At the corner of Wyandotte St. W. and Huron Church, surrounded by the Ambassador Bridge is Assumption Cemetery. This is the early Roman Catholic cemetery for the Windsor area.
A google search turned up this brief history of the cemetery:
At its present site, the Assumption Cemetery (located at the intersection of Wyandotte St. West and Huron Church Rd.) was established in 1859, when then-Bishop Pinsonneault relocated it from the Cemetery’s second home, the area we know now as Assumption Park. However, remains interred on-site today can actually be traced back as far as 1795, initially part of the Cemetery’s first home (1781) next to Assumption Church – itself founded as a parish in 1767 and standing as the oldest in Ontario. Within eye (and ear-shot) of the Ambassador Bridge, Assumption Cemetery also notably contains the Basilian Fathers’ plot that dates back to 1870.
The Ambassador Bridge looms behind the headstones.
The family of Col. James Askin, namesake of Askin Ave. Col. Askin was born in Detroit in 1788, he died in 1863, and his son John A. Askin, born in 1817, died in 1904.
During my visit, I saw this overgrown cross memorial, and headed in for a closer look…
It’s a memorial to Sgt. Joseph D. Creede, who was killed in action over Hamburg Germany in 1942 during WWII.
A telling sign of the influence of the French history of our region. A completely French tombstone from the 1940’s. Calixte Séguin was a member of the School Board.
Frank E. Marcon. Born in England in 1832. Was clerk of the county court & registrar of surrogate. He died in 1901.
The grave of Sir Harry Gignac. In his early days Gignac was a member of the Sandwich Fire Department, and according to his obituary in the Windsor Star, “Harry Gignac as a young man went to work for the Neal Baking Company, but in 1915, he established his own bakery, producing Butternut Bread. The business became one of the most successful in Western Ontario. He sold his share of the bakery to start Purity Dairies in Windsor in 1929. Gignac is best known for his community service: five times President of the Windsor Branch of the Canadian Red Cross, founder of Goodwill Industries, and founder of the United Appeal, now known as the United Way. He was a member of the Board of Regents of Assumption University, before it became the University of Windsor. In 1960, the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews named him Humanitarian of the Year.”
Gignac was also the original owner of what is today known as the Grad House at the University of Windsor, which is facing demolition and was featured in the January 3rd entry (see the last photo).
His brother Art Gignac was a well known Rum Runner during prohibition. Click here to read his story.
Col. Arthur Rankin, born at sea in 1824. Joined the Queen’s Light Infantry at Toronto at 14 in 1838, when it was sent to the Detroit Frontier. Took part in the infamous Battle of Windsor and captured the flag of the so-called Patriots. He was a member of Parliament for Essex from 1854 to 1857, and again from 1863 to 1867. When the two provinces Upper and Lower Canada were each divided into nine military districts, Rankin was appointed Colonel of the ninth Upper Canadian District. He died in 1893, and is the namesake of Rankin Ave.
Victor Ouellette, member of the School Board.
A few views of the Lavin Mausoleum. Despite the grandure of the mausoleum, I was unable to uncover any information about the Lavin Family.
The Basilian Fathers’ plot.
The McKee Mausoleum, James McKee (1829-1899) was the reeve of Sandwich for 20 years, most of the family was actively involved in local politics. The McKee’s were related by marriage to the Rankin’s.
Great shots of the Assumption Cemetery.
Some extra info about the shot of Sgt. Creede – a quick search of the Commonwealth War Graves Commision brings up this link.
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2199980
According to the link, Sgt. Joe Creede was an air gunner and is buried in Hamburg Germany.
God I love that cemetery, as well as the one a bit further down the road next door to the prison. I often wodnered to my self how much of the original grave site was actually destroyed or built over when the almighty bridge laid roots…..
Sammy
Has their ever been any talk of relocating this cemetary ? I realize it is pretty close to the bridge property and they have been removing alot of homes in the area recently.
Rich, none that I know of. I guess that it is safe for two reasons.
1. It’s probably difficult to move it. It is still an active cemetery.
2. The land along Wyandotte St. is useless. There is too much congestion for that land to be of any use.
I was at the cemetary today looking for the resting place of Cornelius Sexton b.1781- d.1867 he
is my ggggrandfather. Though I didn’t find him yet, some of the tombstones are well worn. It was still quite an experience because of the history that is associated with this cemetary. With a little
more searching of the actual plot no. I will be able to confirm a key link to my family.
