About 8 years ago a friend of mine who was the caretaker at St Peters was called by the priest during a heavy rain and windstorm to go to the church late at night. Upon arriving at the church he was greeted by the local police. During the storm a large tree at the back of the church had blown over. His job was to stay during the night at the site because at the base of the tree entangled in the roots were the remains of an adult and a very small child. He was to monitor the site until morning. I went the next morning and the police had removed the remains and sent them for examination. After two days the remains returned and reburied on the property. The final conclusion was that they were probably a couple of hundred years old and there wasn't any sign of foul play. I saw the root ball of the tree and it looked that the tree was planted after death of the two individuals
Saint John was where I was born (Saint John General Hospital) and where I grew up until Sept 1991 when I was 27 yrs old. I love watching your videos, sir. Keep up the excellent work! Have a great week!
What an absolute gem of a channel. Found you while looking up the 1958 airplane crash and have loved everything else I have seen. So amazing to learn about our province's history
I had no idea that a historical burial like this existed so close to home, Thank you Mike for sharing this informative video. Also understanding why Indian town is named as such is wonderful. Being a local it is interesting to know why it is known as Indiantown, Saint John. It is unfortunate that the people found are lost to history but your recount helps keep the history alive. Thank you fine sir.
This video inspired me to research and find my ancestors. They lived and grew up in the north end and was worried they might have been lost in one of these cemetery’s. To my amazement, everyone was found in old Catholic cemetery of St. Mary’s. This video hit home so thank you for that!
Very interesting video. Although I didn't attend St. Peter's Church I grew up in the area, over 70 years ago, on Kennedy Place, which you can see from the Drone footage. I used to attend great baseball games there at the ball diamond shown in the footage and attended the odd bowling games there, also. I had no idea of the wonderful history of St. Peter's Church.
Lived on douglas ave for a short while went to sport practices at the gym in the st peters church , worked temporarily down at the atlantic towing warehouse walked from uptown to their for quite a while. grandfather fished outta five fathom hole still lives out in prince of wales . What history and a town to be apart of. Hard to explain the city i grew up in and made it out of became successful and came back to live the rest of my life and raise my children
My Dad grew up on Magazine Street (born in 1932) and he told me about this 'transfer' of graves - He watched as they collected remains and put them together in large tubs. He claimed that there was not a lot of respect offered to the remains as they were removed from the north end.. :(
Mike how did you get permission to see maps ???? I only have a few and those r only online...I ask because The Immaculate church on waterloo street ...I think was a burial ground to...my loyalist grand parents are buried under the church I think
This is not the first time bones have been discovered, nor will it be the last. Prior to purchase by Roman Catholic Diocese of Quebec, it was used as a cemetery, while owned by James Simonds. This makes it one of the earliest Loyalist cemeteries in St. John. The Catholic church used it as a cemetery until at least 1840, when land at Fort Howe was deeded to the Roman Roman Catholic Bishop of Charlottetown. The church in this video was constructed on land previously used as a cemetery despite terms of the deed dated 05-Aug-1828 wherein Bishop Panet agreed that the land be used for nothing else than a place of interment, forever thereafter.
wow.... powerful, and educational. Too bad the area around the church couldn't just be left as a park, knowing that there are likely many 'forgotten' burial sites on the property. Good point about these unmarked sites not having any nefarious intent... they were simply marked with non 'permanent' means and over time the markers, and memories were lost. And even the relocated remains were buried in a 'mass grave'... an apparently perfectly acceptable practice only 70 years ago.
Interesting. But are you sure that those big stone blocks behind the medical centre weren't just part of the school that used to be there and was torn down?
It could be possible that I made a mistake but given the shape, size and location of the blocks, my first guess would be that they are the remains of grave markers.
Thank you for this interesting and educational historical account of the burial grounds. I remember when the tree fell over in the storm a few years ago to reveal the people laid to rest there. I felt led to pray for their souls. One of the Corporal Acts of Mercy is to Bury the Dead. I hope and pray that ALL of the remains of ALL who have been buried on the former St Peter's Church site will be given an honourable burial before any new construction begins. Thank you for covering up what was probably the skull of the face of a child. I would suggest the rest of the remains be covered as well. Thank you for praying for their souls with such dignity. God bless you!
I wish the Diocese shared your concern. Most of the land was used as a burial ground prior to being sold to the church. It continued to be used at least until the land at Fort Howe was acquired. St. Peter's Church was built over part of the burial ground, despite the terms of the deed. It's neither likely or possible that the Diocese will do anything at this time.
Even more disrespectful that the church and everything else was built on top of a cemetery, despite conditions defined in the deed when the land was purchased.
About 8 years ago a friend of mine who was the caretaker at St Peters was called by the priest during a heavy rain and windstorm to go to the church late at night. Upon arriving at the church he was greeted by the local police. During the storm a large tree at the back of the church had blown over. His job was to stay during the night at the site because at the base of the tree entangled in the roots were the remains of an adult and a very small child. He was to monitor the site until morning. I went the next morning and the police had removed the remains and sent them for examination. After two days the remains returned and reburied on the property. The final conclusion was that they were probably a couple of hundred years old and there wasn't any sign of foul play. I saw the root ball of the tree and it looked that the tree was planted after death of the two individuals
Thank you for this wonderful video.
Saint John was where I was born (Saint John General Hospital) and where I grew up until Sept 1991 when I was 27 yrs old. I love watching your videos, sir.
Keep up the excellent work! Have a great week!
What an absolute gem of a channel. Found you while looking up the 1958 airplane crash and have loved everything else I have seen. So amazing to learn about our province's history
Born and raised saint johner make me proud to be where im from love the history.
Both of my children were Baptized at St. Peters in 2007 and 2009. It was a beautiful church.
