Founders Cemetery was established circa 1815 in the rural community of Beaver River, south of the Yarmouth / Digby County boundary. It is located on the east side of Highway No. 1, about six-tenths of a kilometre north of the Port Maitland village line. The municipal heritage designation applies to the entire cemetery property which runs between the highway and Beaver Lake.

Founders Cemetery is the earliest community cemetery in the area. Its heritage value lies in its history as the burial site of a number of the area’s earliest settlers and in being one of three cemeteries recently restored by a local cemetery preservation organization, and the community support and awareness this work has brought about.

Founders Cemetery was established circa 1815, although the first known burial here was that of Lemuel S Raymond who was buried in 1820. Many other early settlers were buried here, including Joseph Sollows, the first English settler in the neighbouring community of Port Maitland. Although there are many grave markers remaining here in various stages of preservation, some were removed over time as the cemetery was neglected. Others were broken or otherwise damaged.

In the 1970s and 1980s markers from old and/or abandoned burial grounds were often removed and used as door steps or patio stones. One marker, that of six month old baby Jesse Corning, was taken to Ontario where it was stored in a basement for forty years until 2005, when a guilty conscience finally compelled the person who took it to arrange to return it to its rightful place. Several badly deteriorated slate markers have had wooden “dog houses” placed over them to prevent further deterioration and many grave markers that had fallen over or been broken have been placed in new bases designed to prevent further damage.

The cemetery is open year around. The maps, information panels and guest books are present from the end of May to mid-October.

– location is on west side of Beaver Lake, north of the Port Maitland/Beaver River line, on the east side of Highway 1.