Berg Cemetery

(R.M. of Hart Butte #11) – (1916 to 2021)

On May 6, 1910, the first application for a homestead on this quarter section was made by Philip Kirchner. His application was canceled soon thereafter, no reason given, but then again, according to the Coronach history book “From the Turning of the Sod”, top corner page 276, he and his wife both died in early 1911 (Headstones indicate 1912!). Both were buried on their homestead, and the site is now Berg Cemetery. On May 12, 1911, Hans M. Johnson made application for a homestead on this same quarter and received his patent October 28, 1915.

In our search to find a reason for the name “Berg Cemetery,” it was found that a certain Edwin H. Berg farmed in this area, and the district school was named after him; it is expect that the cemetery, if for no other reason, was given the name Berg due to its closeness to that School. In any case, it appears that a portion of the quarter section in question was retained for a cemetery by the R.M. of Hart Butte #11, at the time of homesteading by Mr. Johnson.

The first interment at this site, that of Philip Wagner, took place May 11, 1910 and the most recent burial is likewise listed in the Master File.

The cemetery is situated — from Willow Bunch — 16 miles south along Highway #36 leading to Coronach, Sk.

LAND LOCATION: the NW ¼ of Sec. 31, T. 2, R. 27, W2nd in the R.M. of Hart Butte #11.

The cemetery, which is fenced on all sides, is always kept in good condition with Aylmer Taylor as groundskeeper. From the onset, a large wooden sign which faced an out-of-service entrance along highway #36, clearly identified it as “Berg Cemetery”. In the early part of August, 2013, Aylmer and his wife, Doris Kirby, dutifully removed the aging signboard from its perch, and brought it to their home where they totally rebuilt and repainted it. Once restored it to its former splendor, the sign was reinstalled at the cemetery. They also repainted the fence posts white. A job well done, and a fine tribute to the memory of all who rest at this site!

Though once kept at the home of Roy Kirby, the books for this cemetery are presently kept in Coronach, Sk., in the office of the R.M. of Hart Butte #11. They’re also accessible in albums at the Willow Bunch Museum and on the Internet at www.willowbunch.ca .

Those people listed in the Master File with “Yes” by the notation “Site Marker:”, have a headstone/marker and their burial spot was located. All other people have no known headstone/marker and their burial spot was not found.

All headstones in the cemetery were checked in person on December 29, 1997, by Gilles A. Bonneau. Afterward, Mr. Bonneau and his brother, Janvier C. Bonneau, painstakingly typed in all the particulars for each entry, with Gilles doing the final editing.

All names have been further checked against the cemetery register, by Pamela (Rood) Kirby and Gilles A. Bonneau, for accuracy and to include those people without a headstone.