It’s a melody that sounds peaceful and gentle, but it was born in a world of upheaval, epidemics, and war. In this episode of Dead Canadians: Carved in Stone, Stephanie Allen uncovers the history and the mystery of the Huron Carol. We trace the life of Jean de Brébeuf—a French Jesuit who arrived in the 1620s with a sincere admiration for the Wendat people, but a mission that would ultimately contribute to the collapse of their world.

From the frozen forests of Wendake to the ritualized torture and scattering of Brébeuf’s bones across continents, we explore how a 17th-century theological "bridge" became a modern Christmas staple.

History doesn’t offer tidy saints; it offers people. This is the story of one of Canada’s most complicated legacies.

Timeline & Highlights:

0:00 – The song that feels like it comes from another world.

3:41 – Meet Jean de Brébeuf: The scholar-missionary from Normandy.

4:25 – 1626: Arriving in the Wendat Confederacy.

05:25 – The Dark Turn: Disease, epidemics, and fracturing communities.

6:58 – The Death of a Saint: Captured and the ritual of 1649.

07:45 – The Relics: Why Brébeuf’s bones are scattered across the globe.

8:39 – The creation of the Carol: Translation as a "path to salvation."

10:00 – The "Middleton" Myth: Why the English lyrics are a 20th century invention.

11:00 – Saint or Symbol? Navigating the colonial legacy today.

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We explore the life and death of a forgotten Canadian hero. He survived the horrors of WWI only to die in a freak accident in his Toronto home.

Captain George Fraser Kerr, VC, MM & Bar was one of Canada’s most decorated soldiers of the First World War—yet his story remains remarkably under-told. Born in Deseronto, Ontario in 1895, his early life was unremarkable on paper. But in September 1914, at just nineteen, Kerr enlisted in the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), Canadian Expeditionary Force, beginning a journey that would carry him from civilian life into the brutal battles of the Western Front. His courage under fire earned him multiple gallantry awards, culminating in the Victoria Cross for exceptional bravery during the Hundred Days Offensive.

This episode visits Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, where Kerr is laid to rest, and reflects on how ordinary Canadians shaped and were shaped—by the Great War. His stone, like so many across the country, preserves a legacy of sacrifice.If you travel through Toronto, Deseronto, or Cambridge, you’ll find plaques and memorials honouring Kerr’s service. Each one invites us to pause, reflect, and remember the thousands of Canadians whose courage never made headlines, yet changed history.

His medals are on display in the Canadian War Museum.

https://deadcanadians.ca

Timecode Description

0:00 Introduction

0:47 Who Was George Fraser Kerr?

Early Life in Deseronto and Toronto/Galt

2:18 Joining the Fight: Enlisting in the CEF (3rd Battalion) in 1914

2:53 The Western Front: The Start of an Incredible Military Career

3:34 June 1916: Military Medal for Leadership at Mount Sorrel

4:13 August 1917: The Battle of Hill 70 (Canadian Operational Skill)

5:01 Oct-Nov 1917: Passchendaele (Endurance Under Unimaginable Conditions)

5:49 August 1918: Military Cross for Action at Amiens (The 100 Days Offensive Begins)

6:42 Sept 1918: Bar to the Military Cross at the Drocourt-Quéant Line

7:33 The Victoria Cross: Heroism at Bourlon Wood (Single-Handedly Taking a Stronghold)

8:51 The Highest Honour: the Victoria Cross for Conspicuous Bravery

9:29 Homecoming: A Decorated Officer Living an Ordinary Life in Toronto

10:35 A Sudden Tragedy: The Unexpected Death of a War Hero

11:08 The Final Resting Place: Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto

12:27 Conclusion & How to Visit Captain Kerr's Grave

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The Pioneer Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Tillsonburg area. The cemetery was established in 1838 and closed in 1870. Many of Tillsonburg's earliest settlers, including members of the Tillson family, are buried there.Join Dead Canadians researcher and museum professional Stephanie Allen as she visits this pioneer cemetery which has had a total restoration of the one-acre site in 2015. Restoration work included monument cleaning and the addition of a large index stone.Local historians have done extensive research into the individuals and families buried in the cemetery.To learn more about pioneer graveyard tours and events at the cemetery, contact Annandale National Historic SiteHost: Stephanie Allen, MMSt