Chris
It is quite a nice cemetery to bad the bridge is next to it.
My Great Uncle Rev Charles Collins of Maidstone Oldcastle is burried there.
He was a professor at the University and helped found a boy’s home in Waco, Texas. around the turn of the century (1900)
William
The great grandparents, etc, for the Bondy family are there.My grandfather, Harvey Bondy, laid most of the sidewalks for the Sandwich area. There are still some original sidewalks that carry his name, as far as I know. They lived on Harris Street which I am not sure if it still exists as I have been away from Windsor for a long time. Again, thatnks for the memories.
Made the journey too Our Lady of the Lake too find and visit my grand fathers grave site “Lucienne Parent ,luckely he is next too the marked grave of his brothe .will have to visit assumpttion to locat myy gg grand parents Patrice and euprazine Parent ,nee Janisse .The early Renaud,s Vetors Parents and Janisse rest their .So thank full for Heavenly Rest staff he;p in locating graves .
I am from Ottawa and I am researching the Granger family who lived in this area back around 1850. They came from Quebec. Zéphérin Granger was married twice. His first wife was Leocadie Pétrimoulx and his second wife was Emma or Aimée Lombard (previously married to Antoine Langlois). They had several children and one of them was a son, Joseph Colomban “a.k.a. Frank” Granger who was a twin but his twin died at 8 days. Colomban married Marguerite Poisson and I believe they moved to Detroit. Would Zéphérin Granger and his wives be buried in this cemetery along with the twin (Donas Granger I believe) who died? Thanks, Diane
Diane Rose, I checked the records for Assumption Cemetery as published by the Essex County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society in 1987 and there is no record of the Granger family. I believe that this is an inventory of all the gravestones on this site. I also checked the records for St Alphonsus, Ste Anne (Tecumseh), Our Lady of the Lake, St Mary`s Roman Catholic (Maidstone), St Simon and St Jude (Belle River) and St John`s Roman Catholic (Woodslee) cemeteries as published by the above mentioned source and found no records. It is possible that the graves were unmarked or the gravestones were not visible to the observers. I don`t have records for other area cemeteries.
I also checked the 1861 Census for Sandwich East (also from the Essex County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society) and found no records. I did find the following in the 1871 Census for Sandwich East:
Granger, Zepheus, farmer, male, age 42, place of birth Quebec, Roman Catholic, French origin, married
Granger, Eme, female, age 46, place of birth Ontario, Roman Catholic, French origin, married
Granger, Laura, female, age 20, place of birth Quebec, Roman Catholic, French origin
Granger, Joseph C, male, age 5, place of birth Ontario, Roman Catholic, French origin
Granger, Joseph Zepheus, male, age 3, place of birth Ontario, Roman Catholic, French origin
There is no record for Granger in the 1901 Census for Sandwich East.
Sorry I could not find more but I will keep looking.
my grandfather is buried there hryniw
I am wondering what exactly happened to the Graves that were near the water.. around the time of 1784.. trying to track down a relative and a child who was to be buried there.. and cannot figure out where/if there would be any headstone?
Did you ever find the grave of Cornelius Sexton?
Hi, I am researching the Parent Family Tree and know my GGGGrandfather Thadues Parent married Mary Chlodilde Janette Nov. 26 1850 at Assumption Church,are there any records for this and if so can I get copies? I’m not sure if either was burried in Assumption Cemetary but I do know he died March 7 1877 . They were both born in Assumption, Sandwich,Essex County,On. Canada. He was born Sept. 23 1818 and she June 16 1828 being Catholic I’m hoping they were baptized there, perhaps first Communion or any other documents. I’m hoping there is some sort of paper trail to follow-up on. Please contact me on how I can get this information. Thank you. Sincerely Yvonne Reaume
I am searching for Pierre Amable Girard and Marie Joseph Reveau dit Lejeunesse Girard she died in 1805 and he died in abt. 1820.
