The following is a transcription of the Truzhdeniye Doukhobor Cemetery located 6 miles south of Kamsack, Saskatchewan. Rural Municipality of Cote No. 271. Land location: SE 5-29-32 West of First. Latitude: 51°28,854. Longitude: 101°57.062. Transcribed by Fred Strelieff and Ed Kazakoff on October 12, 2004.
View of the cemetery from the east facing west. It lies across Dead Horse Creek.
Historical Background
Truzhdeniye Cemetery was established in 1899 by the Doukhobors of Truzhdeniye village. After the abandonment of the village in 1906, the cemetery continued to be used by local Doukhobors until the 1940’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 unenclosed. There is dense scrub and brush throughout. The cemetery contains approximately 20 interments in a single section comprised of nine rows facing east-west. The majority of graves (18) have no marker, however, many of the mounds are still clearly visible. We have used death certificates and oral tradition to identify nine of these. The remaining 9 or so unmarked graves are unidentified. With respect to graves with markers, the markers are typically plain, upright granite or marble headstones. Click here for an online cemetery map.
Driving Directions
To access the cemetery, travel west from Kamsack on Highway No. 5 for 1/2 mile (.8 km). Turn south and continue on the gravel road for five miles (8 km). Then turn west on the gravel road and continue for 1 mile (1.6 km). Finally, turn south and continue on the gravel road for 3/4 mile (1.2 km) into the Dead Horse Creek valley. Cross over the creek bed which crosses the the road. Depending on the season, the creek may flow over the road. The cemetery is on the west side of the road, approximately 300 yards (274 m) from the road allowance. The cemetery is in a bluff of trees with a single spruce tree towering above the rest. This cemetery is on private property and permission to access should be obtained by the owners.
Transcription
| Surname | Name | Birth Date | Death Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrosimoff * | Maria | – | Jun. 11, 1912 | |
| Kalmakoff | Alestrania G. | 1865 | Oct. 30, 1936 | No Marker |
| Kalmakoff | Andrew G. | 1873 | 1943 | |
| Kalmakoff | John J. | 1916 | 1935 | No Marker |
| Kalmakoff | Matrosia | 1850 | Dec. 1925 | No Marker |
| Kalmakoff | Parania M. | 1876 | Jun. 6, 1944 | No Marker |
| Lazareff * | Aksinya | – | Aug. 1914 | |
| Parkin | Alexander | 1866 | Jul. 10, 1944 | No Marker |
| Reilkoff | Fanny A. | 1869 | Jan. 9, 1945 | No Marker |
| Rezansoff | Mike P. | Aug. 23, 1926 | Dec. 19, 1926 | No Marker |
| Sherstobetoff | George P. | Jun. 7, 1915 | Feb. 23, 1927 | No Marker |
| Sherstobetoff | Peter P. | 1911 | Feb. 9, 1928 | No Marker |
*Translated from Russian.
In addition, the following families resided in Truzhdeniye village and may have members buried in Truzhdeniye Cemetery: Antifaeff, Bedinoff, Bludoff, Demenoff, Dergousoff, Elasoff, Hancheroff, Kazakoff, Koftinoff, Novokshonoff, Ponomaroff.
View of cemetery from the south-east facing north-west. Note the heavy overgrowth.
View from the cemetery facing south-east towards the creek and road.
Notes
Various sources of data have been used in compiling this information, including: marker transcriptions, death certificates and oral tradition. I have photos of the headstones and would be happy to share them. Special thanks to Fred Podmaroff for assisting in locating the cemetery. This is a work in progress. If readers have any comments, corrections or additions with respect to Truzhdeniye Cemetery, please contact Doukhobor Cemetery Transcription Project coordinator: Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.
