About the Cemetery
The cemetery was first established as a burial ground about 1804 when Capt John Denison buried his young daughter Elizabeth at the recently acquired family farm in Weston.
When Capt John passed in 1824, his will specified that the burial ground be set aside as a family cemetery for his descendants and their spouses. There have been lots of trials and tribulations over the years, but the cemetery remains and is currently run by a non-profit corporation made up of volunteers from the family.
About the Family… by the family…
The Denison Family of Toronto has a long history in Toronto. Capt John Denison was one of the original settlers in York in 1796. The family was prominent in the development of Toronto with extensive land holdings in the west end of the city. Todays street names reflect that influence: Denison, Rusholme, Dovercourt, Bellevue, and Lippincott are all examples. The family’s strongest mark on the city was their participation and leadership in the military through the 1800’s and into WW I and II.
Tim Martin and Robin Davidson-Arnott have written and video blogged about the family’s military history.
- Video blog – Tim’s Vignettes
- Online biographies – can be found here.
If you’re an academic researcher looking for more information, we do have an extensive library of older family written material. Please contact us
About the Family… other Information / links…
Here are public sites that may be of interest to those researching the Denison family. These site are not maintained by St John’s Cemetery on the Humber or the Denison family.
- The Find-a-grave team have photographed the cemetery stones. It’s worth browsing as they’ve done historical research.
- The history of the Church of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields.
- A number of historical plaques have reference to Denisons
- Toronto neighbourhoods (select a neighbourhood and it will give you the history – many involve the Denisons) Then click on “downtown” and then neighborhoods like South Annex or Dufferin Grove.
- Massey-Quick House (the application for “historical site” status)
- Governor Generals Horse Guards main site History
- Governor General’s Horse Guards wikipedia page with references to Denisons.
- There are lots of other references to Denison’s in wikipedia.
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David Gagan wrote an article in 1971 before he completed his book “The Denison Family of Toronto, 1790-1925“. It contains a perspective on the family history and the identity it established. Please read sections III and IV for the family history: “The Historical Identity of the Denison Family of Toronto, 1792-1860”
- 1992 property poster (10MB download)
