Cemeteries in British Columbia - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 18:01:29Z

Yes, you're right of course. I made a note in my description and that's all.

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 17:59:38Z

Yes, thanks, got it and downloaded it!

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-17 17:21:30Z

This is an image from the original - spelling mistakes and name variations happened. Many people could not read or write.

This is NOT transcribed - this is the exact names and spelling you would get.

You cannot (and should not) correct errors in original records.

In certain "transcribed" records on Ancestry (eg censuses) you can add a correction to assist others with looking for an ancestor, but original records are never altered.

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 16:54:28Z

Yes, but wish I could correct spelling errors in this record. Note that Eva spelled her name as Evangelyn and her second name as Boothe, but the person completing the form changed that spelling. I'll take hers!
Most certainly, this confirms his mother's name as McKay; one of the other spellings I've seen is McHay.
Also glad to see confirmation of Eva's parent's names.

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-17 16:22:41Z

The image is here FREE. The BC records online at the BC Museum archives or FamilySearch are amazing, considering the lack of info in the other provinces.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11564-77780-70?...

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 16:14:45Z

Right. I'm going to order that marriage certificate and will post when received.
Thanks again.

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-17 15:45:24Z

Right, I just saw that. So now you have George THURLWELL's parents and an image.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JD8J-LTH

Name: Geo Wm Thurlwell
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 19 Oct 1915
Event Place: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Age: 21
Birth Year (Estimated): 1894
Birthplace: Leeds, England
Marital Status: Bachelor
Residence Place:
Father's Name: Geo Wm Thurlwell
Mother's Name: Herinetta Mckay
Spouse's Name: Evangeline Booth French
Spouse's Age: 18
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1897
Spouse's Birthplace: Caley's Point, Newfoundland
Spouse's Marital Status: Spinster
Spouse's Residence Place:
Spouse's Father's Name: W H French
Spouse's Mother's Name: Annie Norman
GS Film number: 1983976
Digital Folder Number: 004401577
Image Number: 01100
Affiliate Film Number: B11383
Reference ID: 15 09 126574
Certificate Type: License

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

eicuthbertson — 2013-05-17 15:35:45Z

Go to www.FamilySearch.org free Records section instead to see the image of the marriage.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11564-77780-70?...

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-17 15:27:27Z

Eva's 1915 marriage to George William THURLWELL is online, but there is no image (yet).

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Basi...

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 14:48:08Z

Hello, talbotrail! Thanks again for all the information.
I have saved a file as a .jpg (Ancestry.com doesn't like MS Word!) where I have tried to compile all the info that I have, and info that has been supplied to me by you and one other contributor, listing the clearest facts of my grandmother's history. You will see that I have yet to get one marriage license but I'm working on it.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Yours,
Carol-Ann

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 14:28:39Z

Hello, talbotrail! Thanks again for all the information.
I'm attaching a file where I have tried to compile all the info that I have, and info that has been supplied to me by you and one other contributor, listing the clearest facts of my grandmother's history. You will see that I have yet to get one marriage license but I'm working on it.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Yours,
Carol-Ann

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-17 03:33:21Z

There is that conflict - is your great-grandmother Anne NORMAN (from Eva's marriage record) or Anne SNOW (Nathaniel's marriage record)? Or did they have two different mothers?

Nathaniel FRENCH WW1 Attestation paper
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119....

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-17 02:26:56Z

Thank you so much for all your replies! It's great to finally fill in the blanks for my grandmother, and now have my great-grandparents identified too.

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-16 16:06:29Z

1942 obituary for Eva's father William Henry FRENCH.

??
http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTS/Chart057/

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-16 15:02:15Z

This may be the 1919 marriage of Eva's brother Nathaniel FRENCH to Mary Edith SADGROVE (note, Eva's 1931 marriage took place at the home of Mr FRENCH, and one witness was E M FRENCH). His mother is listed as Anne SNOW.

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

1974 Death of Nathaniel FRENCH
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

_______________________________________________

1954 Death of Nathaniel FRENCH, possibly a brother to William Henry FRENCH; born 1866 in Newfoundland, father is listed as Benjamin FRENCH, wife is Isabella PARSONS.
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

1942 death of Isabella FRENCH (nee PARSONS)
http://www.nwheritage.org/bowell/bowell.php?operation=Displa...

