The 49th Annual Open Air TITUS HILL MEMORIAL CEMETERY SERVICE, Titusville, New Brunswick, Canada was held on the second Sunday in July - July 11, 2010. Since the weather was unfavourable, the service was moved to the Central Kings Recreation Centre, which is about 2 km from the cemetery toward Upham.
Once again we gathered to remember those who rest in Titus Hill - which has become more or less a yearly family reunion. Although those attending may not be connected by blood relationships we are united as a family through the ties of having a loved one, ancestor, friend or neigbour buried in Titus Hill.
A collection was taken to be used for the upkeep of the cemetery. (Tax receipts are given.)
Those with friends, relatives and ancestors buried in Titus Hill, gathered not to mourn them but to remember these people who loved and were loved, who enjoyed life, who had their problems, who suffered hardships and who like us, too shed tears, in the loss of a loved one.
Many of the early settlers of the area were laid to rest in Titus Hill. Through the years their descendants have also chosen this sandy hill that John Titus gave the Community for a cemetery. It is cosmopolitan for neighbour sleeps by neighbour in death, as he lived by his neighbour in life, without regard to creed, religion or colour.
The life stories of the people in Titus Hill are as varied as the many shapes of tombstones that mark their graves.
For example, in 1915 Ethel Moody of Passekeag, was nursing in Quebec along with her friends Nellie Floyd formerly of Titusville and Anna Irene Stamers, formerly of Saint John, when these three nurses signed up for the Over-seas Expeditionary Forces. They came home to spend time with family and friends before leaving. In fact Ethel Moody spent the night before her departure - at the home of a neigbour caring for a very ill baby so the mother could get a night’s sleep.
These three ladies have gone down in history as being the first three nurses from New Brunswick to go overseas to care for the wounded and ill soldiers in World War I.
In the later years of her life, Ethel Moody returned to Passekeag. Upon her death, she was buried in Titus Hill.
* *
At the 2010 Service Ruby told of one of the people who made an impact on the area - William Tweedale, who was born in 1788 in Cumberland, England.
He came to New Brunswick in 1819 with his wife Jane Atkinson and children, having heard of a scarcity of “laborers in the Lord’s harvest” in this region of the world.
He not only preached but was the schoolmaster in Titusville and other schools and probably lived on the back road between Jones Baird and Theodore Kilpatrick.
His youngest son Wesley Tweedale aged 2 years and 5 months died on July 11, 1826 followed five years later in 1831 by the death of his wife, Jane, the mother of his five surviving children.
William Tweeddale was a friend to all and a tireless worker - comforting those who mourned and preaching many a funeral sermon.
He continued the Lord’s work along the hiways and byways until a week before his death in Upham Parish on Nov 24, 1863, at age 75.
A tombstone marks his burial place on the top of Titus Hill.
*
An update was given on the goals of the Directors of Titus Hill and the work that has been accomplished - with many hours being donated by volunteers.
Members of the Memorial Service Planning Committee donated sweets and beverages.
About 150 attended the 49th Annual Titus Hill Memorial Service on July 11, 2010 with the youngest being six months old and the oldest past the ninety mark. Although most of those attending were from the local area, there were those who travelled quite a distance - coming from Ohio, Massachusetts, Ottawa, Fredericton and Moncton.
*
Any questions or comments - e-mail Ruby - rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca
PS: Ruby would like pictures of the folk buried in Titus Hill - stories of their lives - copies of obituaries etc. - many a tombstone gives the date of birth and death with a dash separating these two events - Ruby's aim is to collect as much information as possible as to the events in the life of the person - that is gather details on the "dash" and record it for future generations. Family histories are most welcome as this ties together the family connections.
**************
The 50th Annual Titus Hill Memorial Service will be held on the second Sunday in July of 2011.
Back to Home of rubycusack dot com