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Hoover Cemetery
Rainham Township, Haldimand County, Ontario

516 Lakeshore Road, Hoover Point Ontario

Concession 1, Lot 6, Rainham Township, Haldimand County, Ont

Contributed by Murray E. Fair, May 18, 2010, last edited Jun 07, 2010 [murrayfair@rogers.com]. Total records = 121.

To reach this cemetery, begin at the intersection of Highway 2 & 53, east of Brantford, (Cainsville), there are traffic lights, travel south on Brant County Road #18 for several kilometres, you will come to an intersectiuon with traffic lights. Turn left on to Brant County Road #4, a.k.a. Cockshutt Road, travel south for a few kilometres. Watch for a road sign indicating Brant County Road #20, a.k.a. Indian Line, turn left and travel east for several kilometres through the Town of Hagersville and continue on. Watch for a road sign indicating County Road #12, a.k.a Fisherville Road, turn right and travel south for a few kilometres until you come to Lakeshore Road, Make a right turn and travel west approximately a half kilometre, you will see the Hoover Cemetery on your left, the south side of Lakeshore Road.

This cemetery is considered as active, although I did not see any evidence of recent burials. As near as I am able to ascertain the cemetery is under the jurisdiction of The Rainham Mennonite Church Cemetery Board. It is nicely maintained.

There are several old slab stones that have been moved and embedded in concrete foundations and placed in two rows in the cemetery. There are two plaques that have been placed in the cemetery, one on a large stone boulder and the other one on a concrete base. Both are important to the origin of the cemetery.

The first plaque reads: “Jacob Hoover 1729 – 1810. In 1791, Jacob Hoover, a Pennsylvania Mennonite of German – Swiss descent, acquired 2,500 acres of land on both sides of Stoney Creek, thereby becoming the first settler in Rainham and Walpole Townships. Jacob, and his wife Barbara Summers, their sons and daughters, Christian, David, Abraham, Benjamin, Henry, Daniel, Mary Miller, Susannah Wolfe, Elizabeth Sternaman and their families settled in 1793. The Hoovers had followed the Loyalists to Upper Canada after the conclusion of the American War of Independence in 1783. They were noted in a local history as “among the most respected and substantial yeomen of Haldimand County.” Jacob, the first to be buried in the cemetery with most of his immediate family and many descendants are at rest here. Hoover Heritage Association.”

The second plaque reads: “This plaque is erected over the foundations of the first church of the Rainham Mennonite Settlement. This was the second oldest Mennonite meeting house in Canada, constructed circa 1810, and served as the religious and cultural centre of the community for many years. The original meeting house was destroyed by fire and was replaced in 1870 by the present structure, located one mile north of this site. Erected by the Rainham Mennonite Congregation on its 200th anniversary, the North Erie Shore Historical Society, and the I.O.O.F. Lodge, Selkirk. Sep 26, 1993.”

I walked this cemetery in May, 2010, reading and recording the inscription from each monument or grave marker that was legible. There are a few older stones that I could not read due to their poor condition.