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLGY-XPJ

Name: Isabella French
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 23 Dec 1942
Event Place: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Female
Age: 73
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 18 Jul 1869
Birthplace: Bay Roberts, Newfoundland
Father's Name: Joseph Parsons
Mother's Name: Anna Staish
Spouse's Name: Nathaniel French
Tribe or Clan:
Affiliate Film Number: B13177
GS Film number: 1953637
Digital Folder Number: 004438064
Image Number: 02321
Registration Number: 8221

________________________________________________________

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLLV-16V

Name: Benjamin French ??
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 15 May 1910
Event Place: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Male
Age: 74
Marital Status:
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Bay Roberts, Newfoundland
Father's Name:
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Name:
Tribe or Clan:
Affiliate Film Number: B13089
GS Film number: 1927117
Digital Folder Number: 004437841
Image Number: 02788
Registration Number: 24832

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-16 14:23:00Z

No death certificate online for Eva's father.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLG5-C9L

Name: William Henry French
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 26 Oct 1942
Event Place: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Male
Age: 78
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 26 Oct 1864
Birthplace: , Newfoundland
Father's Name: Benjamin French
Mother's Name: Ann Stephen
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth
Tribe or Clan:
Affiliate Film Number: B13176
GS Film number: 1953636
Digital Folder Number: 004438063
Image Number: 01677
Registration Number: 6257

Death of her step-mother Elizabeth FRENCH (nee CURNEW) in 1948.
http://www.nwheritage.org/bowell/bowell.php?operation=Displa...

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

Search page
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Basi...

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-16 13:56:52Z

Eva FRENCH 1931 marriage certificate (to Charles Willard DAVIS) is online and lists her father as William Henry FRENCH, mother is Anne NORMAN. At the top it states marriage was dissolved at Vancouver 12 Dec 1952.

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

talbotrail — 2013-05-16 13:42:42Z

Here is the obituary for Eva SPARROW (nee FRENCH).

Re: Evangelyn Boothe French

mackenzietree — 2013-05-16 04:49:00Z

Did you know that you can see this death certificate online without ordering it? It does give the information of where she is buried and the name of the funeral home:

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Disp...

I THINK most of the death certificates are available this way - it's been a project for quite a while.
Win

Evangelyn Boothe French

carolann199 — 2013-05-15 19:32:14Z

Hello: This is my grandmother's maiden name. She may be buried under her last married name as Eva Sparrow. I've requested a death certificate from the Dept. of Statistics of BC, but I don't know if it will include where she is buried. When I have that certificate, I will be able to request her birth certificate. I know she was born about 1900. She was married first to George Thurlwell, then Mr. Davis, then Albert Sparrow. She died in 1961 and Albert followed her a year later. He had a son, Leslie Sparrow, killed in a mid-air collision during an airshow in the late fifties.

Re: Mountain View Burial Park, Vancouver, BC

b4treat — 2013-01-30 15:29:28Z

Excellent!
I will give you what I can and also, see what photos I can locate.

Re: Mountain View Burial Park, Vancouver, BC

ArdelleMoore — 2013-01-30 12:30:42Z

I would like to exchange family information with you - I have extensive history on your grandfather and his parents and siblings but nothing on him, his wife and their kids.

Re: Mountain View Burial Park, Vancouver, BC

b4treat — 2013-01-30 06:01:32Z

My grandfather was Robert Shortreed, born Sept. 17, 1897 and married Ethel May Risley born 1910.
He is buried in Mountain View but I believe she was cremated. Hope this helps.

Mountain View Cemetery - Photo Request

sudown — 2013-01-19 05:11:38Z

Hi, this is probablly the wrong time of year to request a photo of a grave, but here goes...

Mountain View Cemetery and Crematorium
Plot: JONES/*/23/006/0014

Frederick Downhill
Born Jun., 1870, Hyde, Cheshire, England
Died Jul. 13, 1933, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Unknown if his grave has a wife attached. His wife stayed in England, she died in 1944, buried England.

