1781–1849
Toronto Necropolis
Section R Lot 20
Andrew Porteous was the very first person laid to rest in this historic cemetery.
Born in 1781 in Montreal, Porteous spent most of his life in business, trading in spirits, wine, gunpowder, wax and glass. He also served as a militia officer and eventually Postmaster, a position that brought stability after years of financial ups and downs.
Late in life, Porteous moved to Toronto to live with his daughter and son-in-law. His health declined, and on December 16, 1849, he died suddenly “by the bursting of one of the great arteries of the heart.” He was 69 years old.
Winter’s frozen ground delayed his burial so his body was kept in the cemetery’s “Dead House” until the spring thaw. Dead Houses, also known as “winter vaults,” were commonly used at this time and were essentially precursors to modern receiving vaults and refrigerated morgues. Technological advancements in embalming and refrigeration technologies in the first half of the 1900s eventually made traditional "deadhouse" receiving vaults obsolete.
On May 22, 1850, Andrew Porteous became the first person buried in the brand-new Toronto Necropolis, marking the beginning of its long history as a resting place for notable Canadians.
Today, only the base of his original marker remains, atop one of the cemetery’s highest points overlooking the Bayview Extension, peeking through the earth, a silent witness to time and disintegration.
Sources:
• Mount Pleasant Group – Andrew Porteous
• Cabbagetown People – Andrew Porteous
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Photo: Peopleofcabbagetown.ca
