Fenwick Cemetery
Myrtle Chappell devotes pages 139-152 of her book Fenwick 1778-1978 to the Fenwick Cemetery. The Cemetery was established May 30, 1892 by Trustees Rufus Ripley, Francis Smith, Edmund Reid, George Dickinson, Crane Ripley, and Albert Higgs who resolved to buy an acre of ground from Crane Ripley for a cost of not more than $30. Myrtle describes in great detail the number of plots, the fencing, and the care of the cemetery over the years. She also lists the burials by year. The original plan was for 66 lots 20x22 with a road running around the outer edge of the cemetery. The lots were sold for $8 each. When we visited in July 2013 we found it to be an extremely peaceful and well-cared for cemetery. The perimeter road and some of the iron fencing which Myrtle Chappell described is still in place. Many of the original stones have been replaced with newer versions containing multiple names. The cemetery is still in use.
The first burial in the cemetery, listed under the date 1890, was that of Andrew Ripley (1812-1891) who had been buried elsewhere but was later transferred in to the new cemetery as the lots were not even staked off until 1892. In 1893, his wife Elizabeth B. Pipes (1814-1893) was one of three additional burials listed. The 1890 date of death on Andrew's stone and in Myrtle's book is somewhat puzzling as Andrew and Elizabeth are both listed on the 1891 census as part of their son William H. Ripley's household.
The first burial in the cemetery, listed under the date 1890, was that of Andrew Ripley (1812-1891) who had been buried elsewhere but was later transferred in to the new cemetery as the lots were not even staked off until 1892. In 1893, his wife Elizabeth B. Pipes (1814-1893) was one of three additional burials listed. The 1890 date of death on Andrew's stone and in Myrtle's book is somewhat puzzling as Andrew and Elizabeth are both listed on the 1891 census as part of their son William H. Ripley's household.
Rufus Webb Ripley (1846-1931), his wife Sarah R. Ripley (1845-1911), and daughter Bessie M. Ripley (1879-1905).
Rufus Webb Ripley was the son of Thomas Ripley (1806-1886) and Jane Bulmer (1808-1889) who are buried in the Michael Fortune Cemetery. Rufus was also one of the early trustees of the Fenwick Cemetery and taught Sunday school in Fenwick for many years. His wife Sarah R. Ripley was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes who are also buried in the Fenwick Cemetery.
Rufus Webb Ripley was the son of Thomas Ripley (1806-1886) and Jane Bulmer (1808-1889) who are buried in the Michael Fortune Cemetery. Rufus was also one of the early trustees of the Fenwick Cemetery and taught Sunday school in Fenwick for many years. His wife Sarah R. Ripley was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes who are also buried in the Fenwick Cemetery.
Ann Jane Ripley (1852-1935), William Henry Ripley (1851-1930) and Amos Parkinson Ripley (1863-1937) are all children of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes. These three siblings never married and lived together in Fenwick on Andrew and Elizabeth's original "home place".
Joseph Edward Ripley (1861-1934), his second wife Mary Weldon (1852-1918), and Edward Oman Ripley (1881-1908) son of Joseph Edward Ripley and his first wife Jane Matilda Shipley.
Jane's first husband was Anthony F. Pipes. Edward Oman Ripley died a few years after his marriage and his widow Christina Moss Coleman married his brother Alton W. Ripley. Joseph Edward Ripley was the son of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth P. Pipes and his sons Edward Oman Ripley and Alton W. Ripley were Andrew and Elizabeth's grandsons.
Jane's first husband was Anthony F. Pipes. Edward Oman Ripley died a few years after his marriage and his widow Christina Moss Coleman married his brother Alton W. Ripley. Joseph Edward Ripley was the son of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth P. Pipes and his sons Edward Oman Ripley and Alton W. Ripley were Andrew and Elizabeth's grandsons.
Mary Ripley (4 May 1838-6 Oct 1906) and husband Alexander F. Lewis (1826-20 Sep 1897) and grandson Raymond Gordon McLaurin (1894-1908) (on back of stone).
Mary was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes. Alexander and Mary's daughter Elizabeth Jane married James Fisher McLaurin. Raymond Gordon McLaurin was their son.
Mary was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes. Alexander and Mary's daughter Elizabeth Jane married James Fisher McLaurin. Raymond Gordon McLaurin was their son.
Hannah Ripley (28 Jan 1839-29 May 1930) and husband John C. Smith (5 Dec 1833-19 Feb 1913). Hannah Ripley was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes. Anna Smith (1879-1930) was a daughter of Hannah and John C. Smith who never married. Laurier (Laurie) Andrew Smith (26 July 1881-18 Oct 1862) was a son of Hannah and John C. Smith. Augusta Eveline Smith (12 Mar 1864-24 Jun 1955) was first married to Stephen S. Weldon and then to Wilbert Barry Embree. Lauretta Weldon (1893-9 Jun 1910) was the daughter of Augusta and Stephen Weldon.
Elizabeth Ripley (abt 1841-16 Nov 1899) and husband Alfred C. Fullerton (1862-28 Jan 1948). Elizabeth was the daughter of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes. Elizabeth's niece (daughter of her brother Thomas Albert Ripley) Laura Mae Ripley (1874-1961) was Alfred's second wife. Gretta T. Fullerton (d. 3 Sep 1906 aged 4 months) was the daughter of Alfred C. Fullerton and his second wife Laura Mae Ripley. Lawson C. Fullerton (1913-1916 age 3) was their son.
Thomas Albert Ripley (8 Oct 1842-9 Dec 1931), his first wife Sarah Lucinia Shipley (1846-1897) and his second wife Ollie Cameron (21 Sep 1848-Oct 1925). Thomas was the son of Andrew C. Ripley and Elizabeth B. Pipes.
There are a very large number of other Ripleys buried in the Fenwick cemetery, mostly descendants of Henry Ripley (1762-1835) son of Robert Ripley and Isabella Beane. There were too many graves to photograph but here are a few:
Sources:
Chappell, Myrtle. Fenwick 1778-1978. There is no publisher or publication date listed and this book appears to have been self-published with proceeds donated to the Fenwick United Church. I purchased my copy online through a used book dealer. I highly recommend it to anyone with relatives from the Fenwick area.
Hill, Susan A.. Some Cumberland County Nova Scotia Cemeteries, 1997. Book available for purchase through the Cumberland County Genealogical Society. Provides a complete inventory of all the graves in the Fenwick and a helpful map of their locations. This is an excellent resource and there are two full pages of Ripley graves listed for the Fenwick Cemetery.
Chappell, Myrtle. Fenwick 1778-1978. There is no publisher or publication date listed and this book appears to have been self-published with proceeds donated to the Fenwick United Church. I purchased my copy online through a used book dealer. I highly recommend it to anyone with relatives from the Fenwick area.
Hill, Susan A.. Some Cumberland County Nova Scotia Cemeteries, 1997. Book available for purchase through the Cumberland County Genealogical Society. Provides a complete inventory of all the graves in the Fenwick and a helpful map of their locations. This is an excellent resource and there are two full pages of Ripley graves listed for the Fenwick Cemetery.