Bowville Cemetery (Vulcan County)

You cannot say, and you must not say
That they are dead, they are just away!
With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand,
They have wandered into an unknown land.

The Bowville Cemetery is located on the southeast corner of NE 13-33-22. It consists of two acres of land, donated for the purpose by Annon Hovde. Mr. Stephen Wyman, being one of the chief promoters of the cemetery, took great pride in its maintenance, breaking soil and planting trees to beautify the grounds. The first burial was that of Cap Burns in 1906. The body was carried to its final resting place in the Bowville Cemetery on S. Wyman’s democrat, drawn by a team of horses. Mr. Le Roy Haney officiated at the service.

During the dry years of the thirties, the trees withered and died, and the fences were buried with drifting soil. Consequently the cemetery became desolate and neglected looking. In 1949 a local ladies club know as the Primrose Club was formed. They made the care of the cemetery one of their projects. Organizing work bees, trees were planted, new fences with posts painted with white and black replaced the old fence and cement gate posts with an arch name plate were erected. Community work bees are held regularly every year.

Burial records are kept by Mrs. T. Svanes, which were previously taken care of by S. Wyman’s and A Hovde’s. As of 2024, there are 380 burials records at the Bowville Cemetery.

Source: Bridging the Years – Carmangay and District – Alberta (1968)