- Murray E. Fair

Biggar, Faith Louise, b. 1931, d. 1989
Biggar, Ralph Hamilton, b. 1924, d. 2009
Cates, Emanuel, d. 8 Feb 1838, ? age, son/o Charles & Lydia Cates
Culver, Christana, d. 1 Mar 1852, 23 Y, 6 m, dau/o John Culver
Culver, Christana, d. 20 Jul 1852, ? age, dau/o John & Christana Culver
Dawson, Arthur F., b. 1914, d. 1988
Dawson, Mary C. (Hoover), b. 1912, d. 1996
Dawson, Russell G., b. 1933, d. 1987
Dawson, Russell, b. 7 Jun 1910, d. 27 Dec 1969
Fretz, A. Lewis, Rev., b. 1897, d. 1963, h/o Barbara L. Fretz (Hoover), ordained 1918
Fretz, Barbara L. (Hoover), b. 1905, d. 1997, w/o Rev. A. Lewis Fretz
Greville, Horace James, b. 14 Mar 1916, d. 1 Feb 1970, h/o Jean Greville (Marshall)
Heal, John J., b. 1883, d. 1969, h/o Lexie Heal (Dawson)
Heal, Lexie (Dawson), b. 1883, d. 1965, w/o John J. Heal
Helka, Clayton, b. 1903, d. 1951, son/o Elias & Mary A. Helka (Hoover)
Helka, Elias, b. 1877, d. 1931, h/o Mary A. Helka (Hoover)
Helka, Mary A. (Hoover), b. 1878, d. 1966, w/o Elias Helka
Holmes, Jose W., d. 9 Sep 1866, 1 y, 29 days
Hoover, ??, d. 2 May 1904, son/o Isaac & Sarah Hoover
Hoover, Abraham, b. 1871, d. 1948, h/o Phoebe Hoover (Hallman)
Hoover, Abraham, d. 17 Jul 1871, 55 y, 3 m, 22 d, h/o Catherine Hoover
Hoover, Abraham, d. 17 Jul 1871, 55 yrs
Hoover, Abraham, d. 21 Aug 1831, 59 y, 8 m, 16 days
Hoover, Ann E. “Betty” (Cramp), b. 1925, d. 2002, w/o Edwin E. Hoover
Hoover, Arthur, b. 1878, d. 1960
Hoover, Barbara, d. 16 Apr 1839, 18 y, 10 m, 29 d, dau/o Benj. & Magdalene Hoover
Hoover, Barbara, d. 2 Nov 1818, 83 y, w/o Jacob Hoover
Hoover, Benjamin, b. 1863, d. 1946
Hoover, Benjamin, d. 11 Jan 1861, 11 y, 23 d, son/o Henry & Catharine Hoover
Hoover, Benjamin, d. 12 Aug 1889, 79 yrs
Hoover, Bertie, b. 1886, d. 1945, h/o Ella M. Hoover (Smelser)
Hoover, Catharine (Moyer), b. 1849, d. 1925
Hoover, Catherine, d. 27 Mar 1901, 66 y, 7 m, 12 d, w/o Abraham Hoover
Hoover, Charlotta, b. 1860, d. 1934, w/o Edwin Hoover, interred at Strasburg, Ontario
Hoover, Christian, d. 8 Jun 1839, 25 y, 9 m, son/o Jacob & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Daniel, b. 1838, d. 1916
Hoover, David, b. 25 Nov 1841, d. 27 Apr 1923
Hoover, David, d. 24 Sep 1846, 72 y, 8 m, 26 days
Hoover, David, d. 9 Mar 1815, 1 y, 2 m, 21 d, son/o David & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Detrick, d. 15 Oct 1900, 82 y, 1 m, 16 days
Hoover, Edwin E., b. 1920, d. 2009, h/o Anne E. “Betty” Hoover (Cramp)
Hoover, Edwin, b. 1850, d. 1913, h/o Charlotta Hoover
Hoover, Elizabeth (Lemmer), b. 1861, d. 1927, w/o Benjamin Hoover
Hoover, Elizabeth, d. 1 Apr 1846, 25 y, 8 m, 15 d, w/o Detrick Hoover
Hoover, Elizabeth, d. 20 Feb 1835, 57 y, 4 m, 14 d, w/o David Hoover
Hoover, Elizabeth, d. 23 Jan 1897, 81 y, 11 m, 21 days
Hoover, Elizabeth, d. 31 Mar 1840, 2 y, 1 m, dau/o Jacob & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Elizabeth, d. 8 Apr 184?, 47 y, w/o Jacob Hoover
Hoover, Ella M. (Smelser), b. 1893, d. 1954, w/o Bertie Hoover
Hoover, Freeda May, b. 1915, d. 1915, dau/o Bertie & Ella M. Hoover
Hoover, Harold Ernest, b. 1915, d. 1915, son/o Bertie & Ella M. Hoover
Hoover, Helen, b. 1897, d. 1983
Hoover, Isaac, b. 1874, d. 1947
Hoover, Jacob M., b. 1878, d. 1957, son/o Daniel & Catherine Hoover
Hoover, Jacob, d. 5 Nov 1860, 73 y, 2 m, 18 days
Hoover, Jacob, d. 6 Feb 1810, 81 yrs
Hoover, Jacob, d. 9 Apr 1872, ? age
Hoover, John, d. 1? Mar 1859, son/o Jacob & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Joseph Cecil, b. 1932, d. 2002, h/o Esther J. Hoover (Henry)
Hoover, Mabel L. (Fretz), b. 4 Oct 1907, d. 3 Jan 1993, w/o Vernice H. Hoover
Hoover, Magdalene, d. 22 Nov 1831, 53 y, 4 m, 5 d, w/o Benj. Hoover, Sen
