A Better Place: Death and Burial in Nineteenth-Century Ontario

by Susan Smart

A Better Place describes the practices around death and burial in 19th-century Ontario. Funeral rituals, strong religious beliefs, and a firm conviction that death was a beginning not an end helped the bereaved through their times of loss in a century where death was always close at hand.

The book describes the pioneer funeral in detail as well as the factors that changed this simple funeral into the elaborate etiquette-driven Victorian funeral at the end of the century. It includes the sources of various funeral customs, including the origins of embalming that gave rise to the modern-day funeral parlour. The evolution of cemeteries is explained with the beginnings of cemeteries in specific towns given as examples.

An understanding of these changing burial rites, many of which might seem strange to us today, is invaluable for the family historian. In addition, the book includes practical suggestions for finding death and burial records throughout the century.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2011

Reviews

[Ashley Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a very helpful resource for my research into my local cemetery. It has helped me to understand nineteenth century trends in burials, funerals, etc. while also explaining death itself and the various common causes of death during that time period. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is doing historical or genealogical research that involves Ontario in the 19th century.

[Concetta Phillipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part 1 is worthy of 5 stars. It gives you a picture of life and death in 19th century Ontario, drawing from primary sources and goes into deep discussion about the variances of practices in rural/urban areas, different religions, etc.

Part 2 is kind of meh, but I suspect when it was published it would have been extremely helpful to people who knew less of how to navigate the records online. I will be following up with the UCC archives to see if they have anything regarding my ancestors.

Overall, really enjoyable book and well worth the cost, and something you can come back to over and over when you're studying your ancestors' lives in Ontario.

[Liz Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Very informative.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for Ontario genealogy and a must for the genealogist's bbokshelf

[Virginia Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the funeral rituals and burial customs of 19th century Ontario and the evolution of cemeteries. It also gives some practical suggestions for genealogical research in Ontario.