The following is a transcription of the Osvobozhdeniye Doukhobor Cemetery located 8 miles northeast of Pelly, Saskatchewan. Rural Municipality of Livingston No. 331. Land location: SW 7-34-31 West of First. Latitude: 51°53.740. Longitude: 101°50.972. Transcribed by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff with Fred Petroff and George Negrave on September 2, 2006.
View of the cemetery from the south facing north.
Historical Background
Osvobozhdeniye Cemetery was established in 1899 by the Doukhobors of Osvobozhdeniye village near Pelly. After the abandonment of the village in 1917, the cemetery continued to be used by local Doukhobors until the 1990’s. It is no longer in active use and is badly overgrown. It is privately owned.
Layout
The cemetery is approximately one acre in size and is enclosed by a wire fence. There is dense scrub and brush throughout. The cemetery contains approximately 115 interments in a single section comprised of 8 rows facing east-west. The vast majority of graves (98) have no marker, however, many of the mounds are still clearly visible. I have used death certificates to identify fifteen of these. The remaining unmarked graves are unidentified. With respect to graves with markers, the markers are typically plain, upright marble or slate headstones. Click here for an online cemetery map.
Driving Directions
To access the cemetery from Pelly, travel north from the junction of Highway No. 49 and the Village of Pelly Exit on gravel Secondary Route No. 661 for 4 miles (6.4 km). Then turn east and continue on the grid road for 4 miles (6.4 km). To access the cemetery from Arran, travel north from the junction of Highway No. 49 and the Village of Arran Exit on the gravel road for 2 miles (3.2 km). Then turn west and continue for 5 miles (8.0 km). In either case, then turn south on the grid road and continue for 1 mile (1.6 km). The cemetery is 1/2 mile (.8 km) west of the grid road, across a 1/4 section, in the southeast corner of the adjoining 1/4 section. It can only be accessed by crossing a cultivated field. This cemetery is on private property and permission to access should be obtained by the owners.
Transcription
Surname | Name | Birth Date | Death Date | Comments |
Bartsoff | Mike S. | 1877 | Aug. 7, 1923 | No Marker |
Bloudoff | John A. | 1889 | Mar. 28, 1928 | Died – age 39 years |
Chernenkoff | George W. | 1868 | Jan. 24, 1946 | No Marker |
Chernenkoff | Ivan G. | – | – | Died – age 74 years |
Chernenkoff | Nastia T. | 1882 | Apr. 27, 1937 | Nee Strelaeff – No Marker |
Chutskoff | Mary | 1852 | Mar. 5, 1943 | No Marker |
Efonoff | Eli | 1858 | Nov. 24, 1938 | No Marker |
Efonoff | John N. | 1861 | Mar. 1, 1937 | Died – age 75 years – No Marker |
Gritchin * | Alexei P. | May 1, 1889 | Apr. 7, 1939 | |
Kabatoff | Nancy W. | 1884 | Aug. 5, 1941 | Nee Holoboff – No Marker |
Kondratoff | Johnny | – | Jun. 20, 1948 | |
Kondratoff | Joseph | – | Jun. 20, 1948 | |
Legebokoff * | Anna A. | 1899 | 1940 | Nee Kolesnikoff |
Legebokoff | Arina F. | 1873 | 1931 | |
Legebokoff * | Arina W. | 1903 | Nov. 14, 1944 | |
Legebokoff | George | 1921 | 1995 | |
Legebokoff | George D. | Mar. 12, 1881 | Apr. 23, 1930 | No Marker |
Legebokoff | Harry W. | Dec. 1, 1926 | Aug. 21, 1935 | |
Legebokoff | Maria D. | – | – | |
Legebokoff * | Pelagea A. | 1885 | Jun. 16, 1926 | |
Legebokoff | Polly A. | 1866 | Nov. 25, 1934 | Nee Vanin – No Marker |
Legebokoff | William G. | 1905 | 1971 | |
Markin | Steve N. | 1892 | Apr. 30, 1928 | No Marker |
Popoff | Annie G. | 1908 | Sep. 24, 1934 | Nee Kinakin – No Marker |
Rezansoff * | Arina P. | 1884 | Mar. 26, 1932 | Died – age 48 years |
Strukoff | Freddy | – | Mar. 7, 1943 | |
Strukoff | Verginia | – | Aug. 17, 1937 | |
Vanin | Bill F. | 1891 | 1950 | |
Vanin | Kuzma F. | Mar. 1865 | Apr. 1, 1946 | No Marker |
Vanin | Molly W. | 1864 | Jan. 12, 1936 | Nee Legebokoff – No Marker |
Woiken | Luska N. | 1869 | Sep. 1, 1944 | Nee Halishoff – No Marker |
Woytkiw | Mike B. | Jan. 10, 1930 | May 21, 1930 | No Marker |
*Translated from Russian.
In addition, the following families resided in Osvobozhdeniye village and may have members buried in Osvobozhdeniye Cemetery: Argatoff, Barabanoff, Berikoff, Gritchin, Legebokoff, Malakoff, Matrosoff, Saprikin, Tarasoff, Vanin, Voykin, Wishloff, Zharikoff.
View of the cemetery from the east facing west.
One of the few remaining wooden markers at the cemetery
Notes
Various sources of data have been used in compiling this information including: marker transcriptions and death certificates. This is a work in progress. If readers have any comments, corrections or additions with respect to Osvobozhdeniye Cemetery, please contact Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.