Our History
On a remote farm, north of what is now Belleville, Ontario, on the banks of the Moira River, the Reid family used a portion of their farm to inter family members for burials. No records were kept, and any markers were hand-hewn -- usually from pieces of local bedrock. The first interment is believed to have taken place around 1810. The family of United Empire Loyalists continued to use the area, and was still being actively used in 1874, when the government of Ontario first required registration of Cemeteries. Caleb Reid surveyed and registered two acres, and named the burying ground "Elmwood".
Some of the oldest markers are still visible in the original area of Elmwood. On a slightly elevated hill, several fieldstone markers have been discovered and the area demarcated to preserve them. Any inscriptions have worn away with very few exceptions. One stone is marked "R. P." and another as "Dinah P." These are assumed to mark the resting places of Russell and Dinah Pitman, two of the earliest pioneers of the area... continue reading about our history
By-laws
Elmwood Cemetery operates under a set of by-laws duly approved by the Registrar in accordance with the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA), and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO). These by-laws authorize the Board of Directors to oversee and implement cemetery governance in a manner that upholds the interests of Interment Rights Holders and serves the broader community with integrity and respect.
The provisions set forth in these by-laws may be amended from time to time by the Board of Directors, subject to approval by the Registrar in accordance with the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) and oversight by the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO). For a comprehensive understanding, we invite you to review our full governing by-laws.