The comments made about your great grandmother break my heart. My great great grandfather and grandmother are buried at Woodlands. They were a secret my family kept for 3 generations which I recently uncovered. I visited their final resting place here just yesterday and am still processing what happened to them and so many like them, although I do not know why they ended up at Essondale.
The generational trauma really stands out to me. My father isn't a part of my life, and his father took this family history with him to his grave, never uttering a word about his dad or his grandparents. The son of my great great grandparents who died at Essondale was likely left an orphan. I imagine this began a long and poorly understood chain of trauma and absent fathers in my family.
If there ever is a support group for the descendents, I am absolutely eager to be a part of it.
Sending strength and with you in solidarity.
May your great grandmother's memory be remembered with compassion.
My great grandfather left New Brunswick and headed west leaving behind my great grandmother and my grandfather. How he ended up here is covered in a shroud of mystery. I do know my great grandmother was notified of his death but my grandfather refused to bring his body home.
Recently, through a DNA test my sister was contacted by a cousin in Australia. My sister and I decided to travel down under and met with all four of our cousins. While there, my cousin showed us medical records she had found in the BC archives. I was shocked to learn that my Great Grandmother was “incarcerated” in the then BC Hospital for the Insane and later died in Woodlands in 1913. Her name was Huldah Edlund. I found her name on your list.
Secrecy and shame permeate our family tree. I was appalled looking through the medical records to read words like stupid, dirty, problematic and awful… It was heartbreaking to read letters to her from the family. I’m no doctor, but the fact my great grandmother was taken to this institution mere days after giving birth to my grandmother screams post partem. 8 years later she died in Woodlands.
I have yet to really process any of this. I’ve read several posts on your site. I too would be interested in purchasing a new gravestone honouring the life of my great grandmother. I wonder too about whether any support groups have been formed to deal with the inter generational traumas that occurred as a result of this and other institutions like it. When I met my long lost relatives it became apparent we were sharing the same pain…
Was there ever any information gathered on how to go about having our relatives graves properly marked? I’m in the process of trying to find (closer) relatives of James T. Underhill. If I don’t find them or if they are not interested in replacing his marker, I would like to take care of it myself so he can be properly remembered.
Hello
Im not sure if i responded to your email before so here is the information. I worked with Eric Lees from Lees and Associates to get Arthurs headstone placed.
I am so excited I finally came across your post! I can't tell you how excited I am. I am related to you and so hope we can connect!
My dad is Gary, son of Anna, brother to Maryann, which was Ann's Mom, she replied here also.
My dad is also interested in finally learning of his ancestry background and we are wondering if you have any details in regards to native status? Do you know if any of our family is status?
Looking forward to hearing from you
Insane paralysis was the term used to describe the final stage of neurosyphilis, a common reason for a person to be housed in a mental hospital at the time
I have a picture of my grandparents and another lady on it which has Blair's Photographs shown on the back of it. I am assuming the picture may have been taken in Edmonton around the 1908 time period.
Hi Mark, I am the site administrator. This site has been receiving more and more messages asking for information as to where and how one goes about placing/replacing a marker in the ground at a grave in the former Woodlands Cemetery. If you can you share with me who to contact about this I will be happy to pass the information along to interested parties. Thank you Michael de Courcy
Michael,
The comments made about your great grandmother break my heart. My great great grandfather and grandmother are buried at Woodlands. They were a secret my family kept for 3 generations which I recently uncovered. I visited their final resting place here just yesterday and am still processing what happened to them and so many like them, although I do not know why they ended up at Essondale.
The generational trauma really stands out to me. My father isn't a part of my life, and his father took this family history with him to his grave, never uttering a word about his dad or his grandparents. The son of my great great grandparents who died at Essondale was likely left an orphan. I imagine this began a long and poorly understood chain of trauma and absent fathers in my family.
If there ever is a support group for the descendents, I am absolutely eager to be a part of it.
Sending strength and with you in solidarity.
May your great grandmother's memory be remembered with compassion.
My great grandfather left New Brunswick and headed west leaving behind my great grandmother and my grandfather. How he ended up here is covered in a shroud of mystery. I do know my great grandmother was notified of his death but my grandfather refused to bring his body home.
To whom it may concern,
Recently, through a DNA test my sister was contacted by a cousin in Australia. My sister and I decided to travel down under and met with all four of our cousins. While there, my cousin showed us medical records she had found in the BC archives. I was shocked to learn that my Great Grandmother was “incarcerated” in the then BC Hospital for the Insane and later died in Woodlands in 1913. Her name was Huldah Edlund. I found her name on your list.
Secrecy and shame permeate our family tree. I was appalled looking through the medical records to read words like stupid, dirty, problematic and awful… It was heartbreaking to read letters to her from the family. I’m no doctor, but the fact my great grandmother was taken to this institution mere days after giving birth to my grandmother screams post partem. 8 years later she died in Woodlands.
I have yet to really process any of this. I’ve read several posts on your site. I too would be interested in purchasing a new gravestone honouring the life of my great grandmother. I wonder too about whether any support groups have been formed to deal with the inter generational traumas that occurred as a result of this and other institutions like it. When I met my long lost relatives it became apparent we were sharing the same pain…
Please let me know ..
Best regards,
-Michael
Was there ever any information gathered on how to go about having our relatives graves properly marked? I’m in the process of trying to find (closer) relatives of James T. Underhill. If I don’t find them or if they are not interested in replacing his marker, I would like to take care of it myself so he can be properly remembered.
Hello
Im not sure if i responded to your email before so here is the information. I worked with Eric Lees from Lees and Associates to get Arthurs headstone placed.
Mark Clark
Hi!
I am so excited I finally came across your post! I can't tell you how excited I am. I am related to you and so hope we can connect!
My dad is Gary, son of Anna, brother to Maryann, which was Ann's Mom, she replied here also.
My dad is also interested in finally learning of his ancestry background and we are wondering if you have any details in regards to native status? Do you know if any of our family is status?
Looking forward to hearing from you
Insane paralysis was the term used to describe the final stage of neurosyphilis, a common reason for a person to be housed in a mental hospital at the time
I have a picture of my grandparents and another lady on it which has Blair's Photographs shown on the back of it. I am assuming the picture may have been taken in Edmonton around the 1908 time period.
I am curious of the 2 photos you have.
Thanks!
Hi Mark, I am the site administrator. This site has been receiving more and more messages asking for information as to where and how one goes about placing/replacing a marker in the ground at a grave in the former Woodlands Cemetery. If you can you share with me who to contact about this I will be happy to pass the information along to interested parties. Thank you Michael de Courcy
Hello there Mark,
My family wants a proper marker for my mom's brother as well. How do we go about this?
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