Canton Cemeteries

The following is a brief history of the eight cemeteries located in Canton and Collinsville, Connecticut.

Additionally, there are two churches, North Canton Community United Methodist and Trinity Episcopal, with memorial gardens that contain a few burials. There are two veteran memorials in Collinsville: the “Patriots’ Tablet” (Civil War) in the northwest corner of Village Cemetery; and “Canton Veterans Memorial” (World War I, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War) at the intersection of Bridge (Route 179) and River Streets. The “Canton Roll of Honor” (sign no longer exists) was erected on the north end of “The Green” after World War I.

The Canton Museum’s website “Research” page includes: burial lists for each cemetery, including Row and Plot locations; and a “Complete 8 Cemetery Grave Listings”, master burial list that includes all burials in all Canton cemeteries, using a code next to the cemetery or memorial garden name (e.g., Village Cemetery is #1).

The cemetery is located at 18 Cemetery Road on the east side of Huckleberry Hill Road, in Collinsville, Connecticut. In 1832, land for this cemetery was donated by Samuel W. Collins for the first burial, of Franklin Gordon, a Collins Company employee. Samuel W. Collins and Hon. William Edgar Simonds are buried in this cemetery.

Contact: Collinsville Cemetery Association. Phone: 860-693-0703.

The Patriots’ Tablet is located in the northwest corner of Village Cemetery. Memorial Day Exercises were conducted in Collinsville on May 30, 1903, when this “Patriots’ Tablet” was dedicated by the State of Connecticut and the Collinsville Cemetery Association, in memory of the men of Canton who offered up their lives, a sacrifice in the Civil War.

The reverse side contains a bronze plaque that lists the soldiers whose bodies were never brought home, their Regiments and Companies, and dates and places of their deaths during the Civil War. For the names listed on the Patriot’s Tablet Click Here (PDF).

Collinsville Village and Saint Patrick’s Cemeteries were separated by stone walls and logs. Today, there is no longer a clear delineation between these two cemeteries. In general, there is a long row of tall pine trees between these cemeteries. The northern section is Collinsville Village Cemetery (Protestant) and the southern section is Saint Patrick’s Cemetery (Roman Catholic).

The cemetery is located at 15 Cemetery Road, on the east side of Huckleberry Hill Road, in Collinsville. This Catholic cemetery is just south of Collinsville Village Cemetery (see above description for boundary). This cemetery is managed by St. Patrick’s Cemetery Association.

Contact: St. Patrick’s Church, 50 Church Street, Collinsville, CT 06019-3309. Phone: 860-693-8727.

The cemetery is located is located at 32 Collins Road in Collinsville on the west side of the Farmington River, off Torrington Avenue. Calvary Cemetery was bought from the Collins, Edwards and Codding estates. It has three sections surrounded by old growth trees: Upper Calvary, Lower Calvary, and the Field. This cemetery is managed by St. Patrick’s Cemetery Association.

Contact: St. Patrick’s Church, 50 Church Street, Collinsville, CT 06019-3309. Phone: 860-764-4426.

In 1914 Saint Patrick’s Church purchased this land from the Collins, Edwards and Codding Estates. This land included the old Samuel W. Collins Homestead, after his mansion burned on January 30, 1912. Calvary Cemetery was dedicated October 3, 1915. The first burials were from St. John’s Cemetery commenced in October 1915, followed by Simon Munick on November 12, 1915.

The Nepaug Reservoir was built in 1915, 174 bodies were removed from Nepaug Village, “St. John’s Cemetery”, per the Sexton’s records, to Calvary Cemetery but there are no further records. Note: These burials in Calvary Cemetery are noted as “St John – no marker” and “3C” on the spread sheets.

The cemetery is located at 15 Dyer Cemetery Road. This is the oldest cemetery in Canton and was originally known as “Old South Burying Ground”, a gift from Joseph Wilcox, who lived just west of the mouth of Cherry Brook, in West Simsbury*. This cemetery was also known as “Cherry Brook Cemetery”. In 1737, Richard Case was the first settler in Canton and he was buried here in 1769. Tryphene Barber was the first burial here in 1752. During the Revolutionary War, British General John Burgoyne, after his surrender at Saratoga, NY, camped in the meadows here near the Farmington River. Eighteen of his soldiers were buried here in 1777 and in 1829 the skeletons were uncovered. By 1810, Daniel Dyer bought this property and it became Dyer Cemetery at that time.

Contact: Canton Center Cemetery Association. Phone: 860-693-2468.

The cemetery is located at 506 Cherry Brook Road (Route 179), behind the North Canton Community United Methodist Church. This cemetery was originally known as “North Burying Ground” and was established circa 1744, a gift from Peter Curtiss, of West Simsbury*. The first burial was in 1756.

Contact: North Canton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 311, North Canton, CT 06059. Phone: Chris Brown, 860-306-9652.

North Canton Community United Methodist Church Memorial Garden (UM) is located at 3 Case Street, North Canton, CT, 06019. Phone 860-693-4589.

