The following is an overview of the Vosneseniye Doukhobor Cemetery Site located 7 miles northeast of Arran, Saskatchewan. Rural Municipality of Livingston No. 331. Land location: NW 22-34-30 West of First. Latitude: 51°55.971. Longitude: 101°38.263. Compiled by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff with George Negrave on October 20, 2007.
View of the cemetery site (rise above the cattle, center) from the farmyard facing southeast.
Historical Background
Vosneseniye Cemetery was established in 1899 by the Doukhobors of Vosneseniye village near Arran. It was also used by the Doukhobors of the nearby village of Vera, which did not have a cemetery of its own. After the abandonment of the villages in 1913, the cemetery continued to be used by local Doukhobors until the 1930’s. In approximately 2002, the cemetery site was destroyed. It is privately owned.
Layout
According to tradition, the cemetery was approximately one acre in size. The cemetery contained approximately 40 interments in one or more rows facing east-west. Many of the graves were marked with headstones. When the site was cleared in the approximately 2002, all traces of the cemetery were removed. It is now a cattle pasture.
Driving Directions
To access the cemetery, travel east from Arran on Highway No. 49 for 4 miles (6.4 km). Turn north on the grid road and continue for 4 1/2 miles (7.2 km). Then turn west on the grid road and continue for 1 mile (1.6 km). Turn south on the grid road and continue for 1/2 a mile (0.8 km). Then turn east into the approach and continue for 1/4 mile (.4 km) until you reach a farmyard. From the farmyard, continue on foot for another 1/4 mile (.4 km) south east. The cemetery site is located on a rise of land immediately north of the Swan River. 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 Vosneseniye Cemetery. According to tradition, the following people are known to have been buried there:
| Surname | Name | Birth Date | Death Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negraeff | Alexei | 1850 | – | No Marker |
| Negraeff | Anastasia | 1850 | – | Wife of Alexei – No Marker |
In addition, the following families resided in Vosneseniye and Vera villages and may have members buried at the Vosneseniye Cemetery site: Antifaeff, Arishenkoff, Barisenkoff, Baturin, Berekoff, Cheveldaeff, Dubasoff, Dutoff, Elasoff, Hadikin, Kastrukoff, Katasonoff, Kazakoff, Kudrin, Lactin, Larin, Makortoff, Malakoff, Masloff, Negraeff, Obetkoff, Planidin, Popoff, Poznekoff, Reibin, Rezansoff, Sherstobitoff, Vatkin, Zebroff, Zubkoff.
Close-up of the cemetery site (rise of land above the cow) from the farmyard. Note the Swan River is located immediately beyond the rise.
Notes
Various sources of data have been used in compiling this information including: oral tradition. This is a work in progress. If readers have any comments, corrections or additions with respect to the Vosneseniye Cemetery site, please contact Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.
