Lot 1 – Part 1

In 1904 Alfred Knowlton wrote a “History of Advocate Area,” which was published in The Citizen newspaper between July 13 and August 17, 1985. Alfred was the grandson of Daniel Knowlton Jr. Alfred states that Daniel and his wife Rachel were buried on their own property. Just where on their property they were buried has always been a mystery.

Daniel had bought Lot 1, which extended from the Beach Road (West Advocate) to the east line of Lot 10 and the high water mark back to the Base Line, about 3 miles (see Early Settlers). When Daniel died, his 500-acre lot was divided into two lots of 250 acres. His son George got the east half; his son Asa, the west half. Asa divided up his land: his son James got the westernmost 15 rods (247.5 feet) in 1871, his son Silas received 17 rods east of that, likely in 1875 upon Asa’s death (we have no record of when his other son Bryson received land). James sold his lot to Rhodes Dewis in 1923 and Rhodes sold it to Scott Dewis in 1945. Silas sold his land to Willard Atkinson, my uncle.

Back in the 1950s I was picking some blueberries across the road from my Aunt Ressie and Uncle Willard’s house. I was actually on the Scott Dewis property. While picking the berries I noticed two wrought iron objects shaped like a church window. There were no markings on them as to indicate what they were. When I went back to my aunt’s I asked her and she said they were grave markers. No one has ever mentioned these markers that I’m aware of. In recent years I tried to determine who the markers were for but failed to do so. Until recently.

The land where the two grave markers were was part of Daniel Knowltons land and later became part of James W. Knowltons land in 1871, later sold to Scott Dewis. I feel certain the two markers were for Daniel and his wife Rachel.

It has also been stated the Lutheran Morris and his wife Elizabeth were buried next to Daniel and Rachel. While Lutheran had at one point owned the adjacent Lot 2 he had sold it long before he died. Luthern died 19 years after Daniel, and when he died his family owned many lots in the village. I have found no evidence of this burial next to Daniel and Rachel or reason for such action.

Stone in the Advocate Cemetery for Bryson Knowlton and family members.

Reid Property

There are notes written by and about the Blenkhorn family that state that Robert Blenkhorn came from Maccan to West Advocate and settled on the property that eventually the Reid family purchased and still live there. Apparently on Sunday April 25, 1830 while his family were at church Robert hanged himself from a tree in the back yard. There is a tree in the back yard that has always been respected and the ground close to the tree was never plowed because it was thought that someone was buried there. The Blenkhorn notes indicate it was Robert who bought the land but I do not agree with that. I believe it was not Robert but rather his brother John Blenkhorn who purchased Lot 3 in 1814 from Robert Dow and sold it in 1821 to Samuel Freeman. Samuel sold the lot to Robert Dewis, his brother Samuel Dewis and George Reid in 1836. George became the sole owner of the property in 1841.

Robert Blenkhorn made out his will on April 25, 1830. In his will he stated that he lived in Maccan and deeds of 1817, 1824 and 1828 also show he lived there then. After making out his will he hung himself. In his will he speaks of Martha as being his affectionate and beloved wife. There is a gravestone in the Michael Fortune Cemetery in Maccan with Robert and Martha names on it. Some people think that Robert was not buried with his wife; however the information I found indicates he was.

The question now is, Who is or may be buried on the Reid property? In 1871 Samuel Morris and wife Elizabeth sold grave lots to 16 families in what is now the Advocate Cemetery. These were the first lots sold to non-Spicer people. In 1868 Samuel Morris sold 1/4 acre to Isaac, Jacob and Robert W. Spicer for burial purposes. This area became known as the Spicer Cemetery and is just south of the lot sold in 1871. One of the 16 lots sold in 1871 was to the late George Reid family. George died in 1865, six years before the family plot was purchased and thus was not buried in the family plot, although his name is on the family stone. George and Eleanor had a daughter, Nancy, born in 1830 in Economy. The census of 1838 would suggest that she was in Advocate at that time. When and where she died is not known but she may be buried on the Reid farm – but if not I would suggest George was.

Charlie Cole Property

There was a stillborn child of Jennie Cole buried on the Charlie Cole property in 1934.

Cape d’Or

On Cape d’Or, Walter Barteaux and his wife Rebecca (Crossman) lived at Horseshoe Cove. Their farm was across the road from the entrance to Horseshoe Cove. In some of the deeds for Cape d’Or land there is reference to the Barteaux burial ground. They say that you can take a sighting from Cape Spencer rock to the Barteaux burial ground. If you drive pass Horseshoe Cove towards the lighthouse you soon take a curve to the left and you will see a cabin on the left side of the road. When you walk in past the cabin to the edge of the bank you will see the Cape Spencer rock. There are no grave markers at this location but I feel certain that is where Walter and Rebecca Barteaux were buried.