Archeologists Search Historic Property

Archeologists search historic property for lost graves
The Brampton GuardianThursday October 18 2007


BRAMPTON -
Archaeologists will search a local historic property today and tomorrow in search of a long lost gravesite and the oldest homestead in Brampton.The McVeans were one of the founding families of the Toronto Gore Township and archeologists from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) will search the former McVean farm site, which is located on Claireville Conservation Area land, for two days. Descendents of the McVean family will help with the dig, including John Harrison, who is flying from Winnipeg for the search.The McVean family farm was established in 1819. The Double English barn has been designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, but the site of the original farmstead has disappeared, along with the gravesite of Alexander McVean Jr.If the homestead site is found, it will be the oldest in Toronto Gore and if the site of the grave is confirmed, it will be the oldest known European gravesite in Brampton.Bob Hulley, local historian and president of the Brampton Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO), sparked the idea of a dig when he stumbled upon what is believed to be the gravesite."It was quite by accident that I found the grave," Hulley said. "I was looking for the site of the original homestead and knew the long lost grave mentioned in George S. Tavender's history of the area had to be close by. I literally stumbled on it. I then asked several experts in the field to look at it and they all agreed that something was there, since it had all the hallmarks of an early Methodist burial site. Since that time, Margie Kenedy, one of the TRCA archeologists, found what she believes to be a faint cross carved in a stone near the head of the grave."A descendent of Alexander McVean— Kathleen Ingleson of Inglewood, who is his great, great granddaughter is pleased with the dig."It is the least my cousins, John and Larry Harrison, and I can do. We all benefited from the farm and are happy to be able to share the heritage with the community," she said.