THE CEMETERY:
Aberdeen, now part of the City of Abbotsford, is likely named after Aberdeen, Scotland. This assumption is enhanced by a number of tombstones here that name Scotland as the place of birth for the internee. The Scottish city's name came from the celtic 'Aber' meaning "the mouth of" and the river name Dee.
Nearby Aberdeen Elementary was established in 1890 about the time the cemetery was founded. The recently replaced Aberdeen Fire Hall is next to City of Abbotsford owned and operated Aberdeen Cemetery.
THE CACHE & PUZZLE:
This is a multi-cache puzzle. Stage 1 is Virtual (no container)and involves gathering information from three points within a few meters of each other.
Look a few strides inside the gate for the oldest tombstone we could find, Baby Violet Hicks who died in year ABCD. Other stones nearby are also from this era.
At the posted coordinates you will find the final resting place of our Great Grandfather HANS RUDOLF WETTSTEIN born June EF, GHIJ and died June K, LMNO
"P" of his son(s)/our great uncle(s) is/are buried here as well. Only count stones in the one plot.
Finally, look East to find a monument to Philip Jackman at N49 03.458 W122 26.215. Jackman died in the year QRST. Careful you find the taller monument to the "Royal Engineer", as other Jackman family members are buried here as well (below is Jackman’s amazing life story).
You will want to go to: N49 F(D+P).TCK W122 SN.HNO to find Stage 2 - the second parking location with a 35mm can holding directions to Stage 3.
You will walk to Stage 3 to find a large L&L with the logbook and trade items.
We can't take you back in time. But, when you hunt the cache, you can let your imagination take you back to the days of the early settlers. No cars in sight, big trees, and dirt trails.
PERSONS OF NOTE:
Most of the history here is from http://www.fortlangley.ca/ so many thanks to The Children of Fort Langley group.
Philip Jackman was born in Devonshire, England. He had arrived in British Columbia as a sapper Royal Engineer on April 12, 1859, on his 24th birthday and went on to play many roles in building BC. He spent the first part of the fall of 1859 camped in a tent at Derby (North Langley). From there he was sent up to Port Douglas at the head of Harrison Lake and worked as a chopper on the construction of the original Cariboo Road from the head of Harrison Lake to Lillooet under Captain John Marshall Grant. The corps managed to finish ten miles of the road from Port Douglas before freeze-up.
Jackman also assisted in the laying out of the streets of New Westminster. In the spring of 1861 he was working out of Hope, putting in the Dewdney Trail to Rock Creek when he chopped off a toe. During the winter of 1862 Jackman moved supplies to Yale, on the frozen Fraser, to be used by the men who were engaged in work on the Cariboo Road out of Yale.
In 1863 Jackman married Sarah Ann Lovegrove, from Windsor, England, who came to British Columbia with her parents. Sarah’s first job in the new country was housekeeping for Colonel Richard Clement Moody (namesake of Port Moody), the man in charge of the Royal Engineers in British Columbia.
Shortly after Jackman's discharge from the Royal Engineers he went gold hunting in the Cariboo. He grubstaked a man for $500 but got only excitement out of the fellow's claim, for he never struck pay.
In June, 1865, Jackman was foremen of a work gang putting through the New Westminster to Yale Road (now Old Yale Road). It was while engaged in this work that the top of a tree fell on him and broke the bones in the back of his right hand. Upon appealing to the government, he eventually got the position as the first (and ONLY for 14 years) policeman in the capital of New Westminster. Many a drunk he packed home in a wheelbarrow. He next went to work on a Canadian Pacific Railway survey crew.
Upon coming to Shortreed (in the Aldergrove area), Jackman homesteaded a quarter section of land and opened a small store. He ran it for three years before realizing that the store was a losing proposition. He left his store for the job as fishery guardian on the Fraser during the summer months. He would row up and down the river with a long pole sticking down in the water from the bow of his craft. It would snag up on any set nets and Jackman would turn in the culprits but he always made sure any families that were having it rough always got a salmon. His position as fishery guardian lasted for 14 years.
Apparently it was Jackman that suggested the name for Aldergrove, on account of the plentitude of alder, and perhaps thinking of his wife's maiden name of "Lovegrove". From 1895 to 1897 inclusive, Jackman was Reeve of Langley. Jackman was the last of the Royal Engineers that came to British Columbia and established the British Government here. His death occurred at the advanced age of 92.
THE RULES:
If you do not follow the rules your log will be deleted without notice:
1. NO NIGHT CACHING – all Fraser Valley Cemeteries close at Dusk. Solving the puzzle requires visiting the coordinates inside the cemetery.
2. Leave the cemetery better than you found it. CITO and tidy up fallen flowers.
3. Don’t post written or photo spoilers
4. Help create a good reputation for Geocaching so that we can continue to use these interesting locations.
THE SERIES:
Never hide a cache inside a cemetery without specific permission. To avoid confusion, please do not use the BC Spirit Quest name without our consent. Thank-you for hunting our caches and enjoy the history.