Northern Cemeteries and Graves

A Guide to Fort Simpson, NWT

    The abandoned Sacred Heart Mission Catholic cemetery has no headstones or other individual grave markers. It appears to be an empty lot, but the monument in the centre states that 398 people were buried here between 1916 and 1957. The names of 97 adults from Fort Simpson are on the monument, as are the names of 2 priests and 3 sisters, but the adults from other communities are not listed, nor are the children's names (which is stated to be up to 10 years old). The four sides of the monument are transcribed completely beside each image.

    A detailed history of the Sacred Heart Mission can be read here - it's 128 pages, a 28.4MB pdf file.

A general view of the monument.

In this cemetery 398 people have been buried between 1916 and 1957. 150 youngsters from all settlements (1 to 10 years old) 248 adults:   97 from Fort Simpson   20 from Fort Good Hope   41 from Fort Norman   39 from Fort Liard   39 from Fort Providence   6 from Fort Franklin   6 from Fort Wrigley Religious buried in this cemetery:   Father X. G. Ducot, O.M.I.: 68 years, died August 17, 1916   Father F. Moisan, O.M.I.: 75 years, died April 9, 1955   Sister C. Lecou, S.G.M.: 30 years, died October 6, 1920   Sister Marie, S.G.M.: 67 years, died June 18, 1934   Sister Bourcier, S.G.M.: 77 years,. died June 15, 1937 Be mindful, O Lord, of thy servants and handmaids, who are gone before us with the sign of faith, and sleep in the sleep of peace. (Canon of Mass)

Adults from Fort Simpson 1916     Baptiste Lamoureux 80 1917     Sophie Deneyoua 67              Maria Krainla 62              Joseph Cazon 75 1919     Louis Villeneuve 75              Mary Sibbeston 50 1920     Marie Wawa 17 1921     Pierre Pierrot 24              Pierre Beaver 24 1922     Marie E. Hope 80 1923     Celine Wawa 30 1924     Gabriel Matli 20 1925     James Sanderson 45              Jean Sarcelle 55 1926     Jean-Baptiste Tonka 65 1928     Pierre Nonra 75              Emile Betsedea 70              Jeanne Sarcelle 62              Lucie Trindell 20              Johnny Norwegian 75              Chief Antoine 78              Joseph Sanguez 66              Alexis Lafferty 65              Marguerite Lenoir 60              Madeleine Lenoir 42              Marianne Lenoir 45              Charles Marsollais 30 1929     Leon Basile 20              Marie Sanguez 38              Joseph Thibault 43 1930     Marguerite Corneille 17

Adults from Fort Simpson 1931     Adele Robb 29 1932     Philip Powers 50 1934     James Deneyoua 10 1935     M. Louise Villeneuve 12              Paul Sossi 46 1936     Lucie Thomas 40              Baptiste Lenoir 28              Veronique Sossi 16              Dora Cazon 16              Mary Trindell 34 1937     Joe Hope 80              Mary Villeneuve 32              John Hope 35 1941     Andre Moses 16 1942     Pierre Wawa 59              Christine Sossi 19 1943     William Betsedea 22              Cecile Deneyoua 21              Harry McGurran 63              Johnny Cazon 70              Satseli Mustard 60              Charles Cazon 24              Jerome Bonnetrouge 44              Marie Rose Antoine 16 1944     Ernestine Nadli 21              Mary McGurren 12              Corinne Antoine 14              Arthur Lafferty 11 1945     Marguerite Hope 12              Dora Moses 18 1946     Jean Baptiste Nakenkon 13

Adults from Fort Simpson 1946     Patrice Lafferty 18              Phillipe Hardisty 18              James Horresay 47 1947     Raphael Canadien 46              Harry Squirrel 56              George Squirrel 23              Antoine Clement 31              Dora Hope 12              Marguerite Thomasson 47              Isadore Wawa 31 1948     George Antoine 54              Helene Cholo 22              Josephine Denelon 96              Modeste Corneille 80              Josephine Mattu 45 1949     Jonas Treyinda 72 1950     Louisa Doctor 80              Veronique Bouvier 52              Eric Lindberg 16 1951     Joseph Villeneuve 83              Marie Sateux 81              Beatrice Laffery 18 1952     Henriette Sibbeston 60              Joseph Edjue 70              Celine Bonnetrouge 28              Cecile Sanguez 73 1953     Ernestine Norwegian 27 1955     Angus Antoine 17              William Marsollais 84 1957     Joseph Norwegian 66