Hoover, Magdalene, d. 5 Apr 1816, 37 y, 11 m, 27 d, w/o Abraham Hoover
Hoover, Maggie (Bell), d. 19 Mar 1909, 73 y, w/o Wm. Hoover
Hoover, Maggie, dates illegible, dau/o Peter & ?? Hoover
Hoover, Margaret, d. 19 Sep 1842, 18 y, 4 m, 23 d, dau/o Jacob & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Phoebe (Hallman), b. 1876, d. 1949, w/o Abraham Hoover
Hoover, Phoebe, b. 15 Apr 1850, d. 15 Sep 1921
Hoover, Ray Elson, b. 1922, d. 1924, son/o Bertie & Ella M. Hoover
Hoover, Russel V., d. 17 Jun 1893, 11 m, 5 d, son/o Joseph & Albertie Hoover
Hoover, Ulrech, d. 9 Nov 1839, 18 m, 5 d, son/o Jacob & Elizabeth Hoover
Hoover, Vernice H., b. 13 Oct 1907, d. 25 Jul 1997, h/o Mabel L. Hoover (Fretz)
Hurst, Soloman, d. ? Feb 1873, 9 m, son/o Solomon & Sarah Hurst
Jones, Evelyn, b. 1875, d. 1965
Jones, Ivan W., b. 1918, d. 1966, h/o Madeleine M. Jones
Jones, Madeleine M., b. 1920, d. 1998, w/o Ivan W. Jones
Jones, Matilda (Hoover), b. 1876, d. 1945, w/o Evelyn Jones
Kater, John W. J., b. 1924, d. 1992, h/o Alice Kater
Kinsey, Lawrence Donald, d. 6 Oct 1934, d. 22 Nov 2002
Louden, James W., b. 1915, d. 1998, h/o M. Eunice Louden (Linfoot)
Louden, M. Eunice (Linfoot), b. 1917, d. 1999, w/o James W, Louden
Miller, Alice, b. 1892, d. 1956
Miller, John, b. 17 Mar 1789, d. 30 Dec 1862
Miller, Jonah, d. 3 Jan 1850, 17 y, 3 m, 17 d, son/o Henry & ?? Miller
Miller, Lochard, b. 1884, d. 1961
Roth, S. Calvin, b. 1928, d. 1992, h/o Mary E. Roth (Sternaman)
Seebeck, Jennie E., d. 22 Sep 1878, ? age, dau/o Albert & Elizabeth Seebeck
Sherk, Albert, d. 25 Dec 1899, 2 m, 2 d, son/o Henry & Jane Sherk
Sherk, Anna, d. 23 Apr 1892, 80 y, w/o Christian Sherk
Sherk, Anna, d. 28 Mar 1879, 31 y, 5 m, 3 d, w/o Joseph Sherk
Sherk, Annie, d. 14 Mar 1884, 28 y, ? m, 9 d, dau/o Andrew & Elizabeth Sherk
Sherk, Celman Preston, dates illegible, son/o ?? & ?? Sherk
Sherk, Christian, d. 3 Jan 1881
Sherk, Henry, b. 1859, d. 1940, stone toppled
Sherk, Jane, d. 11 Apr 1902, 39 y, 5 m, 2 d, w/o Henry Sherk
Sherk, Lizzie, d. 15 Dec 1898, 24 y, w/o Andrew Sherk
Sherk, Mary, b. 18 Aug 1864, d. 16 Aug 1942
Sherk, William, d. 17 Mar 18??, 29 y, son/o Andrew & Elizabeth Sherk, chipped stone
Sprenekel, Elizabeth, d. 28 May 1831, ?7 y, w/o Michael Sprenekel
Sprenekel, Michael, d. 30 May 1833, 63 y, 9 mons
Starnaman, Martha, b. 16 Jul 1822, d. 14 Mar 1885
Sternaman, Avery, b. 1875, d. 1958, h/o Barbara Elizabeth Sternaman
Sternaman, Barbara Elizabeth, b. 1879, d. 1962, w/o Avery Sternaman
Sternaman, Fern N., b. 1899, d. 1993
Strickler, George H., d. 22 Feb 1873, ? age, son/o ?? & ?? Strickler
Strickler, Matilda, d. 22 Nov 1834, 7 y, 7 m, 9 d, dau/o Sam’l & Susannah Strickler
Swarts, Anna, b. 1786, d. 1863, 82 y, w/o Samuel Swarts
Swarts, Jacob, d. 23 Jun 1866, 64 y, 2 m, 27 days
Werner, Catharine (Hoover), b. 1844, d. 1920, w/o George Werner
Werner, Daniel Ross, b. 1919, d. 1979, h/o Mona Werner (Held)
Werner, George, b. 1839, d. 1926
Werner, Hazel E. (Schweyer), b. 1917, d. 2001
Werner, John M., b. 1913, d. 2001
Werner, Milton, b. 1874, d. 1959
Werner, Ordania, b. 1880, d. 1932
Werner, Rosetta (Hoover), b. 1876, d. 1926, w/o Milton Werner
Witmer, Loreen Annie (Wideman), b. 9 Jan 1946, d. 3 Jun 1995
Yager, Brandon Douglas, b. 14 Dec 1986, d. 19 Jul 1994, son/o Douglas & Joanne Yager
Yager, Eugene, b. 1885, d. 1963, h/o Jennie Yager (Hoover)
Yager, Jennie (Hoover), b. 1886, d. 1969, w/o Eugene Yager
Yager, Lloyd C., b. 1915, d. 1996, h/o Edna G. Yager (Nauman)
Yager, Lois M. (Kaiter), b. 1933, d. 1987, w/o Maurice S. Yager

Misc:
??, Elizabeth, no other details
??, John, no dates, son/o ?? & ?? ??
??, Magdalene, no other details
??, Mary, no other details

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