I,also, have been bitten by the genealogy bug. Assumption Cemetery is on the CanadaGenWeb’s Cemetery Project site. Go to Ontario, then Essex County, then find Assumption Cemetery on the list of cemeteries in Essex County.
Good luck.
Both my grand parents Juliette and Primo Mangile are buried there and with my aunt Genevieve Lucier . My great grandmother Onoline Sauncey the grass has completely grown over her grave. Can’t find it now . :-(.
The yards are not being taken care of. I wish I could get access to records of there births and marriages etc. So I could get the proper spellings and find the rest of my family.
Many graves are likely still buried on the 1st/2nd plot (in empty park in front of Church).
Some may also still be buried near the shore on the small ridge where the cross stands…
This cemetery is believed to be the third location of the Assumption parish burial plots.
It is most certainly not the original. When they moved some of the graves from the original location, they put cement crosses up for they did not know what body they moved. Some received no marker, and some were likely missed and remain untouched from the 1750s-1770s.
This is a great historic gem.
Does anyone know if there is a public record (one available without approaching church officials for access to archived records) of all the graves in all the sites indicating which were moved where the ‘occupant’ was known?
I remember there were binders at the Local History Room at the WPL Main branch with an index and slide photos of the headstones. Not just for Assumption but other cemeteries as well. This has presumably been moved to the OGS collection by now, also at the WPL Main branch. Ask a librarian upstairs to assist you.
JBM, http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ON/ will bring you to Ontario’s cemeteries and the graves of people. Click Essex County and go to any cemetery.
Sadly for this particular cemetery, nothing predates 1795-1799 I believe. So anyone buried before that in this section of the city/county is lost.
Most people in the mid to late 1700s would have likely had a wooden cross that has long disappeared.
Thnaks Shawn. I was aware of that site and it is quite usefull. I was particularly interested in the old and relocated Assumption cemeteries and their occupants, etc.
Yeah unfortunately I do not believe there are any records other than what the church might have.
Detroit has a similar problem, where as their oldest Catholic cemetery only dates back to the 1830s or so… where were the people buried for the 120 some odd years before that!?
I wish we had better records of everything.
I am interested in obtaining an index of burials for St Alphonsus, Assumption and Our Lady of the Lake Cemeteries that would give names and plot numbers. I use the Canada GenWeb Project in my research. However, it is only as good as the number of photos that have been taken by the volunteers. Can you point me in the right direction. Thanks
Hi, I too would like a listing for the Our Lady of Assumption Cemetery. I have only been able to find a potential plot number, EX-SX-060, but cannot find the date of burial to confirm. Is there a listing somewhere? Thanks.
I am looking for Corinne Séguin (1898-1952)- Assumption Roman Catholic, Windsor, Essex, Sandwich West EX-SX-060.
As a young girl, my mother’s family, Power, moved to Windsor from Niagara Falls, in the mid 1920’s. Her young brother, Joe, drowned in the Detroit River shortly after. He was buried in this cemetery in the child’s section. When the bridge was built, some of the children’s graves were moved to another cemetery nearby in Windsor. My aunt did not know where, other than they were placed in an unmarked grave. Anyone know this story and whereabouts? Also, their father, Joseph Power, drowned in the Detroit River almost a year later to the day after his young son. Looking for the location of that grave, too. Any information would be helpful to further our genealogical search. Thank you.
Dean Lucier, according to the Windsor Division, Essex County Death Registry, Joseph Power, Sr., died of accidental drowning on October 19, 1926. He was 40 years of age having been born May 2, 1886 in England. According to his registry entry, he was to have been buried at St. Alphonsus Cemetery. Here is a link to coverage of his death in “The Border Cities Star” (see pg. 3, middle column):
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=lIaPce-xyHYC&dat=19261020&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
Joseph Jr. accidentally drowned on July 8, 1926. He was 8 years of age (b. Dec. 10, 1917). He was to have been buried at L’Assumption Cemetery as you stated.
A message to Diane Rose above (Nov 3, 2010 posting). I have more information for you on that family. Please contact me.
Was looking for the grave of a Great-Great Uncle and Aunt buried there. I didn’t find a head stone. Was wondering who to contact with the records of the cemetery. If anyone knows I would appreciate the help. Would like to a headstone on the grave. Thanks in advance for your help.
Did anyone find Cornelius Sexton?