Death Cert- says he was married.
13 Jul 1933, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, died age 63, married.
Source: British Columbia, Death Registrations, 1872-1986, British Columbia Archives film no.: B13148; Film no.: 1952855; Digital folder no.: 004438054; Image no.: 00935; Regis. no.: 28301.

Family history occupations were Railway men, his brother died in 1906 in Saskatoon, so just maybe he "worked his way across?"

Frederick has a Find A Grave site for more information-
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=26...
Any help appreciated and I totally understand if Spring needs to come before a trek to the cemetery is feasible!
~thanks, Sue

arthur heady

paulnpat77 — 2013-01-19 01:56:51Z

looking for arthur heady mother florence

Re: Looking for Bentley Headstones

eicuthbertson — 2013-01-14 03:13:47Z

Are you looking for a specific Bentley family? If so, do you know where they lived in BC?

A good first place to check is the BC Cemetery Finding Aid (not complete for all BC): http://www.bccfa.islandnet.com/

And see also the BC Genealogical Society's Cemetery Committee page for more cemetery links: http://www.bcgs.ca/?page_id=467

Looking for Bentley Headstones

Scotty1979 — 2013-01-13 00:29:38Z

Hi there

My name is Scott Bentley.
I am looking for headstone pictures of Bentley's in the BC area.
Hope you can help me out.

Looking for the headstone of Richard Thomas Barnes

dbarnes061 — 2012-11-30 21:00:45Z

Looking for the head stone of my father Richard Thomas Barnes who died in Surrey,BC in 2005....anyone knowing him please contact me

Provincial Cemetery Essondale

bennokuennemann — 2012-11-01 16:36:21Z

Peter Kuneman (31.08.1892-24.01.1967) was buried on Jan 26, 1967 at Provincial Cemetery Essondale BC, 1349 Commercial Drive. His Registration Nr. of Death is 67-09-002031. I am looking für a headstone photo.

Re: Look up at Ross Bay Cemetery,Victoria..have some info

eglanglois — 2012-10-11 19:11:49Z

Hi Patricia,
That would be wonderful!
My address is eglanglois@hotmail.com
If my address gets underlined..those are g's in my name.
Thanks so much,
Elaine

Re: Look up at Ross Bay Cemetery,Victoria..have some info

PatriciaG1960 — 2012-10-11 09:09:22Z

Elaine - I live near Victoria, BC and would be happy to visit Ross Bay Cemetery for you to take some pictures of the gravestones you are looking for. I can email them to you once taken. ~Patricia (patricialylee@hotmail.com)

Glen Alexander MacMillan and son Glen Allen MacMillan

thomtour11 — 2012-07-10 03:01:55Z

I wonder if someone would mind photographing the headstones of my ancestors at North Vancouver Cemetery as follows:
Glen Alexander MacMillan, Block 535, Plot 14
Glen Allen MacMillan, Block 535, Plot 15
Their graves are not far from the exit off Lillouet Lane on the left. It would be greatly appreciated.
If you wish, I may be contacted at E mail: thomtour1@auracom.com

Re: Look up at Ross Bay Cemetery,Victoria..have some info

MikeMelen1961 — 2012-05-06 18:22:36Z

November 3, 1931, 1; 2 - photo. Died suddenly November 1 at Esquimalt, BC, John Samuel Henry Matson, 62, born April 21, 1869 at York County, Ontario, son of R H Matson. He arrived in Victoria in 1889...; 4 - editorial...; 6; 18 - tribute paid...; November 4, 4 - poem In Memoriam...; 7 - poem...; November 5, 1; 2 - funeral...; November 7, 4 - poem... Pallbearers: J L Tait, W B Monteith, B C Nicholas, Charles Swayne, B A McKelvie, Harold Husband. S 007 E 35 [Colonist, 1931-05-31*]

Founds this

Re: Look up at Ross Bay Cemetery,Victoria..have some info

MikeMelen1961 — 2012-05-06 18:16:55Z

Hi Elaine:

