SE Lot 4, Concession 1 NDS (North of Dundas Street), Nelson Township

Tansley Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Nelson Township (now the City of Burlington), dating from about 1815.

The community of Tansley was situated on Dundas Street between 12 Mile Creek and the Hamilton & Northwestern Railway.

Land for the cemetery was given by Henry Magee. The land, described in his will dated 12 November 1815, specified one square acre of land for the "benefit of the Inhabitants of the said Township of Nelson for a Burying Ground, Church and School House and for no other purpose". Henry Magee died 14 November 1815. There is no record as to where he is buried although the obvious possibility is Tansley Cemetery.

In 1975, a Mr John A Roberts investigated and prepared an inventory of the cemetery. He reported that the cemetery was completely filled with graves, as he could see the sunken areas which were grave sites. He estimated that there were approximately 30 to 40 graves. There were only six headstones at that time, dating from 1805 to 1877. According to the local residents, the last burial had taken place in 1905.

In 1978, the cemetery was closed to provide for the widening of Dundas St (Hwy 5) and for future development. Buried remains were moved for re-interment to Burlington's Greenwood Cemetery.

Greenwood Cemetery's burial records show that buried remains from Tansley were re-interred in October 1978 in Block A. They occupy two rows - 29 plots numbered 155 to 184, with the exception of plot 170. Only 4 headstones were moved. The quantity of remains was not recorded. Names of buried persons were not recorded.

Tansley Cemetery is part of the history of Nelson Township, now the City of Burlington. But it is largely forgotton. Today all that remains is a grass covered lawn in front of a brick-making company on the north side of Dundas St (Hwy 5), east of Appleby Line.