The Pomphrey Island Cemetery is one of the oldest known burial grounds in Carleton County. The earliest burial in the cemetery is that of Helkiah Kearny of River de Chute who died January 16th, 1833. The burial ground is located on grant lot 30 in the Military Settlement which was granted to Private Thomas Pomphrey of the 104th Regiment of Foot and for whom it is named after.

When Thomas Pomphrey died in December of 1871 he left the cemetery to the Baptist congregation. In his will dated June 4th, 1861 and probated on July 24, 1862 he said the following "I will one acre of land -owned by Richard DeMerchant - were the burying land is bounded as follows on the west by the post road, north by land owned by John Inman, east by the river St. Johns on the south by land owned by James McAllister , to the Free Baptist congregation for the use of that denomination."

In the early 1950's plans were made to build a hydro electric dam at Beechwood on the St. John River, a few miles down river from the cemetery. The result was a full scale change. Just over half of the cemetery would remain above the flood zone created by the dam and a new island was created. This necessitated the removal of the headstones and known remains of those interned here.

Land was purchased down river next to the site of the Upper Wicklow Baptist Church and most of the headstones were moved here. Today the cemetery is known as the Pomphrey Upper Wicklow Cemetery.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2340342/pomphrey-cemetery ID- 2340342

There was also land purchased a few kilometers away to the north on the River de Chute Road and given to the Pentecostal Church. Some of the graves for several families were moved here. Most of these names have connections with our neighbours in the United States from the small towns of Easton and Mars Hill. Today it is known as the River de Chute Cemetery.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2315827/river-de-chute-cemetery ID - 2315827

In 2021 there is only two concrete foundations that were used as the base for headstones left on the island to distinguish it as a cemetery. To this day the remains of early Carleton County pioneers would be on this island and below the flooded St. John River.

2021 Video of Pomphrey Cemetery Island - Pomphrey Cemetery Island Video