The Town of Georgina has acquired Johnston cemetery in Pefferlaw. The Johnston cemetery is a designated heritage site beside the Pefferlaw Fire Hall. Robert Johnston and his brother William Johnston founded Pefferlaw in the 1820’s, and several members of the family are buried at the cemetery.
“This is something that we have been working diligently on, and I am pleased that we were able to do this for the Johnston family – and for Pefferlaw, given its historical significance to the community,” said Mayor Margaret Quirk.
Robert Johnston’s brother Capt. William Johnston, a British Naval Officer, initiated the settlement of Pefferlaw in the 1820’s. The name Pefferlaw, was suggested to Captain Johnston by his brother in remembrance of a field on their old homestead meaning, “a beautiful greensward.”
The Johnston’s cemetery was a burying ground between 1860 and the mid-1950’s and was originally located on the southwest corner of Robert Johnston’s farm. A unique landmark in downtown Pefferlaw, it is surrounded by a cast iron fence which is believed to be the work of a well-known blacksmith.