The Mattinson History
Compiling the Mattinson family history, along with the histories of other families buried at the cemetery, has been an ongoing process made possible by various sources including local residents of Hansford, The Mattinson Family by Gerry Mattinson, Memories of Hansford, Nova Scotia by Charles Wavrock, and Ancestry.com.
It all began in 1819…
It all began in 1819 when Joseph Mattinson, at age 37, left his family in Caldbeck, England. He emigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, to claim a land grant from King George III, which was offered to subjects who swore loyalty to the British Crown. Joseph brought his wife, Jane (Hodgson), and their children, Sarah, Francis, Eleanor, and John. Shortly after arriving in Halifax, he tragically buried his infant son, John. The family then traveled to Mount Pleasant in Cumberland County, where Joseph claimed his 250-acre land grant and began their new life. Pictured here is Francis Mattinson’s paternal grandmother Sarah Turner’s family home in Caldbeck, Cumberland, England. It is safe to assume Francis would have spent time here before emigrating to Canada.
Marriage and the Last Land Grant
Francis Mattinson, the eldest son, was 12 years old when he arrived in Nova Scotia. He married Mary Irving in 1830 at the age of 23. Mary was the daughter of Edward and Isobelle Irving, who had emigrated from England with their family in 1820 and claimed a 250-acre land grant on Gray’s Road. On August 21, 1847, Francis received the last land grant from Queen Victoria for “a lot of land containing one hundred acres” in consideration of the sum of ten pounds, eighteen shillings, and nine pence.
The Mattinson Homestead Legacy
The Mattinson Homestead was built on Gray's Road, later renamed Hansford Road, next to the Edward Irving Land Grant. Francis and Mary had ten children and prospered as farmers. Mary lived on the homestead until her death in 1875, when she was buried in the Mattinson Cemetery alongside her grandson Frederick. Francis continued to live there until his death in 1888. The homestead remained in the family until it was sold in 1953. The Mattinson Deed included a clause “saving and excepting one acre of land more or less on the south side of the road being used as a cemetery.” This reference ensured the preservation of the cemetery, maintaining its place in the history of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.
Rediscovering Francis and Mary
On a cold and snowy day in December 2016, a crew was busy clearing brush and small trees from a cemetery site. This was one of the initial steps in the restoration process. The team was anxious, knowing the gravestone for Francis and Mary Mattinson was hidden somewhere under the brush and snow. Then, one of the young workers called out, “Is this what you’re looking for?” He presented a stone that was half-buried and covered with moss and lichens. It read, "In Memory of Francis and Mary Mattinson." He had found it. Thus began the quest to restore the Mattinson Cemetery and its remaining gravestones.
Those Laid to Rest at MH Cemetery
The Mattinson Hansford Cemetery in Cumberland County, NS, is the final resting place for many notable individuals from families including Mattinson, Knight, Cooke, Ryan, Peers, McKenzie, Lockhart, Dotten, and Strojsa. Spanning the years 1862 to 1921, the cemetery holds the stories and legacies of those who contributed to the rich tapestry of the community's history.
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Mary Irving Mattinson & Francis Mattinson
Mary 1811-1875, Francis 1807-1888
Francis and Mary are considered to be the Patriarch and Matriarch of the Mattinson Family buried in the cemetery.
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Frederick Mattinson
1859-1862
Frederick Mattinson, the first grandson of Francis and Mary Mattinson, was born on July 26, 1859, to William Weatherby Mattinson and Mary Jane Peers.
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![Isaac Ryan Gravestone]()
Isaac Ryan
1838-1876
Isaac was born on December 23, 1838, in Victoria Settlement, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, to James Ryan and Ann Elizabeth Crawford.
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Hingley B. Mattinson
1880-1882
Hingley was the second son of John "Wesley" Mattinson and Cynthia Orchard, born in October 1880 and died on April 28, 1882.
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Harold L. Mattinson
1886-?
Harold L. Mattinson, another son of John Wesley and Cynthia Mattinson, was laid to rest at the age of 25.
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John “Wesley” Mattinson
1840-1904
John "Wesley" Mattinson, the third son of Francis and Mary, was born on Nov. 27, 1840, in River Philip, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.
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![Herbert Mattinson Gravestone]()
Herbert Mattinson
1869-1894
Herbert Mattinson was born around 1869 in Hansford, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, to Edward Irving Mattinson and Elizabeth "Jane" Orchard.
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Sarah Elizabeth Peers
1837-1884
Sarah Elizabeth Peers, wife of James B. Peers, died in August 1884. Born on April 22, 1837, she was the daughter of Jacob Romer Embree and Melinda Jane Dobson.
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Robert Elijah Crane Knight
1858-?
A virtually unreadable stone has been identified as marking the grave of Robert Elijah Crane Knight, with a footstone clearly marked with his initials, R.E.C.K.
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Baby
1892-1892
The stone engraved "Baby," marks the grave of the niece of Lillian Lockhart and Herbert Mattinson.
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George Lockhart
1855-1885
George Lockhart is commemorated by a badly eroded stone, which leans against a tree.
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Phebe McKenzie
?-1879
Phebe McKenzie was widowed when she married Donald McKenzie in 1873. She died on August 19, 1879, leaving her husband and their four-year-old son.
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Donald McKenzie
1823-1902
Donald McKenzie (1823-1902) was a Hansford businessman who operated a limestone quarry in the 1870s.
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Hazen Dotten
1855-1885
Born in 1855 to James Dotten and Sarah Simpson Dotten, he lost his father at the age of 13, leaving him with his mother and two older sisters.
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Sarah Dotten
1820-1890
Born in 1820, she became the second wife of James Dotten in 1849. Together, they had three children before his death at the age of 49.
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![William Cooke Gravestone]()
William W. Cooke
1815-1884
The largest obelisk monument marks the grave of William W. Cooke, who was born in 1815 and died in 1884.
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Kristina Strojsa
1859-1921
Lastly, the pristine gravestone of Kristina Strojsa (1859-1921) remains standing in the southeast corner of the cemetery, virtually untouched by nature, a tribute to her remarkable life.
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Uknown
A mysterious base for an unknown stone has been uncovered, and it may eventually be identified. There is still work to be done in the restoration process.
