The cemeteries serving the District of Earltown:

Earltown Village Cemetery –  Located about 1/2 km. southeast of the present village on the Berrichan Road.   This is the largest burial ground in the area and is the current resting spot for the recently deceased in the area.    The site was established around 1824 by John Sutherland to bury one of his children.  Sutherland’s home was to the north of the site.

MacKenzie Cemetery,  (Cladh Mhic Connich) – Located off  Church Road about three km.  northeast of the village.   This site was donated by William Baillie “Croshucan”  around 1825 to serve as the site for a church and graveyard.   At that time,  the main road between Pictou County and the infant settlement followed the hilltops with the only surviving section being a kilometer leading to the old MacKenzie farm.   However the road was abandoned in favour of the present highway  which winds through the valley.  Consequently it was decided to build the first church on the lower road.   The old graveyard continued to be used by a few families with connections to William Baillie.   (BTW, no MacKenzies are buried in this cemetery).

Knox Church Cemetery –  Located on highway between Earltown and Denmark.    Land for a church and cemetery was donated by Widow Catherine Ferguson.   The first church was located on the north side of the road opposite the recently demolished Knox Presbyterian Church.  As the congregation expanded, a larger church was situated on the south side of the highway.   A cemetery,  in the old world tradition, was located nearby.  It is also being used at the present time.

Gunn Cemetery –  Located on the Squire MacKay Road, about 2 km to the southeast.   This remote cemetery was originally accessed from the Stewart Road.   It is a small site that served a few families in the immediate neighbourhood.   Although small,  it has been the subject of much interest as it contains the remains of a daughter of the Earl of Caithness.

Murray Cemetery –  Located on the boundry of The Falls and West Earltown on a seldom used road originating at a bridge leading to the Horse Hotel.   This was originally known as the River Graveyard and served the early Scottish settlers at The Falls and West Earltown.   It was started around 1830 and was the main cemetery until 1905.   At the time of its founding, the main road to Earltown passed by its gate however that route was discontinued in the mid 1800’s in favour of a road on the opposite side of the river.  It was named for the Murray family who lived on the adjacent farm,  (and BTW, they are not buried therein).

The Falls Cemetery –  Located on Highway 311 between Tatamagouche and Truro.  This is the current cemetery for the surrounding communities.  It was started as a family plot for the John Hayman family in the 1890’s and was donated to the community.  It was appropriately located beside St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.

Corktown Cemetery –  Located off the old Nuttby Road through Corktown.   This is now located in the New Annan district which was part of Earltown at the time it was being used.   It was situated on the edge of  the farm of John Ryan and supposedly contains the remains of some of his children.   It was used by the small Roman Catholic population that lived in Corktown.  It was abandoned in favour of the RC cemetery at Middleton.   The writer’s grandmother used to visit the site with her parents around 1905 while picking blueberries.  The grave markers were wooden crosses which rotted over time.  Many people have tried unsuccessfully to locate the site over the past fifty years.

MacKay Cemetery,  East Earltown –  There is a tradition that a small family cemetery is located about 1/2 km. east of MacBain’s Corner on the Scotsburn Road.   There were no markers but it is thought to be near the Nabiscamp Brook.   It supposedly contains the remains of a nearby settler,  William MacKay.