SAINT GEORGE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH

     On 25 May 2000, we received email from Bob and Sheila Puls, which read, in part:    

St. George's Anglican Church in Fort Langley

     "We are in the process of writing a book to celebrate the 100th birthday (August 2001) of St. George’s Anglican Church in Ft. Langley.  This church is situated at the corner of Church and Mary Streets in Ft Langley, which originally was the southwest corner of the HBC Fort property.  It includes the remains of the HBC pioneer cemetery in which many of the “Fathers of the Children of Ft Langley” were laid to rest.  Regrettably all records of the burials at this site have disappeared, along with the Fort journals for that period, so we are trying to determine the occupants (thought to be between 26-35) of this cemetery.  This is being done largely by process of elimination.

     "The book will include a chapter on the cemetery and its occupants.  We need help in adding to this list, which I will include at the end.  We intend to give a short review of the life of the pioneers and their place in the history of Ft. Langley and British Columbia in this chapter.  It is for this reason that I am writing to you."

     So, after sharing what we had with the Puls, we added this page in the hopes that others could help.  What Bob and Sheila now seek is:

[...] Any information on [the following] subjects would be most helpful and greatly appreciated.

1. EXPLORATION and SETTLEMENT of FORT LANGLEY:  Mainly the HBC story, largely completed.

2. COMING OF RELIGION:  Missionaries, Rev. Crickmer, Hills, Sillitoe, Bell, etc.

3. HBC PIONEER CEMETERY:  There are no records, cemetery in use from 1840 to 1890 - who is buried there?

4. BUILDING OF ST GEORGE'S CHURCH in 1901 and subsequent additions and changes.  We need pictures and stories from the early 1900's to the 1940's.

5. THE PARISH HALL (1947) and GROUNDS:  Need pictures and stories of the early days.

6. THE CHURCH FURNISHINGS:  Largely completed but could use stories and pictures of people who donated memorials.

7. THE WAR EFFORT:  Need stories of Fort Langley Anglicans who served in the wars.

8. THE MINISTERS and THEIR HOMES:  Need stories and pictures of the early ministers.

9. THE CHURCH FAMILIES:  Stories and pictures required.

10. THE WOMEN'S AUXILIARY and ANGLICAN CHURCH WOMEN:  Need stories and pictures.

11. THE CHURCH OUTREACH:  Sunday school, youth groups, etc. - need stories and pictures.

12. BAPTISMS and MARRIAGES:  We have the complete marriage register but are missing the baptismal records from 1937 to 1954.  We still hope to find these records in the archives but in case we don't, if you were baptized in the church in that period, please let us know.

The HBC Pioneer Cemetery

     When Bob and Sheila started out on this portion of their book, they didn't have much to work with, as evidenced by the following list.

     Details of those known to have been buried at the HBC cemetery site are as follows.

Known: (with reasonable certainty)

  1. Pion Pion (Peopeoh) (1798-?) worked for HBC 1827-1852

  2. Catherine (Katrina) - wife of Pion Pion (named on the “Kanaka Cross”)

  3. Infant son of Henry and Eliza Peers (1850)

  4. Ovid Allard (1817-1874)

  5. Ovid Allard Jr. (1880-1884)

  6. S. Allard (?) Probably Sarah - likely died as a child

  7. Joseph Allard (1862-?) - likely died as a child.

  8. William Henry Newton (1833-1875)

  9. Sarah Brousseau (Brewseau)(nee Pierre) (1842-1889)

  10. Etienne Pepin (Magice or Maille) - French Canadian who worked for HBC 1827-1860, died in Ft Langley in 1874.

  11. William Cromarty Brit/Scot - worked for HBC from 1845-?  Died Ft Langley, Nov 18th 1875.

  12. Catherine Taylor (nee Falardeau) 1841-1874 (daughter of Narcisse Falardeau)

Suspected:

  1. Basil Brousseau Snr.

  2. Rose - first wife of Basil Brousseau Snr.

  3. Basil Brousseau Jnr - husband of Sarah Brousseau

HBC employees who died at the Fort before the opening of the Municipal Cemetery and possibly buried at St. Georges:

  1. Tai I Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1830-1848To // The Memory of the // infant son of Henry // and Eliza Peers born // 29 November 1850 // aged 21 days