I had no idea that a historical burial like this existed so close to home, Thank you Mike for sharing this informative video. Also understanding why Indian town is named as such is wonderful. Being a local it is interesting to know why it is known as Indiantown, Saint John. It is unfortunate that the people found are lost to history but your recount helps keep the history alive. Thank you fine sir.
This property was first used as a burial ground when it was owned by a pre-Loyalist making it possibly the oldest cemetery in the area.
As a graveyard enthusiast, I think it's so sad seeing unearthed human remains left on the grass outside the fence like trash for anyone to see.
Thank you. Excellent presentation.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this history and creating an awareness of the burial ground locations.
This video inspired me to research and find my ancestors. They lived and grew up in the north end and was worried they might have been lost in one of these cemetery’s. To my amazement, everyone was found in old Catholic cemetery of St. Mary’s. This video hit home so thank you for that!
My ancesters who were buried at Fort Howe were also re-interred to St. Mary's. Those buried at the site filmed above were never moved.
Thank you for this informative video
Very interesting video. Although I didn't attend St. Peter's Church I grew up in the area, over 70 years ago, on Kennedy Place, which you can see from the Drone footage. I used to attend great baseball games there at the ball diamond shown in the footage and attended the odd bowling games there, also. I had no idea of the wonderful history of St. Peter's Church.
Phenomenal well researched video. Kudos!
Lived on douglas ave for a short while went to sport practices at the gym in the st peters church , worked temporarily down at the atlantic towing warehouse walked from uptown to their for quite a while. grandfather fished outta five fathom hole still lives out in prince of wales . What history and a town to be apart of. Hard to explain the city i grew up in and made it out of became successful and came back to live the rest of my life and raise my children
Thanks Mike,,,another awesome video
Awesome video, I learned a lot. Can you do a video on Sugar Refinery site??
Thanks for the suggestion. That could be a good video to do.
My Dad grew up on Magazine Street (born in 1932) and he told me about this 'transfer' of graves - He watched as they collected remains and put them together in large tubs. He claimed that there was not a lot of respect offered to the remains as they were removed from the north end.. :(
How sad!
To see old bones, it's not just bones, it was a person who lived in another time. And in time we will become bones.
and in 1 -2 generations forgotten
Fascinating.
Very interesting, thanks for the video
Thanks for watching
2:50 I like the lichens, the patina of eras.
Mike how did you get permission to see maps ???? I only have a few and those r only online...I ask because The Immaculate church on waterloo street ...I think was a burial ground to...my loyalist grand parents are buried under the church I think
This is not the first time bones have been discovered, nor will it be the last. Prior to purchase by Roman Catholic Diocese of Quebec, it was used as a cemetery, while owned by James Simonds. This makes it one of the earliest Loyalist cemeteries in St. John. The Catholic church used it as a cemetery until at least 1840, when land at Fort Howe was deeded to the Roman Roman Catholic Bishop of Charlottetown. The church in this video was constructed on land previously used as a cemetery despite terms of the deed dated 05-Aug-1828 wherein Bishop Panet agreed that the land be used for nothing else than a place of interment, forever thereafter.
wow.... powerful, and educational. Too bad the area around the church couldn't just be left as a park, knowing that there are likely many 'forgotten' burial sites on the property. Good point about these unmarked sites not having any nefarious intent... they were simply marked with non 'permanent' means and over time the markers, and memories were lost. And even the relocated remains were buried in a 'mass grave'... an apparently perfectly acceptable practice only 70 years ago.
Nice work boss...I'd love to work with you free of course. I do the same thing you do
Dive at the head pond in fredericton area i hears theirs old houses and schools and a church that are now underwater
I have been planning some videos about that subject. Hopefully I can get around to making them someday. Thank you for the suggestion.
Interesting. But are you sure that those big stone blocks behind the medical centre weren't just part of the school that used to be there and was torn down?
It could be possible that I made a mistake but given the shape, size and location of the blocks, my first guess would be that they are the remains of grave markers.
Thank you for this interesting and educational historical account of the burial grounds. I remember when the tree fell over in the storm a few years ago to reveal the people laid to rest there. I felt led to pray for their souls. One of the Corporal Acts of Mercy is to Bury the Dead. I hope and pray that ALL of the remains of ALL who have been buried on the former St Peter's Church site will be given an honourable burial before any new construction begins. Thank you for covering up what was probably the skull of the face of a child. I would suggest the rest of the remains be covered as well. Thank you for praying for their souls with such dignity. God bless you!
I wish the Diocese shared your concern. Most of the land was used as a burial ground prior to being sold to the church. It continued to be used at least until the land at Fort Howe was acquired. St. Peter's Church was built over part of the burial ground, despite the terms of the deed. It's neither likely or possible that the Diocese will do anything at this time.
I live in the country he is in
st josephs cemetary sits parshaly in my neighborhood
i litarally saw my apartment building in one of the shots
They quietly demolished that church. The Holy Spirit was prominent inside that church. Felt it many a time.
je suis archéologue, j'ai jamais vu des travaux dans un terrain historique sans une opération archéologique. La loi canadienne n'en compte pas?
Google translation: I'm an archaeologist, I've never seen work in historical terrain without an archaeological operation. Canadian law doesn't count?
I was thinking the same thing! By law shouldn't the construction have stopped until the specialists came to do what they do??
That is so disrespectful to just pile those bones next to a tree. They should have had more respect and placed them in some sort of box or container
Even more disrespectful that the church and everything else was built on top of a cemetery, despite conditions defined in the deed when the land was purchased.
@@Lighthouse269 I agree with you 100%.
@@AllieTrott Thanks for showing concern for the souls buried there.
Ok