Editing Prescott, Ontario (section)

== Cemeteries ==

Prescott contains two cemeteries, Prescott Cemetery (known as Sandy Hill) and St. Mark's Roman Catholic Cemetery. Prescott Cemetery is located along Edward Street across from South Grenville District High School and is one of the oldest burying grounds in the area.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213">Goldie A. Connell (1985) Augusta: Royal Township Number Seven. St. Lawrence Printing Co. ltd. p. 211-213</ref> The land for this cemetery was given to the town in 1830, in [[Edward Jessup III]]'s will, which stated the area then known as Sand Hill was to become a “burial ground for the different churches in the town of Prescott.”.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> Prior to becoming the town's cemetery, the area was already used as a burial ground for the Jessup family. The earliest-known burial was that of Susannah Jessup's father, who died in 1798.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> [[Edward Jessup|Edward Jessup I]], the original recipient of the land here, was also buried in the cemetery early in 1816. Along the south side of the front of the cemetery are many unmarked graves of pioneers who died of cholera.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> In 1929, the cemetery was expanded, and the entrance gates were added. In 1967, the stone steps leading up the hill to the Jessup family graves were placed.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> This cemetery is still in use today.

The Roman Catholics of Prescott were initially buried in Prescott Cemetery, which had a reserved area specifically for Roman Catholic burials. During the 1850s, the Roman Catholic community desired to have their own cemetery. In 1859, a local reverend bought land from a resident for $1 for this specific purpose. Additional such land was purchased in 1875.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> This cemetery is located north of the 401 on the west side of County Road 18 and is known as St. Mark's Cemetery. The older, back section of the cemetery was blessed in 1860, and the newer part in 1935.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> The earliest legible tombstone in the cemetery dates to before the land was purchased and belonged to Thomas Allen, who died in 1845.<ref name="Goldie A. Connell 1985 p. 211-213"/> This cemetery is also currently still in use.