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Christian Wilson

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Please note the difference in name spelling.

Cemetery Lot Number...

Location - in basement of accountant's office next to the Public School and across from the Fair Grounds.

Please note that John Willson was the fourth plot holder in the Old Ridgetown Cemetery and had a good bit to do with it's formation. See Page 1 of Plots Sold Chart, and the typed minutes of first meeting.
We do not know if Christian might have shared the same lot with John. It is unlikely that we will ever find this information.

The following was written by Walter Gregory. It is thought it was written about 1980 or before. Please note that we have typed the name spellings as written by Mr Gregory. However, the name on the stone definitely has only one "L". Very often though carvers made spelling mistakes. We have a stone named Wilson in the basement of an owner documented as Willson. Thus, the spelling on the stone is somewhat suspect.

(The following is copyright to BDO Canada LLP Accounting. No reproduction is allowed without their permission.)

The Willson / Smith House
Main Street East (Ridgetown)

Built about 1880 this house is a departure from the style used for most of the better homes constructed in Ridgetown at the time. The builder obviously had a feeling for the Georgian Type, and the result was a building with excellent proportions.

It was the home of Neil John Willson, a member of the Willson family that came to the new community in 1833. They had a United Loyalist background and were granted a large acreage by the crown.

Neil's son Norman Willson, Q.C. was born here in 1884, graduated in law and practised in Alberta for many years. He was the father of B. F. Willson who is now President of Union Gas Company of Canada.

In 1904, 100 acres of this farm were sold to Edwin Wilson. He was probably a descendant of Christian Willson whose gravestone is in the basement of the house. The inscription on the stone is as follows.

In Memory of Christian Wilson
Born in England, Apr 25 1785
Died May 1859

Corruption, Earth, and Worms
Shall but refine this flesh
Till my Triumphant Spirit comes
To put it on afresh

Clifford Smith (Keith Simpson's Uncle) owned this property and operated the farm for a number of years. It is now the office of G H Ward and Partners, a firm of Chartered Accountants. The resident partner is Walter Gregory.