Making the Grave: Cemeteries and Stone Carvers in New Jersey

Cemeteries and graveyards are an indelible part of the New Jersey landscape. Whether it is a small family plot tucked into a forest, a historic churchyard along a country road, or a sprawling Victorian memorial park, these sites offer more than just a place of rest. They are outdoor museums that showcase the evolution of funerary art, from the hand-carved sandstone of the 1700s to the grand marble obelisks of the Gilded Age.

These stones physically represent a traceable history of our ancestors through the materials used and the distinct marks left by master carvers.

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The Evolution of the Jersey Grave

Early in American history, rural family plots and small church graveyards were the standard. This changed in the 1830s with the Rural Cemetery Movement, which shifted burials to planned, non-denominational sites managed by boards of directors.

• Colonial Period: Small tablets made of local Jersey sandstone (brownstone) or slate.
• Victorian Period: Gravestones became status symbols. Cemeteries filled with massive obelisks, pillars, and ornate statuary.
• Modern Era: The “Lawn Park” movement introduced standardized memorial sizes and a focus on open landscaping to ensure easier maintenance and unobstructed views.

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1. Rahway Cemetery: A Crossroads of History

Established in 1724, the Rahway Cemetery was originally the site of the First Presbyterian Church of Rahway (c. 1741). The current main driveway actually passes directly over the original site of the heavy-timbered church building.

• Notable Burial: Abraham Clark, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His original headstone and that of his wife, Sarah, have been reset within a larger monument erected by the DAR in 1924.
• The Master Carver: John Frazee (1790–1852) is perhaps the most famous name associated with the site. Born in Rahway, Frazee was a self-taught carver who eventually became a world-renowned sculptor, commissioned to design the New York Customs House. His tasteful, simple memorials can still be found throughout the yard.
• Other Carvers: Look for the work of Ebenezer Price (known for his “cherub” designs) and Henry Osborn of Woodbridge.

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2. Old Tennent Church: The Battlefield Graveyard

Established in 1731, this cemetery sits near the heart of the Monmouth Battlefield. The current Georgian-style church (built in 1751) served as a field hospital during the Battle of Monmouth.

• War Scars: The pews inside the church still bear the marks of surgeons’ saws and bloodstains from wounded Patriot soldiers.
• Military Significance: The yard is the final resting place for countless unnamed Continental soldiers and Lt. Col. Henry Monckton, the highest-ranking British officer killed in the battle.
• Civic Leaders: Burials include Nathaniel Scudder (Continental Congressman) and Thomas Henderson (New Jersey’s third Governor).

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3. Three Mile Run Cemetery: The “Lost” Dutch Colony

One of Middlesex County’s earliest burial grounds, the cemetery at Three Mile Run dates back to a Dutch Reformed Church established in 1703. While the original church was destroyed by British troops during the Revolution, the graveyard remains.

• The Controversial Minister: The site was once led by Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen, a Dutch reformer who famously clashed with his congregation over his progressive preaching and for allowing English to be spoken in the Dutch church.
• Early Stones: The oldest markers belong to the Leydt family. The stones for Anna and Elizabeth Leydt (c. 1760) are inscribed entirely in Dutch.
• The Frazee Signature: Even in this remote yard, you can find a stone for Johannes Van Liew (d. 1794) signed “Frazee & Co.”

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If You Visit

Historic cemeteries are sacred spaces. When visiting, please remain on the paths and refrain from “gravestone rubbing” on older, fragile stones, as the friction can accelerate deterioration.