In 1948 the York Mills Baptist Church was dismantled, and the tiny cemetery east side of the Church with 38 markers all but forgotten.

Ezekiel Gooderham one of the three immigrants to come to the Toronto area in 1832, was a member of this Church, soon after becoming Deacon;  and at the age of 60 Pastor of the Church.  He and his wife Harriet along with their son Walter are buried in this ‘forgotten cemetery’.

After a visit to the cemetery a year or so ago, one could barely find the entrance with vines covering the fence and gate entrance.  Once in, such a state of disrepair, overgrown by weeds, downed branches and fallen markers.

Where to begin…. Many not so successful attempts …. Then a stroke of luck.  Greg Wilkinson a resident of the area also a volunteer and organizer made an inquiry to our website.  With his dedication ….May 26, 2024 was the first formal ‘clean-up day’ attended by volunteer neighbours, historians, and a representative of the Baptist Ministry.

The cleanup crew

Greg continues to work with Heritage Toronto and the Baptist Ministry with hopes of raising donations to erect a plaque to celebrate the historical significance of the church and cemetery.

We are very excited that Heritage Toronto is willing to put up a plaque to celebrate the historical significance of the church and cemetery.The Baptist Ministry has agreed to offer donation tax credits to help raise the $4,500 required. If you'd like to contribute you may do so online at https://baptist.ca/give/ with a note that your donation should be directed towards the York Mills Baptist Cemetery.