A9

BY TIM JAQUES

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

Atholville - One usually associates Scotland with cool mountain mists, but the day was hot and sunny on Sunday as the Caledonian Society of Restigouche held its annual memorial service and family picnic at the Old Athol House Cemetery.

1 of 3

Tim Jaques/Tribune

The bones of unknown pioneer were re-buried on Sunday at the service at the Old Athol House Cemetery. They had been disturbed when a new fence was built. From left, piper Archie Babcock; Adam Duncan of Fredericton; Lay Speaker Robbie Bursey; and president of the Caledonian Society of Restigouche, Allan Dickson.

Tim Jaques/Tribune

Pipers Archie Babcock and Robbie MacLeod greeted those who attended the Caledonian Society of Restigouche's annual memorial service at Old Athol House Cemetery.

The grave of Robert Addams, buried in 1791, has the oldest standing marker in the cemetery.

The cemetery is near the river, north of the AV Cell mill, on land that was once next to Athol House, a trading post and commercial enterprise based on farming and fishing that existed on the site in the 19th century. The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is that of Robert Addams, dated 1791. At one time, a simple church stood on the grounds, which was used by all Protestant denominations before a Presbyterian church was built in Campbellton in the early 1830s. The Athol House church, which also served as a school for pioneer children, stood from about 1810 until 1930. A cairn now marks the site where it stood.

The lay speaker conducting the service was Robbie Bursey, whose sermon took as its theme the Parable of the Talents. Bursey argued that the Scots, whose nation was oppressed and impoverished, still managed to do a great deal in the bigger world through their hard work. The organist was Ann Chedore and there were two pipers this year, Archie Babcock and Robbie MacLeod. Master of ceremonies and chief organizer of the event was Allan Dickson, president of the Society.

An unusual feature this year was the re-burial of some bones of an unknown pioneer. The old cemetery fence had become damaged over the years, so a crew under Curtis McDavid of AV Cell worked to build a new one. In the course of digging holes for a fence post on the perimeter of the cemetery, a student unearthed a few bones at a depth of about four feet. This is not surprising, since it is known from records that many more people to be buried in the cemetery than there are standing markers, and it is suspected that others are buried there for whom there is no existing record of burial.

The fence crew did not think it fit simply to dump the bones back into the hole, and hence brought the matter to the attention of the Society. The bones were put into a small, elegant wooden casket, and after a few words, were buried near where they were found. Adam Duncan of Fredericton, a member of one of the first Scottish families to settle in Restigouche in the late 18th century, shoveled the dirt over the casket. Archie Babcock played a lament on the pipes to denote the solemnity of the occasion. A cross has been erected to mark the spot.

After the church service, things were less sombre, with a lively family picnic at which singer John Adams of Point La Nim provided the entertainment.

Dickson expressed himself pleased with this year's turnout and the good weather, saying that while the work involved in planning such an event was great, it was a good way to keep people in touch with their heritage while enjoying a good summer day at the same time.