*Canton was originally West Simsbury and was settled as early as 1737 along Cherry Brook valley. The first settlement is now Canton Center.  In the early days, anyone who died was taken back to Simsbury cemetery (Hop Meadow/Center) located on Hopmeadow Street (Route 10) for burial. Early families included: Adams, Alford, Barber, Brown, Case, Dyer, Foot, Humphrey, Messenger, Mills, Tuller, and Wilcox. (Source: History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton from 1642 to 1845, pages 136-140, by Noah A. Phelps.) Canton was incorporated in 1806.  South Canton became the Village of Collinsville in 1832. 

The cemetery is located at 189 Cherry Brook Road (Route 179), across the road from The First Congregational Church of Canton Center. The first burying-ground was in West Simsbury, later Canton Centre. This cemetery, originally known as “New Center Burying Ground”, was a gift from Reuben Barber who was the first person interred here in 1825.

Contact: Canton Center Cemetery Association. Phone: 860-693-2468.

The cemetery is located at 6 Canton Springs Road. This cemetery was a gift from Nathaniel Alford, III. The Canton Baptist Society had its first burial there in 1807, Sarah (Noble) Case. Hazard Powder Mills had 11 employees that lost their lives at the mill and were buried here from 1819 to 1860.

Contact: Canton Community Baptist Church, 125 Dowd Avenue. Phone: 860-693-8286.

The cemetery is located at 55 Simonds Avenue, in Collinsville. This cemetery was originally known as the “Richards Cemetery” on land owned by Jonah Richards until the Association was formed circa 1887, when the association was formed and his grandson gave up all rights. The first burial in South West Cemetery was Ann Douglas in 1828. When the Nepaug Reservoir was built in October 1915, 198 bodies, dating back to 1828 were removed from Nepaug Village, “Old Southwest Cemetery”, to Simonds Ave. The bodies of Jonah, Nancy, and Samuel Richards were moved to “Center Cemetery,” South Windsor, CT.

Contact: Southwest Cemetery Association. Phone: 860-693-8576.

Trinity Episcopal Church Memorial Garden (TE) is located at 55 River Road, Collinsville, CT, 06019. Phone 860-693-8172.

The Memorial is located is located in Collinsville, Connecticut on the corner of Bridge Street (Route 179) and River Street.

This Memorial was dedicated to the men who died in: World War I 1917-1918; World War II 1941-1946; Korean War 1950-1955; and the Vietnam War 1964-1975. November 11, 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. This monument was updated in 2018.

CANTON VETERANS MEMORIAL

“In grateful memory of the men who died in the service of their country and in recognition to all men and women who served that freedom might live, this monument stands so that future generations will always remember.”

Canton Roll of Honor was located on the north end of The Green facing Valley House Hotel. This memorial was erected soon after Wold War I, with the names of 119 men who served from Canton, along with six Gold Star soldiers (noted with a *) who never returned. Servicemen who were buried in Canton are in bold. 

First Column

Einar Adamson;
Helfred A. Adamson;
Murray C. Arnold;
Axel A. Aronson;
Theophele J. Bachand;
Harold C. Bailey;
William B. Baker;
Berton T. Bidwell;
Edward W. Bidwell;
Lester M. Bradley;
Mortimer R. Bristol;

Eugene R. Burns;
Carl T. Carlson;
Benjamin F. Case*;
Edward F. Clark;
Francis B. Coley;
Ralph B. Cox;
James F. Crowley;
Douglas Dean;
Harold G. Derrin;
Philip B. Eaton;
Frank J. Goodskey;
Adolph Anderson;
Arthur W. Olson;
Howard A. Hinman;
Frank O. Arnold;

Arthur Aronson;
John Felice;
George A. Swanson.

Second Column

Erick V. Erickson;
Harold H. Erickson;
Elmer F. Farnham;
Wallace H. Gladwin;
Archie C. Goodard;
Ensworth M. Godard;
Alex J. Goodskey;
Oscar A. Goodskey;
Chauncey M. Gould;
George F. M. Gudzinski;
Otto F. Gudzinski;
Anthony Gurtowski;
Lawrence Gurtowski;
Seth G. Haley;
Samuel G. Herberle*;
Leonard B. Hough;
Arthur H. Hudon;
David J. Hudon;
Ernest F. Hudon;

Oscar A. Hudon;
Remi J. Hudon;
Peter A. Hudon;
James E. Ryan;
Gordon C. Case;
Michael A. Donovan;

Louis W. McNamara;
Gustave E. Samuelson;
Oscar Carlson;
Whitney Gilette;
Herbert G. Olson.

Third Column

Charles I. Hugins;
Albert E. Johnson*;
Arthur E. Johnson;

Howard C. Johnson;
Paul H. Johnson;
Charles W. King;
Paul Keltovnik;
John W. Larson;
George E. Lee;
John Lorenc;
Martin F. Leahy;
Austin E. Mahan*;
Joseph J. Malsick;
F. William Mann;
Leonard D. McNamara; Stewart D. Meyer;
John J. Mignault;
Herbert Mildren*;
George W. S. Myers;
Joseph Nuzenski;
David F. Olson;
Charles A. Ostrowski;
David B. Reidy;
Martin W. Goodskey;
Davitt Moroney;
George Erickson;
Stuart A. Bristol;

Leo T. Bruyette;
Bertil W. Johnson;
Mitwell Widem.

