Description of Historic Place

The Fyfe Family Pioneer Cemetery is a small family burial site located on property settled by the Fyfe family in 1820, early settlers in Stanley Bridge, Prince Edward Island.

Heritage Value

The Fyfe family were some of the earliest settlers to the area having immigrated to Prince Edward Island from Scotland in 1820. William Fyfe (1794-1865), his wife Jean (or Jane) Arthur (born 1795) and their children settled on 150 acres of land on the west bank of the Stanley River. Descendants of William and Jean Fyfe continue to own this property.

The family was known for operating the ferry service for those travelling across the Stanley River prior to the construction of a bridge in 1853. The area was known as Fyfe's Ferry until 1865 when it was changed to Stanley Bridge. Early maps indicate New London Road was known as Fyfe's Ferry Road.

The Fyfe Family Pioneer Cemetery dates from 1866-1871. Pioneer cemetery survey records from the 1970s indicate it to be approximately 80' x 60', overgrown with trees and brush and containing three grave stones: one in memory of William Fyfe who died 22 December 1865 at age 72; another for Margaret Fyfe who died at age 32 in 1871, daughter of William and Jean Fyfe, and wife of Angus McEachern. A third sandstone marker was illegible. It is possible that there are further unmarked burials for children of William and Jean Fyfe who died prior to 1865: Robert (1816-1832), Margaret (1820-1836/1837), James (1827/1830-1854) and James's son James Arthur Fyfe (1855-1869).

The Fyfe Family Pioneer Cemetery is the peaceful resting place for some of the province's earliest inhabitants who contributed to the settlement of the Stanley Bridge area of the province.

Source: Heritage Places files, Dept of Economic Growth, Tourism & Culture, Charlottetown, PE
File # : 4310-20/F4

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the cemetery is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- The remaining grave markers
- The 80' by 60' area containing the Fyfe Family Pioneer cemetery
- The location of the cemetery on the Fyfe family homestead property