“Leigh’s Corners” Monumental Transcriptions Vol 1, Central North Simcoe County;
Extracted, edited and indexed by Eldon D. Weber
Toronto, Ontario: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1977.
History:
In the 1840’s, John Leigh set aside one acre in the north east corner of his farm as a church site and burying ground for an Anglican Church. However, the church was built at Simpson’s Corners [East Oro]. Mr. Leigh then reserved a strip down the west side of this acre as a Leigh burying ground and along the south side as a common burying ground. The remainder was offered for a school site. The school was open by 1853 and in later years, people wondered why there was a cemetery on two sides of a school yard. The Oro School Board did not obtain a deed for this land for 115 years, after the school had closed.
The earliest death date recorded was that of Joanna, wife of George Norman (died 4 Jul 1833). Joanna was a sister of John Leigh. In 1967, family members erected a cairn dedicated to the memory of John Leigh and his family who came to Canada in 1831.
Based on information from: The Story of Oro, Second Edition, The Township of Oro, 1987.
