WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN THE MIMINEGASH UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

For King and Country, members of the Miminegash United Church of Canada who volunteered for active service with Canada’s Fighting Forces in World War II:

Herbert Burns Stanley Costain

Lloyd Burns Vincent Ellsworth

Alvin Costain Ivan Mclnnis

Claude Costain Cecil Palmer

Elmer Costain Alfred Smith

Emerson Costain Colin Smith

Gordon Costain Edward Smith

Terrence Howard Costain John Sawyer

John W. Costain Kenneth Thomson

38. MIMINEGASH UNITED CHURCH CEMETERY

As previously stated, this cemetery was established after October 27, 1866

when the Fanny Fern, a ship of 622 tons, was wrecked off Miminegash and the bodies of two sailors were washed ashore and buried in the field below John

Costain’s house.

The original land for the cemetery was donated to the Miminegash Methodist Society by John and Phoebe Costain and Richard and Jane Costain about 1866. The first recorded burial there was on July 1, 1867. The upper part of the cemetery was given by John and Phoebe Costain and the lower part came from the farm of Richard and Jane Costain. In 1979, a small section of land on the right side of the back of the cemetery was purchased from the Provincial Government for $10.00 for the purpose of straightening the back line of the cemetery. This land had previously been owned by Clifford Costain.

When a grave was being excavated near that of Edith McInnis, the remains of one of the sailors, including a leather boot, were uncovered, buried at an angle to her grave.

After the Miminegash Methodist Church building was completed in 1881, there were two burials in back of the present church building in an attempt to start a Methodist cemetery, but the land proved to be unsuitable, and these remains were removed to the present cemetery.

From its origin, this cemetery has been used by the Miminegash United Church, and the Miminegash Bible Christian Church, which later became the Miminegash Presbyterian Church. The cemetery through the years has been lov- ingly cared for which is much appreciated by relatives and friends living in Prince Edward Island or “away”.

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