The Kippen Memorial

Two monuments dominate the cemetery in this section. The first is the memorial to Alexander Kippen. Surrounding the memorial is the original place to inter cremated remains.

Local author and historian Ron Shaw has documented the story of Alexander Kippen in great detail in his article DEATH AT BATOCHE.

Shaw's article begins by stating, "The first Perth native to die in military action, Lieutenant Alexander Walker Kippen of the Dominion Land Surveyors’ Intelligence Corps, was killed May 12, 1885, attacking the Métis rifle pits at the Battle of Batoche, Northwest Territories."

"Kippen was born at Perth on August 1, 1857, the descendent of Scots immigrants Alexander Kippen Sr. and his son Duncan Kippen. Alexander Kippen Sr. (1803-1893) was born at Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland and was married in 1829, at Kenmore, to Catherine Walker, (1808-1891). Among their nine children was Duncan Kippen who arrived with his parents at Perth, aged one year, in 1832."

"Alexander Kippen Sr. was a builder by trade and among his earliest jobs at Perth was completion of McMartin House1, now a listed National Historic Site. Perth Town Hall, constructed 1862-1863, was built by the contracting firm of Alexander Kippen and Son, as was the Bank of Montreal and several large Perth residences such as the St. Paul’sUnited Church Manse. In 1850 Alexander Sr. founded the Perth Planing Mill to manufacture widow sashes and doors and to dress custom lumber. Another of his grandsons, also named Alexander, would later run the planing mill, for a time in partnership with William Allen."

"When Alexander Kippen died, aged 90 years and nine months, his obituary reported he was, at the time, the oldest man in Perth. He was a “member of the old Free Church since the disruption and before that of the Church of Scotland” and was an elder of Knox Presbyterian Church at the time of his death. Catherine Walker-Kippen had predeceased her husband “at her residence on Wilson Street” in 1891."

On June 10, 1887, the Perth Courier reported:

The monument to A.W. Kippen was finally put up in its place last week and is the most conspicuous object in the Elmwood Cemetery. It consists of a plain massive pillar with sloping sides on a base which in turn is placed on a terraced platform. Both pillars and base are of Canadian grey granite. Standing upon the monument proper is a sculptured figure of a Canadian volunteer in white marble, a little under life size, keenly gazing toward a possible enemy. The rifle is upright at his side and a field glass is grasped in his left hand. On the granite podium appears the following inscription under the engraved coat of arms of Canada.

Lieut. Alexander W. Kippen Intelligence Corp

Born at Perth Aug. 1, 1857

Killed in action at Batoche, N.W.T. May 12, 1885

Erected in his memory by his fellow citizens,

Masonic brethren and comrades in arms.