Description of Historic Place

The Greenwood Cemetery, where the deceased of non-Anglican and non-Baptist Protestant congregations from Shediac and the region are buried, was inaugurated in 1888 by the Methodists. It is located in the eastern part of the town on Greenwood Drive. It includes numerous tombstones of various styles.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Greenwood Cemetery as an important local historic place lies in its spiritual value. This cemetery represents the belief system of some of Shediac’s pioneers. It is where the deceased of non-Anglican and non-Baptist Protestant churches were buried, and it contains the graves of the Presbyterians and Methodists who formed the United Church in 1926.

The heritage value of the Greenwood Cemetery also resides in the presence of the tombstones of many individuals who left their mark on local, provincial, and even international history, as well as contributing to business, maritime commerce, municipal politics, and the judicial field. Among them are the tombstones of James Webster (1836-1906), boot and shoe manufacturer, R. Chesley Tait (1857-1938), merchant ant exporter, John Dickey (1833-1919), miller, and William A. Russell (1853-1914), lawyer and probate judge. Lastly, there is the tombstone of schooner captain John Friar (1847-1885), erected in his memory after he was murdered in New Guinea while trading with the indigenous people there. That tombstone is unique in Canada.

Source: Shediac Town Hall - Registrar's Office - File #14

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements associated with the Greenwood Cemetery include:
- cemetery entrance with its dressed stone pillars;
- fence surrounding it;
- varieties of trees and shrubs;
- elegant tombstones of particular styles;
- tombstone of John Friar.