Try contacting these people. They have helped me in my Ross Bay searches. If dont hear back from them, leave me a message and I will see what I can for you

http://www.oldcem.bc.ca/index.htm

Look up at Ross Bay Cemetery,Victoria..have some info

eglanglois — 2012-05-02 01:47:40Z

Hi there,
So,the following folks are my ggaunt and uncle and their son.
Ada Theresa Matson
died 18 May 1957
Block S Plot 8 E 35

John Samuel (Sam) Henry Matson
died 1 Nov 1931
Block S Plot 7 E 35

John Robert Meredith Matson
died 3 Nov 1934
Block S Plot 8 E 35
The above info comes from the Ross Bay Cemetery website.
I don't know if there are headstones.If so,I'd love a picture.
Thanks,
Elaine

Pleasant Street Cemetery Kamloops BC

R_Poeschek — 2012-04-04 04:16:51Z

Pleasant Street Cemetery in Kamloops BC has been photographed and indexed and is online:
http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/BC/BCP0652/
This was a project by the Kamloops Family History Society.

Re: Murrayville Cemetery

kay_gorse — 2012-03-11 18:27:25Z

I would like to have a copy of the image for John Sabok, 1911-1973. Unfortunately, I do not have a specific location.
Please email to kgorse@telus.net. Thanks
Kay

Re: Murrayville Cemetery

MaryRAMcGowan — 2012-03-06 21:08:49Z

Hi and greetings from Ireland!
I found the record of my great granduncle Wilfrid McManus in Langley cemetery.Plot:298 Grave:4.He died 2nd Mar 1953. I would love to see a photo of his gravestone. Wilfrid was married to Cecelia Droskowski McManus. I can't find any record of her death. It is possible that she is buried with Wilfrid. As far as I know they didn't have any children so there may have been no-one to add her name to the stone. Do you know if there is a record of all the interments in Langley?
Regards,
Mary

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

braches_1 — 2012-01-22 21:16:46Z

Valerie: “There is a small "First Nations"graveyard on the side of the highway at a place just East of Maple Ridge called Whonnock”
Roree: “…. this is indeed the Whonnock area. My cousins and I are descended from these people and this church and this graveyard contain some of the older records that are difficult for us to find since it requires some travel.”
Roree “One of my cousins a very astute genealogist found this church and the graveyard some years ago, but sadly had run out of time to record any of the information from the church or the graveyard.”

----
There are two First Nations cemeteries in this eastern part of Maple Ridge. The one Valerie Walton mentions is on the south side of Lougheed Highway and on Langley Indian Reserve No. 5. The other one is on Whonnock Indian Reserve No. 1 and that is the one Roree refers to. There are no plans of either cemetery.
---There was a Roman Catholic Church on Whonnock IR 1 built by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) around 1860 (?). It was demolish more than half a century ago. It is unlikely that any records were at that church. The OMI fathers at Mission kept the records of baptism, marriage and death of all in their care in the area, including the Whonnock IR. Those researching First Nations/Kanaka roots are familiar with those records. ---
The little First Nations cemetery on Whonnock Reserve No. 1 is just east of the municipal Whonnock cemetery. In 1997, when I recorded the grave markers, I found a few iron so-called “OMI” crosses. They had been removed from the graves where they stood originally and are now no longer at the cemetery. These crosses were marked “Cathrine Feb 1888,” “Patrick Feb 1889,” Alick Mar 1892.” There are remnants of some wooden crosses without any wording left. ---
The only surviving markers were the following: ---
(1) Willie D. / Cheer / Born / June 15, 1879 / Died / Oct. 30 1908 / Rest in piece [upright column, text on east side] ---
(2) Roxley H. Cheer / Born May 21, 1907 / Died Aug. 9, 1912 / Gone but not forgotten [stone cross, information on base] ---
(3) In loving memory of / Johnny Louie / Died June 23, 1937 / Aged 13 years / Save in the arms of Jesus [marble cross. broken from base] ---
For more information simply Google "cemeteries whonnock" and you'll find my Whonnock Notes No. 2 with that name.