Fourth Column

Fred W. Ostrowski;
William E. Panke;
Armand Pattechini;
Edward J. Pillon;
H. Thomas Pillon;
C. Milton Quick;
H. Raymond Quick;
Sidney F. Robillard;
E. Russell Rogers;
James H. Ryan;
George C. Schmitt;
Nathan Schwartz;
John E. Snow, Jr.;
Albert C. Sweeton;
Ernest F. Scherwer;
Anthony W. J. Sweykoski;
Theodore Tibeay;
Wladislaw Tomczak;
Joseph J. Wagner;
Edward F. Weber;
George F. Wilkins;
James R. Shamper;
Walter E. Johnson;
Sylvester Noble;
John Kucia*;
E. Raymond Bristol;
Frank E. Wilder;

Karl B. Borden;
Anthoni Smilowicz*.

The Canton Cemeteries spreadsheets have the following Column Headings:

  • A – Last name;
  • B – First and middle names and parents;
  • C – Spouse;
  • D – Gravestone Marker information;
  • E – Date of birth;
  • F – Date of death;
  • G – Age at death, in years unless otherwise designated (d–days, w–weeks, m-months);
  • H – “Military Service” (note that a “Y” indicates a flag by the gravestone) and “Miscellaneous” information; and
  • I – Cemetery # (see previous definitions by cemetery).

The information on these spreadsheets came from the following sources:

  • Canton Historical Society staff ‘Census of Grave Stones’ from 2006 to 2009. Note that the boundary fence between the Village (#1) and St. Patrick’s (#2) Cemeteries no longer existed in 2006, therefore some of the graves may be improperly listed;
  • ‘Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions’ for Canton, Connecticut. They were part of the federal government W.P.A. project directed by Charles R. Hale circa 1932-5. The website is www.hale-collection.com/ These records are designed by a ‘B’ after the cemetery number (e.g., Village Cemetery is #1B);
  • Porritt Scrapbook #2, Civil War Veterans – Canton;
  • Leonard Alderman’s Canton Connecticut Cemetery Records of December, 1997, which included records of graves removed from St. John Cemetery, in Burlington, when the Nepaug Dam was built – these graves were removed to Southwest Cemetery or the lower part of Calvary Cemetery;
  • “Collinsville Connecticut Home Guard” – framed document;
  • Leonard Alderman’s Obituaries of Burlington People;
  • ‘Find A Grave Index’ website;
  • Headstone Inscriptions copied by N. L. Kingsbury, W. J. Bowden and Clifford Rourke in October, 1934;
  • Hartford Courant Obituaries website;
  • Fred Widen’s Scrapbook with newspaper clippings, including obituaries, from 1902-1950;
  • Canton Historical Museum Library Obituaries: Katherine Jenkins (1, 2 & 3); Bristol; Bristol / Frances Moody (2); Moody; Dublac (1& 2); Dlubac / Bristol; Helen H. Sweeton; and an unknown author.
  • World War I & II Draft Registration Cards;
  • Connecticut Death Index 1949-2001;
  • Soldiers Memorial, 16th Regt., Company E, Civil War; and
  • Social Security Death Index website.

Maps and other information are available at the Canton Historical Museum Library, 11 Front St., Canton, CT 06019. Phone 860-693-2793.

There are a number of abbreviations used, including the following:

  • Art. or Arty. – Artillery;
  • Batt. or BN – Battalion;
  • Cav. – Cavalry;
  • Capt. – Captain;
  • Co. – Company;
  • Col. – Colonel;
  • Corp. – Corporal;
  • C.V. or C.V.I. – Connecticut Volunteer Infantry;
  • Gen. General;
  • HQ or HQS – Headquarters;
  • Hvy. – Heavy;
  • Inf. – Infantry;
  • KIA – killed in action;
  • Lt. or Lieut. – Lieutenant;
  • Maint. – Maintenance;
  • Maj. – Major;
  • Med. – Medical;
  • MP – Military Police;
  • M. Sgt. – Master Sergeant;
  • Ord. – Ordinance;
  • Pfc. or PFC – Private First Class;
  • Q. M. – Quarter Master;
  • Reg. or Regt. – Regiment;
  • Rev. War – Revolutionary War;
  • Sgt. or Sergt. – Sergeant;
  • SSgt. – Staff Sergeant;
  • Squad. – Squadron;
  • Sup. – Supply;
  • Vols. – Volunteers;
  • WW I – World War, World War I or Great War; and
  • WW II – World War II.

The following is a listing of American wars and their dates:

  • French & Indian War 1754-1763;
  • American Revolutionary War 1775-1783;
  • War of 1812 1812-1815;
  • Mexican War 1846-1847;
  • Civil War 1861-1865;
  • Spanish American War or War with Spain 1898;
  • World War I 1914-1918;
  • World War II 1941-1945;
  • Korean War 1950-1955; and
  • Vietnam War 1964-1975

Author: Tom Ayres, docent and librarian at the Canton Historical Museum, Collinsville, Connecticut.

Canton Cemeteries burial listings

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