Upper Canada Pioneer Memorial

The Upper Canada Pioneer Memorial occupies a place just southwest of Upper Canada Village on the south side of County Road 2, east of Morrisburg, Ontario.

JAMES SMART
1887-1957

VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE ONTARIO
ST. LAWRENCE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

WHO CREATED THIS CEMETERY AND WHO DEVOTED
THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF HIS LIFE TO THE
PRESERVATION OF THE ANCIENT HERITAGE
OF THIS ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY
O GOD WE HAVE HEARD WITH OUR EARS AND
OUR FATHERS HAVE DECLARED UNTO US THE
WONDROUS THINGS THOU DIDST IN THEIR
DAY AND IN THE OLD TIME BEFORE THEN.

During the preliminary work on the St. Lawrence Seaway project, which, in 1959, culminated in the flooding that required many communities that had to be moved, tombstones from those communities' cemeteries were removed and placed on the walls of the Pioneer Memorial. The memorial has a central square with three rectangular extensions. The tombtones have been mounted on the inner walls organized by community and the specific cemeteries they came from. Though the memorial has a simplicity to its layout the order of the photographs here may not convey any sense as to where they are located within the memorial.

EAST WILLIAMSBURG

WOODLANDS

MOULINETTE

MILLE ROCHES

AULTSVILLE

FARRAN POINT

WALES

DICKINSON'S LANDING

This garden is erected to commemorate the pioneer founders of Ontario who settled the upper St. Lawrence Valley.

Selected gravestones from cemeterieis in the eight communities submerged in 1958 beneat the St. Lawrence are set in walls of brick and stone from vanished pioneer buildings. Of th names not found upon these walls their best memorial is the country they lived to build.

Oh God of Bethel by whose hand they people still are fed who, through this weary pilgrimage hast all our fathers led.

Our vows, our prayers, we now present before they throne of grance God of our fathers be the God of their succeeding race.

Loyalist American Regiments Memorial

In the Upper Canada Village/Battle of Crysler's Farm site, south of the Upper Canada Village Parking lot stands the memorial to Loyalist American Regiments.

This monument has been erected by a grateful province to commemorate the services of His Majesty's Forces in North America 1775-84. In particular the following which were disbanded as units and settled along the St. Lawrence River in the new Province of Upper Canada.

The 84th Regiment (Royal Highland Emigrants)
The King's Royal Regiment of New York (Royal Greens)
The King's Rangers (Rogers' Corps)
The Loyal Rangers (Jessup's Corps)

Who with their families approximated four thousand persons.

Many units composed largely of persons residing in the American provinces at the time of the revolution fought valiantly in support of the Crown forfeiting their property and suffering great privation. They and their descendents played a leading role in the rapid development of this province. For their service and sacrifice all those who suffered for this cause are known as United Empire Loyalists.

UT INCEPIT SIC PERMANET FIDELIS
AS LOYAL SHE BEGAN LOYAL SHE REMAINS

The Union Jack flown from this pole, flag of the British Empire at the time of the American Revolution commemorates Sir John Johnson, knight and second Baronet of New York, major general of militia, New York Province, Liutenant Colonel Commandant, the King's Royal Regiment of New York, Superintendant & Inspector General of the Six Nations Indians, Colonel in Chief of Militia Eastern Townships, member of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada.

Born Johnstown N.Y. 5 Nov. 1742
Died Montreal 4 Jan. 1830

This tablet was presented & the first flag raised by Sir John Johnson, sixth Baronet of New York, 24th June 1961.

Note that the flag on the pole here is the flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain used from 1606 to 1801.

TO THE LOYALISTS
OF THE INDIAN NATIONS
1775 — 1784

To commemorate the services of the many thousands of the Indian Nations who remained loyal to the British Crown at the time of the American Revolution and being much maligned and driven from their lands were settled in the new Province of Upper Canada, the badge of which province contained in their honour the pipe of peace.

THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED ON THE THIRTIETH OF JUNE A.D. 1962
IN THE TENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF E. M. ELIZABETH II QUEEN OF CANADA  

James Auld Sugar Maple Tree

South of County Road 2, south of the Upper Canada Village parking lot on the east side of the path stands the sugar maple tree recognizing the Honourable James Auld.

SUGAR MAPLE
PRESENTED TO HON. JAMES AULD,
MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES
1978-81 AND CHAIRMAN,
ST. LAWRENCE PARKS COMMISSION,
1962 AND 1981, IN RECOGNITION
OF HIS ENCOURAGEMENT OF
FORESTRY.
ONTARIO FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
MAY 15, 1982