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Union Burying Ground Almost hidden behind a four foot brick wall facing the Queen Elizabeth Way is one of the oldest cemeteries in Burlington. The Union Burying Ground, established in 1843 by the United Empire Loyalists, nestles between the busy highway and the sprawling hydro plant on the Nelson-East Flamboro town line. Yet the sound of traffic is strangely deadened when one stands on the quarter-acre burial ground looking at stone slabs which have withstood more than 100 years of rain and snow. The names on some slabs have been almost erased by the weathering process; other headstones have been replaced. This is the case with the stones marking the graves of Thomas Ghent and his wife Elizabeth Davis, two of the earliest settlers in the district. Thomas Ghent died in 1824, possibly earlier than any other person buried in the cemetery. In 1848, 10 prominent families- nine of which were United Empire Loyalists who came to the area in the 1790's - started the cemetery on land owned by Eshel Davis. There were 12 burial places in each plot. The original owners were Tom Baxter, Jacob Fisher, Peter Fisher, Charles G. Davis and Gilbert Davis, the two sons of Eshel Davis, Joshua Kerns, George Ghent, Eshel Gage, James Gage and David Ghent. Other well-known families came in later, including the Cummins, Pearts, Fosters and Crosbys. The later families bought parts of plots not needed by the original owners. Others are nearly all filled and the original families have moved elsewhere. About 100 of the 120 places available have been filled. Photos of gravestones of Thomas Ghent, U.E.L. [United Empire Loyalist] and Elizabeth Davis, U.E.L. ST. MATTHEW'S CEMETERY The land on which the St. Matthew's Cemetery is located was part of a block of land given by Crown Grant to the Applegarth Family. The first owner of the land, William Applegarth came from Standorp, County of Durham, England, in 1791.