Morton Major Buckley (1830 – 1907)
Morton Major Buckley was one of the most prominent business and civic leaders in Niagara Falls. Born in England in 1830, he immigrated to Philadelphia and later moved to Stamford Township in 1861 where he ran both a farm and a grocery store. Six years later he purchased the Albion Hotel which was on the southwest corner of Bridge and Erie. He and his wife Elizabeth had 13 children. The Buckley family grew to own most of the stores on lower Bridge Street and Erie Avenue. When Morton retired in 1880 he became active in community work. He was a member of the school board, a town councillor and in 1888 was the mayor of Niagara Falls.
In 1883 he chaired the committee that had been organized to establish and then supervise Fairview Cemetery. The original burial ground consisted of 23 acres with the entrance being at Bridge and Stanley. The wrought-iron gates at the entrance were a gift from Morton Buckley. The first interment in Fairview was of Thomas Whittaker on July 20, 1883.
At his own expense, Morton Buckley erected a special stone to commemorate the first burial in Fairview, and records the names of the organizing committee and included a statement in part, that the grave “is not the place of distrust or dismay but of sorrow and meditation”.
Buckley died at the age of 77 and was buried in the cemetery that he had helped to create. Today Fairview occupies 77 acres and has received over 26,000 burials.