As the name suggests, this burial ground is the last resting place of many former residents of the House of Industry and Refuge. In more recent times this property was known as the Wellington County Home for the Aged, and most recently, The Wellington County Museum & Archives.

Wilfred E. Roszell, who served as Superintendent of that establishment for a lengthy period, is authority for the information that the first interment took place in the month of December, 1877, and that the cemetery was closed to further burials in 1946.

During that period of 69 years a total of 266 interments were performed with the eldest person being 106 years of age and the youngest less than 1 year.

After burials were discontinued in the Cemetery Lot, the area was planted with trees, which were chiefly of the spruce variety.

The Cemetery is situated near the overpass on the North River Road which links Fergus to Elora and the burial records are on file at the Wellington County Museum, located in the building which was formerly the House of Industry and Refuge.

[from "Pillars and Patches Along The Pathway: A History of Nichol Township" by David M. Beattie]

In 1876 Wellington County purchased 65 acres of land from Charles Allan for creation of a home for the aged and infirm in Wellington County. The Home went through a series of name changes: County Alms House, Poor House, House of Industry, and lastly, Wellington County Home for the Aged. The building now houses the Wellington County Museum and Archives. Lot 14, south of the railway track, was used as a burial grounds for those residents who had absolutely no friends or relatives remaining at the time of death. On 21 December 1877 James Burk was the first to be buried in the Cemetery. Over the years, 266 residents were buried. On many occasions, only the gravedigger, the clergyman, and the undertaker were present at interments. The last burial was Samuel Nichols on 14 December 1946. After 1946, the Fergus (Belsyde) and Elora (Municipal) cemeteries were used for interments. [OGS]

As evidenced from most of the death records, vital details of the resident's lives were either unknown or simply not recorded. Sadly, this neglect of detail has resulted in fairly scanty biographies.

Folklore claims that the home and grounds are by former residents.