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

ValerieWalton54 — 2011-12-27 23:05:46Z

It may have gone to your "Spam" folder because I am not a contact of yours.
I will resend the whole message. Hopefully it will work this time.

Val

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

bhcross — 2011-12-27 16:39:56Z

Val --
No, I did not receive the picture. were you able to find marker for her husband, ED Dickson ? thanks for time and effort.
Beth
bethjcross@gmail.com

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

ValerieWalton54 — 2011-12-27 15:31:58Z

Beth, did you get my email with the photo of Rose Dickson's headstone.
If not, let me know and I will resend it.

Val

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

brain9924 — 2011-12-25 23:05:10Z

There is a cemetery in the old township of Whonnock, which is now part of Maple Ridge. You may want to check there. Also there is a first nations cemetery on 203rd st.

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

roree555 — 2011-12-12 18:43:26Z

Aloha Valerie;
Thank you for the information. I am a seasoned traveler through the history of Hawaiians in the Pacific Northwest and have contributed to one book written by Jean Barman and Bruce Watson called "Leaving Paradise" The bios at the end of the book were added by a grant from UH to help those of us who are descended from these Hawaiians and Indigenous people.
You are well versed in the area and this is indeed the Whonnock area. My cousins and I are descended from these people and this church and this graveyard contain some of the older records which are difficult for us to find since it requires some travel. This particular group carried names like Pio Pio, Pio Alii, Kiaho, Cheer-Chier-Ohier, Mayu, Maio, Maioho, and of course the ever present Kanaka, when the church officials were uninterested in recording their names, and or their native language obscured the real spellings. There are thousands of Canadians who have no idea that they are descended from these families. I recently informed a young man in Seattle that he was in fact descended from the Mayou line. Many of these people were afflicted with TB and many of them now either live on the reserve with Indian identities so they don't loose their homes and families, some have no idea as to their Hawaiian heritages as it was hidden from them just as it was hidden from many of us who eventually married enough men with blue eyes to produce children who passed for white. Many of these families who did not choose or were forced off the reserves found themselves in the US passing for white, since there were strict laws which were prejudicial to them and their families. Many went the reverse direction to Canada as they preferred the British treatment of them when the 49th parallel was drawn.
They also traversed back and forth because prior to the border being defined they had families above and below the border and they had polygamist leanings, so you see many of them even today traversing across the border.
One of my cousins a very astute genealogist found this church and the graveyard some years ago, but sadly had run out of time to record any of the information from the church or the graveyard.
The church records usually define the events they recorded with Kanaka if it was known, and or Indigenous ties. That affiliation changed as the BIA defined rules for their children. That is also why many of them moved in order to escape the inevitable kidnapping of their children to residential schools. That is why many Natives and Hawaiians chose to reside outside reservation boundaries and started to lie on the census records about their nativities. You see through out the 1881 census in particular, entries crossed out and NOT GIVEN written above, or Kanaka crossed out and not given above. Women were terrified that the government would take their children and they did, especially if their white husbands abandoned them for a white wife which occurred on a regular basis. Many of these women were "country wives" and were not married in fact.
It is of course a long sad story. My only purpose in this research was to follow through on a death bed promise to my grandmother who charged me with finding my living cousins as her greatest disappointment in life was that she did not know her living relatives as her mother had fled the prejudice to California, where she worked as a "waitress" code for prostitute for a cohort of her father who bled her large inheritance dry. So I did it, I found my living cousins who thankfully had been on the same quest as I had chosen. Now I work on reconnecting families with their Hawaiian families here in the islands and helping them provide documentation to register with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
I am no longer able to travel freely (hard times) so I rely on the kindness of others, or my cousins who are on the same journey as I. Thanks for your timely responses. My tree is Pacific Northwest Hawaiians and some of the names might pop out at you, since many are Hawaiian in origin or Indigenous as well. Kanaka Creek was in fact named because of the numerous Hawaiians who resided there. Many of them related to Pio Pio and a man known as KOMO or Henry KOMO, some of his descendents are known as Henry. Some of Pio Pio's descendents are known as "Roberts" who were descended from one of his sons and many are in Oregon and Sechelt.

