Old Goreloye Cemetery Site – Buchanan District, Saskatchewan

The following is an overview of the Old Goreloye Doukhobor Cemetery Site located 10 miles south-east of Buchanan, Saskatchewan. Rural Municipality of Good Lake No. 274. Land location: NE 17-30-5 West of Second. Latitude: 51°36.277. Longitude: 102°40.357. Compiled October 2, 2004 by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff. 

View of the cemetery site from the south facing north. It is now under cultivation.

Historical Background

Old Goreloye (aka Staro-Goreloye) Cemetery was established in 1899 by the Doukhobors of Old (Staro-) Goreloye village near Good Spirit Lake. After the abandonment of the village in 1910, the cemetery continued to be used by local Doukhobors until 1919. Thereafter, it ceased to be be in active operation. In the 1950’s, the cemetery site was destroyed and is now under cultivation. It is privately owned.

Layout

According to tradition, the cemetery was approximately half an acre in size. The cemetery contained 5-10 interments in one or more rows facing east-west. The graves were unmarked. From the 1920’s to the 1950’s, the cemetery was overgrown with bush. When the site was cleared in the 1950’s, all traces of the cemetery were removed. Today, the only reference point is the fence line, along which the cemetery was located. 

Driving Directions

To access the cemetery site from Buchanan, travel south on Highway No. 47 for 5 3/4 miles (9.3 km). Then turn east on Secondary Route No. 651 for 4 miles (6.4 km). Turn south on the gravel road and continue for 1/4 mile (.4 km). To access the cemetery site from Canora, travel west on Secondary Route No. 651 for 10 miles (16 km). Turn south on the gravel road and continue for 1/4 mile (.4 km). The cemetery site is on the west side of the road, along the fence line separating the north and south half of the quarter section, approximately 300 yards (274 m) from the road allowance. It is on private property and permission to access should be obtained by the owners.

Burials

There is no burial register, cemetery plot map, death certificates, grave markers or other records for Old Goreloye Cemetery. According to tradition, the following people are known to have been buried there:

Surname Name Birth Date Death Date Comments
Horkoff Ekaterina 1840 No Marker
Horkoff Mikhailo 1840 No Marker
Horkoff Pauline L. 1919 1919 No Marker

In addition, the following families resided in Old Goreloye village and may have members buried in Old Goreloye Cemetery: Hancheroff, Horkoff, Fofanoff, Kalmakoff.

Notes

This is a work in progress. If readers have any comments, corrections or additions with respect to the Old Goreloye Cemetery site, please contact Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.