Recently the Colonel John Butler Branch has undertaken a project to erect a plaque at Niagara Peninsula Cemeteries where United Empire Loyalists are known to have been buried.
Following are write-ups and pictures on some of the cemeteries completed to date.
Crowland's first Church, first white cemetery, first school and first bridge over Lyons Creek were all on Buchner property. Henry Buchner helped start the first Methodist meetings in the Niagara area at Lyons Creek.
The first Church in Crowland Township, constructed of logs, was built in 1806 on Peter Buchner's property. Known as Lyon's Creek Methodist Meeting House it was replaced in 1861 by a brick building, the bricks made nearby by Reuben Buchner. The Church is still standing today, practically unchanged since 1861. It is known today as Lyons Creek United Church. The plaque over the door reads: Wesleyan M. Church 1861.
Property adjoining the Church was donated by Captain Henry Buchner as a cemetery and it is here that Captain Henry was buried on May 31, 1842 at the age of 82 years. His wife, Joanna, had predeceased him on April 3, 1820 in the 55th year of her life. They are buried directly south of the huge oak tree which still stands.
Based on a formula supplied by a former Lands & Forest Officer the tree is 242 to 245 years old. A member of the White Oak Family it is 15 feet 10 inches in diameter.
Henry Buchner fought with the British army under Lieut. James Moody during the American Revolution. By aiding the British cause Henry put his life and that of his family in danger. For reasons of safety they fled to the Bay of Quinte area where they stayed for some time. Eventually arriving at Niagara, they traveled along a creek, later called Lyons Creek, to stake their claims on both sides of the Creek in the White Pigeon area of Crowland Township.
The first recorded burial was Joanna, wife of Henry Buchner, April 3, 1820, at 55 years of age.
Their Monuments bear the following inscriptions:
The Plato cemetery is located on Bertie Road, in the Town of Fort Erie.
Christian Plato 1st, 1735 to circa 1809 was a member of Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution (1771 to 1781). He was a volunteer from Johnson's Greens to service with Butler's Rangers assigned to serve with Joseph Brant's Mohawks. Christian 1st was considered a spy and a bounty of $ 100.00 ( a considerable amount at that time ) was placed on his head by the Revolutionary Committee. Christian served throughout the war. Sadly, his wife Dorotea (May) Plato did not survive the arduous trek to Fort Niagara. For his Loyalty, Christian received 300 acres from the Crown: 200 hundred acres in the Township of Bertie and 100 acres in Pelham on Tice Road. He is buried in the Plato Cemetery.
Peter James Plato, (1756-1855) son of Christian 1st, also a Butler's Ranger
fought in the Ohio Valley. He received 300 acres from the Crown in the
Township of Bertie, 13th Concession. His wife, Catharine, the daughter of
Ranger Cornelius Bowen, received 200 acres. Peter served as a Sergeant in
the War of 1812-14 with the 3rd Lincoln Militia and was present at the Siege
of Fort Erie, August, 1814. Christian Plato 2nd, son of Peter James, served
as a private in the 3rd Lincoln Militia. Peter James died in his 99th year.
He also is buried in the Plato Cemetery.
| LOCATION | | |
| Port Robinson | Leonard Misener UEL Thomas Ball Jr. | |
| Port Colborne | | |
| Niagara Falls | | |
| Fort Erie | Cornelius Bowen UEL Lewis Mabee UEL Peter Wintermute UEL | |
| Thorold | | |
| Grimsby | | |
| Ridgeway | | |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | McGregory Van Every UEL Christian Warner UEL | |
| North Cayuga | | |
| Thorold | Thomas McMicking UEL Peter McMicking UEL John Chisholm UEL Jacob Bowman UEL Hugh Alexander, UEL |