church, to be known as the Dell Chapel & Cemetery. Several Dell family members are buried here as well as other pioneer families, including Hexamer, Morley and Riexinger to name a few. The City acquired ownership in 1973.
• First Burial: Mary, wife of Robert Dell (1849)
• Information:
  • take Lyon's Creek Rd exit off QEW toward Chippawa
  • north side of Reixinger Rd. at the corner of Dell

Gonder Burial Ground

• Location: Willoughby Dr. at Sherk Rd.
• Size: .4 acres
• History: Original property of Jacob Gonder (1846). There are approximately twenty burials in this family burial ground. The City acquired ownership in 1973.
• First Burial: John P. Gonder (1832), son of Michael & Sarah
• Information:
  • cemetery is located in a heavily bushed area
  • not easily accessible due to road and ground conditions

Lapp Family Burial Ground

• Location: 2703 Detenbeck Rd. at Niagara Parkway
• Size: .05 acres
• History: This small cemetery is the site of Abraham Lapp's family burial ground. Several Lapp and Hershey family members are buried here. City acquired ownership in 1973. Privately owned and maintained since 2002.
• First Burial: Elizabeth Lapp (1812) daughter of Isaac & Anna
• Information:
  • on private property

Lee Burial Plot

• Location: 3810 Detenbeck Rd. at Sodom Rd.
• Size: .06 acres (20' x 20')
• History: Herbert Lee's family burial ground.
• Known Burial: Mariah, wife of Herbert Lee, died May 21, 1862 (52 yrs & 21 days)
• Information:
  • on private property

Lutes Farm Plot

• Location: 2581 Miller Rd off Niagara Parkway
• Size: .2 acres
• History: aka "Hershey's Family Burial Ground". Christian Hershey farmed the land and then the Lutes (Lutz) family purchased the farm sometime between 1862 and 1876 and therefore the change in name. The Willoughby Historical Museum has a plaque, donated by the Hershey descendants, in memory of Christian Hershey and his two wives. City acquired ownership in 1973. Privately owned since 1989
• Known Burials: Christian Hershey, 1768 - 1845, and two wives (Mary Acre & Elizabeth Snyder)
• Information:
  • on private property

McCredie Farm Cemetery

• Location: McCredie Rd. off Willodell Rd.
• Size: .002 acres ( 5' x 5')
• History: aka: Misoner Burial Plot & McCredie Hill Cemetery. Original property of Thomas McCredie. One known burial is at the side of the road. However, it is believed that many graves were covered over when Lyon's Creek Rd. was constructed (now McCredie Rd.) Additional burials include Basnett Dell Jr. & wife Ann DeFields. The one stone remaining clearly identifies the deceased, Mary Misoner.
• Known Burial: Mary Misoner, wife of William Misoner, daughter of Isaac & Jane Vansicle November 23, 1779 - October 17, 1801, age 22 years, 10 months, 24 days
• Information:
  • .7 km south on McCredie Rd.
  • small plot is on east side of road

Miller Family Burial Ground I and II

• Location: I: 9819 Niagara Parkway near Weaver Rd, II: 7710 Ridge Rd.
• Size: .06 acres
• History: Originally owned by Henry Miller and then his brother, Jacob. Several Miller family members are buried at this site. The Miller family gave the Willoughby Township the right of way to the property in 1964 and requested the Township to take over the maintenance of the family cemetery.
• First Burial: Mary (1834), wife of John Miller
• Information:
• on private property

Weaver Cemetery

• Location: Willick Rd. west of Sodom Rd.
• Size: .3 acres
• History: Cemetery was established in 1863 by the German Evangelist Protestant United St. Paul's Church of Chippawa. George Weaver Jr. received a portion of the cemetery from the church elders in 1872. The Weaver family successfully petitioned the City to take ownership in 1993.
• First Burial: German Evangelist: Johann Rausow (1860)
• Additional Burials:Weaver Family: George P. & Matilda (1873), children of George & Caroline Weaver
• Information:
• approximately .5 km from Sodom Rd.