  2. Laowala Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1839-1848

  3. John Bell Scot/British - worked for HBC 1840-1848 and 1856-1857

  4. Napolean Dease Scot/British - worked for HBC 1850-1854.

HBC employees who stayed in the Fraser Valley and whose burial place is unknown to the authors:

  1. Wavicareerea Hawaiian - worked for HBC from 1830-1853

  2. Ohier Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1845-1856

  3. Peter Apnaut/Ohulu Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1848-1849 and 1850-1855

  4. Robert Wavicareerea Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1853-?

HBC employees whose whereabouts is unknown:

  1. Kekapalale Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1847-1854

  2. Kekoa Hawaiian - worked for HBC 1848-1855

  3. Alexander Latrielle French Canadian - worked for HBC 1851-1858

  4. Cyprien Dionne French Canadian - worked for HBC 1853-?

     In their research, the Puhls discovered a piece in the Langley Advance that stated there were 24 graves, Jason Allard said there were 23, and a side scan radar showed 24 places where the earth had been disturbed to a depth consistant with a grave site.

     On 21 June 2000, with much thanks to the Children of Fort Langley for their immediate and most generous responses, Bob and Sheila's list looks like this:

Known: (with reasonable certainty)The cross is my saviour // Sarah Brewseau // Died Aug 28 1889 // Age 47 years

  1. Pion Pion (Peopeoh) (1798-?) worked for HBC 1827-1852

  2. Catherine (Katrina) - wife of Pion Pion

  3. Infant son of Henry and Eliza Peers (1850)

  4. Ovid Allard (1817-1874)

  5. Ovid Allard Jr. (1880-1884)

  6. S. Allard (?) Probably Sarah -- likely died as a child

  7. Joseph Allard (1862-?) -- likely died as a child

  8. William Henry Newton (1833-1875)

  9. Sarah Brousseau nee Pierre (1842-1889)

  10. Etienne Pepin (Magice or Maillé) (?-1874)

  11. William Cromarty died Ft Langley 18 nov 1875, age 61

  12. Elizabeth Dawson (1847-1883) daughter of William Cromarty

  13. Ann Cromarty (1850-?) must have died young (family in Fort Langley to 1870)

  14. Catherine Taylor neé Falardeau (1841-1874) daughter of Narcisse Falardeau

SuspectedOvid // son of // J & S Allard // Died Jan 1884 // 4 YRS 4 MO

  1. Basil Brousseau Sr. (1811-1870/75)

  2. Rose -- first wife of Basil Brousseau Sr -- died before 1856

  3. Marrianne -- second wife of Basil Sr.

  4. Narcisse Falardeau Jr (1853-?)

  5. Noel Falardeau

  6. Eugene Allard (1854-?)

  7. Marie Allard

  8. Mathilde Allard(1851

  9. Larent Allard (1851-1860

  10. Isabelle Pepin

  11. David Cromarty (1855-1884) died in a sawmill accident -- don't know where buried

HBC employees who died at the Fort before the opening of the Municipal Cemetery and possibly buried at St George's:

  1. Tai I

  2. Laowala

  3. Napolean Dease

HBC employees who stayed in the Fraser Valley and whose burial place is unknown to the authors:

  1. WavicareereaPioneer Cemetery // [...] // Ovid Allard 1817-1874 // William Henry Newton 1833-1875 // Two faithful servants of the // Hudson's Bay Company at its post // Fort Langley

  2. Ohier

  3. Peter Apnaut/Ohule

  4. Robert Wavicareerea

(Wavikaria family changed name to Roberts)

HBC employes whose whereabouts are still unknown:

  1. Kekapalale

  2. Kekoa

  3. Alexandre Latrielle

  4. Cyprien Dionne

     If you have information on any of the unknown whereabouts, contact us and we'll forward your information along to the Puls.

     If any information changes, so will the above.

The Pioneer Cemetery is behind the white picket fence.

When the Puls book comes out, we'll let you know.

If you would like to contact St. George's Anglican Church directly, they can be reached at:

St. George's Anglican Church
9160 Church St., Fort Langley
604-888-7782
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moved 28 July 2002
updated 21 July 2013