Roree Oehlman

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

roree555 — 2011-12-12 18:14:20Z

Thanks
They are virtually every where in BC. I have chased down most of those who are family, but this particular area supposedly has burials in this area in an older cemetery which may have no name.
Roree

Re: Burial - Frederick Smith, Coquitlam BC

ValerieWalton54 — 2011-12-12 15:10:01Z

Once you get his death certificate and find where he is buried I can get a photo for you if you do not live in this area.

Val

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

ValerieWalton54 — 2011-12-12 12:59:11Z

Roree, I just found this on Wikipedia. Kanaka Creek is very close to downtown Maple Ridge.

In Canada, many Kanaka men married First Nations women,[3] and their descendants can still be found in British Columbia and neighbouring parts of Canada and the United States (the states of Washington and Oregon). Canadian Kanakas were all Hawaiian in origin. Nearly all were contractees of the Hudson's Bay Company although some had arrived in the area as ship's hands or, in some cases, migrated north from California. There was no negative connotation to the use of Kanaka in British Columbian and Californian English of the time, and in its most usual sense today means someone of Hawaiian ethnic inheritance, without any derisive sense. Kanakas had been aboard the first exploration and trading ships to reach the Pacific Northwest Coast and there were cases of Kanakas living amongst various First Nations peoples after jumping ship as well as often along on the fur brigades and Express of the fur companies, as well as in the life of the fort. Kanaka Creek, British Columbia was a community of mixed Hawaiian-First families established across the Fraser River from Fort Langley in the 1830s and remains on the map today. Kanakas were active in both the California Gold Rush and in the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush and other rushes; Kanaka Bar, British Columbia gets its name from claims staked and worked by Kanakas who had been previously working for the fur company (which today is a First Nations community of the Nlaka'pamux people).

Some linguists hold that canuck, a nickname for Canadians, is derived from the Hawaiian Kanaka.[4]

I had never made the connection that Kanaka was a Hawaiian name. I thought it was a bastardized First Nations word. Wow. This is getting very interesting. :D

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

ValerieWalton54 — 2011-12-12 12:44:09Z

Beth, I am very familiar with Garden Hill Funeral Home. I have attended a few funerals there and my husband grew up about 2 blocks from it. It is in downtown Haney (Maple Ridge). Every bit of information helps. I will do some investigating but I will have to wait until next week when I am off work for the Christmas break.

Roree, I was unaware of the heavy presence of Hawaiians in British Columbia and you have piqued my interest.
I think I know where the graveyard is that you are talking about. There is a small "First Nations"graveyard on the side of the highway at a place just East of Maple Ridge called Whonnock (pronounced wah nuck). The Indians/aboriginals/native people in Canada call them selves First Nation people. From your description of the graveyard that you heard about, this one fits. It is close to the banks of the Fraser River which is the major river in our province and has saw mills all along the shores from way up North all the way to the mouth near Vancouver. It has also been a major "highway" for thousands of years.
There were many saw mills in the area of Ruskin, Whonnock and Stave Lake. You will be happy to know that the graveyard has been cleaned up and is being beautifully maintained thanks to the Whonnock and Ruskin historical society.

I am looking forward to doing some exploring for both of you.

Val

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

roree555 — 2011-12-11 19:39:06Z

Aloha;
How true about learning something new everyday! That is true especially once you throw yourself into ancestry research. History sure comes alive. At one time the Hawaiians in the Pacific northwest outnumbered the white people. They were brought there by various fur traders, whalers and gold fever. there are thousands of us descended from these men who married First Nations women and then created their own communities whose families were pretty much related to one degree or another back in the Islands or in the Pacific Northwest due to cultural practices of the day, which included incestual relationships.
Funny how people wind up in their locations. My white ancestor married a Hawaiian Native woman and he was from Maine!

Re: Maple Ridge Cem. - near Port Coquitlam, B.C.

bhcross — 2011-12-11 19:30:09Z

I guess you can learn something new every day. I had no idea !!

My ancestor was from MO. he moved to Canada some time during the 1930s or 1940s. He died there, so was buried there.

Hoping to get a picture of his gravemarker.

thanks.