Willick Burial Ground

• Location:Detenbeck Rd. & Sodom Rd.
• Size: .009 acres 10' x 10'
• History: Original property of Nicholas Willick and then John Willick. Eight, possibly more, Willick (aka Willik) family members buried in this small cemetery. The cemetery was listed in the 1973 City By-law 73-103, as abandoned.
• First Burial:Nicholas Willick (1831)
• Information:
• on private property

Willoughby Church Cemetery (semi-active cemetery)

• Location: corner of Sauer & Ort Rds.
• Size: .440 acres
• History: The property was originally owned by William Henry Sauer. The Willoughby Evangelical congregation established a church on the property in 1839. Over 100 burials took place in this cemetery including several members from Heximer, Kaumeyer, Miller, Morningstar, Plyley, Sauer, Sayler, Schabel and Winger families. One or two burials per year continue to take place in this country cemetery. The Congregation successfully petitioned the City to take ownership in 1998.
• First Burial: Christian Shoup (1823)
• Information:
• take Sodom Rd exist (south) off QEW

Former Crowland Township

Lyon's Creek Cemetery

• Location: Lyon's Creek Rd. & Schisler (off Montrose Rd.)
• Size: .230 acres
• History: Captain Henry Buchner settled the area in 1778. A Methodist Church was founded on the adjacent property in 1808 on land donated by Peter Buchner. The City acquired ownership in 1973.
• First Burial: Joanna Buchner (1820)
• Information:
• located on the east side of the old Methodist Church

Miller Family Burial Place

• Location: Montrose & Ridge Roads
• Size: .005 acres
• History: Jacob Miller, a Mennonite minister, purchased the property in 1787 but later moved to the Miller property on the Niagara Parkway in 1804 (See Miller Family Burial Ground, Willoughby Township, above). Jacob & his wife Barbara Hershey emigrated from York County, Pennsylvania. It is believed that their son, David Miller received the property from his parents. David and his wife, Eva (Shoup) and five of their children are believed to be buried in the family burial ground. The cemetery was listed in the 1973 by-law 73-103 as abandoned.
• First Burial: Benjamin Miller, January 4, 1845 - April 10, 1846
• Information:
  • on private property

Young Cemetery

• Location: Grassy Brook Rd, between McKenny & Moyer Roads
• Size: .080 acres (100' by 100')
• History: The cemetery is also known as Young-Misener, Misener, and Chippawa Creek Cemetery. The land was granted to George Young Sr. in 1798 who immigrated from Sussex County, New Jersey a few years previous. The property changed hands within the family and in 1876 the property was sectioned off with the portion containing the cemetery being owned by John Schafer. The Miseners who are buried in this cemetery are relatives through the marriage of Adam Young to Margaret, the eldest daughter of Nicholas & Jan (McClain) Misener. (Reference: The Ontario Genealogical Society, Niagara Peninsula Branch, 1997)
• First Burial:Samuel Young, 1811 - 1822, son of George & Rachel Young
• Information:
  • west on Grassy Brook from Montrose Rd.

Former Stamford Township

Hutt Family Burial Ground

• Location: Beechwood Rd. at Warner Rd.
• Size: n/a
• History: The cemetery is also know as the Hutt/Brown Burial Place. The property was originally owned by Adam Hutt, Esq. (1762 -1842). The land was eventually purchased by the Brown family who farm the land to this day.
• Known Burials: 4 Hutt family members - Adam & wife Dorothy, Jacob and William as well as Mary McGlashan (wife of Alexander Robertson) and Margaret Muirhead.
• Information:
  • on private property

Lampman Burial Plot

• Location: 4491 Garner Rd. at Shriners Creek
• Size: .020 acres
• History: Original property of Frederick Lampman. City acquired ownership in 1973.
• Known Burials: Frederick Lampman, 1789 and Catharine Lampman, 1811. An infant grave is also noted in this family burial ground.
• Information:
  • turn south onto Garner Rd. from Thorold Stone Rd. (.6 km)
  • cemetery is not easily accessible

Lundy's Lane United Church Cemetery

• Location: Latshaw St. at Lowell Ave.
• Size: .255 acres
• History: This cemetery was originally known as the Lemon Family Burial Grounds and then the Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery when a church was built on the adjacent property in 1846.
• Of Special Interest: The Federal Government erected a monument in Drummond Hill Cemetery in 1895 to honour those who fought and died in the Battle of Lundy's Lane during the war of 1812. As a result, some graves were relocated to the church cemetery across the road. The City acquired ownership in 1973.
• First Burial: John Lemon, February 24, 1802, age 4 years, son of Laurence and Mary (Willson) Lemon.
• Information:
  • located on north side Lundy's Lane, across from Drummond Hill Cemetery and beside the Lundy's Lane United Church.