Westwood Cemetery was established in 1861 as the Old Hook Cemetery. The earliest burial was in 1791. Westwood Cemetery is a non-sectarian cemetery and continues to offer final resting places that suit individual needs. Whether you are planning for the future or purchasing for an immediate need, we have a variety of options available within the 35 acre park.
The newest part of the Westwood Cemetery where the family burials start around 1840 to Present sits on the Kinderkamack Road side of the cemetery
The back of the cemetery sits on a buff overlooking the pond that is parallel to Old Hook Road
The original family members were buried in this section of the cemetery while their grandchildren and great grandchildren are interned in the front section.
The oldest section of the cemetery which sits next to Old Hook Road is the Hopper Family plot which dates back to before the Revolutionary War
The Blauvelt Family plot sits next to the Hopper Family plot
The oldest section of the cemetery by Old Post Road home to family members of the Post, Blauvelt, Voorhis and Hopper members
The Demarest family plot overlooking the pond from the buff
The Blauvelt and Bogart family plot
The DeBaun family plot by Old Hook Road
One of the original Demarest family plots
The Haring family plot overlooking the pond
The Ackerman family plot
The Eckerson family plot with members of the Hopper and Demarest families
This section of the cemetery contains the oldest tombstones in the cemetery so many have broken or crumbled away. The lawn in this section of the cemetery is also not as well maintained so there are overgrown bushes and trees hiding the tombstones so you really have to look.
Then I worked my way back to the front of the cemetery finding the graves of these people’s children and grandchildren by following the names and dates of these people’s family members.
One branch of the Demarest family is front and center in the front of the cemetery
Next to them are the DeBaun and Vanderbeck families
Another branch of the Demarest family is a few rows behind
The Kipp family have a rather large family plot
The Hopper & Banta families share this large twin family plot
The Bogart family has this large family plot
The Westervelt family is near them with many of their members of the family
The Demarest family had two large family plots in the middle of the cemetery
The family plot of the Demarests and the Harings
The Demarest and Van Bushkirk family plot
The large Blauvelt family plot
The DeWolfe family plot
The Voorhis family plot
The Terhune Bogart family plot
What I found fascinating about this cemetery was to see the progression of each of these families from parent to child to grandchild just by walking through it. The families branch out in all sections intermarrying with similar families and the buried next to them. From back to front here they rest.
Maple Grove Park Cemetery in Hackensack, New Jersey, is a historic burial ground originally established around 1850 by the Dutch Reformed Churches of New York City. Formerly known as the New York Cemetery, it is a significant local repository for both 19th-century history and rescued historical remains.
Originally founded to serve members of the True Reformed Dutch Church, the cemetery was previously referred to as the New York Cemetery on Plank Road. As older churches and their surrounding burial grounds in northern New Jersey were decommissioned, their headstones and remains were frequently relocated to Maple Grove
The historic front section of the cemetery in the front of the cemetery
I visited the Maple Grove Park Cemetery one afternoon in search of a Revolutionary War Veteran, Albert Voorhis. I did not find his particular tombstone but I did find his family plot and many of the ‘first families’ of Bergen County. These include families such as the Demarest’s, Haring’s, Voorhis, Ackerman’s, Christie’s, Hopper’s, Van Saun’s and Blauvelt’s.
The Demarest family plot
The front part of the cemetery is nicely landscaped with interesting family plots dotted all over the this part of the cemetery. These were the families that shaped this history of the County and other branches of their extended family are either buried in historic Reformed Church graveyards or are in small cemeteries that were part of the family farm that now sit in subdivisions of McMansions, neglected and forgotten.
The Demarest family plot
I found it interesting to note how big many of these families were and how all of these ‘first families’ married into one another, probably because of family stature or maybe to extend the length of the family farm. These interconnections shaped and developed how Bergen County developed over a three hundred year period.
The Demarest/Hopper family plot
The Westervelt Family plot
The extended Voorhis family plot
The Zabriskie family plot
The extended Terhune family plot
The DeBaun family
The Brinkerhoff family plot
The Van Winkle family plot
The Ackerman family plot
The Blawvelt (Blauvelt) family plot
The Van Saun family plot
Another Terhune family plot
The Vreeland family plot
The Quackenbush family plot
The Hopper family plot
The Hopper-DeWolfe family plot
The extended Christie family plot
The extended Lydecker family plot
The Van Valen family
Another branch of the extended Demarest family
This cemetery is an interesting look at the early history of not just Bergen County or New Jersey but of the United States. These extended families contributed so much not just in military activity but in business, religion and education that helped build this country.
This unique cemetery is more than just a place of rest but a place of history and of respect. These were the extended families who contributed so much to the progress of our country and how it was directed into the future.
I visited the Alpine Cemetery, which is a historical active cemetery just off Closter Dock Road. This is the resting place of Revolutionary War Veteran, William Wilson and many other veterans from the Civil, Spanish American, World War I and II as well as from Vietnam, Korea and Desert Storm. All the graves were marked with American flags as we just finished Memorial Day weekend.
The family plots that separate the site
There are many family plots of “First Family’s” of Bergen County like the Westervelt’s, the Haring’s and the Campell’s. The family plots are separated by small fences and some are marked by the family names.
The cemetery on the hill in Alpine, NJ
The separate family burial plots
The Campbell Family burial plot
The Campbell family plots
The Van Sciver family plots
The Anthony Family plots
The Anthony family plot
The Haring Family plot
The Haring family obelisk
The Westervelt family plot
The Jordan/Wilson family plot
I looked at the Wilson family plot for the Revolutionary War veteran but the burial spot is probably has been lost to time. William Wilson may be lost to history but I know he was buried here.
The front part of the cemetery
The Veteran’s Memorial Rock with the names of World War I and II, Vietnam and Korea veterans
The Van Valen family plots
The Pearsall family plots
The Older family plots
The burial grounds from the front
There is a quiet elegance to these historic cemeteries. Who were these people? What did they do? Do people remember them? They are very interesting places to visit.
The history of the cemetery:
(From the historic sign)
The cemetery was founded in 1822 by resident William Gecox along Closter Dock Road when he bought 23 and a half acres as a burial ground for neighbors and for laborers who worked in the area. Mr. Gecox sold these plots on what had already been a burial ground.
The people buried in the cemetery were farmers, laborers, and tradesmen and their family. By 1870, the village “in the Closter Mountain” had take the name “Alpine” in the 1890’s. When William and his wife, Susan Helms pass in the 1890’s, their children sold the remaining plots. The cemetery has continued to be used into the twenty-first century.
The front of the English Neighborhood Reformed Church
The sign in front of this historic church
The front of the church
The front of the church from Church Road
The historic marker in front of the church
Since my project studying the historic graveyards and cemeteries of the Revolutionary War with my International Marketing students, I have taken my time to walk these sites and try to understand the history and importance of these sites as part of the memories of who these people were, the contributions that made to not just our county but the country and trying to keep their memories alive while many have been forgotten by their families.
The newer back part of the cemetery
Visiting during a recent post Memorial Day visit, I got to see how many veterans of all the wars from the American Revolution to Desert Storm were buried here. Even though we studied just the veterans of the Revolutionary War, I was fascinated by the number of Civil War and World War I and II veterans here as well.
The older section of the graveyard
The history of our County and Country are shown among the rows of tombstones that represent the contribution of our County residents to the many causes. It was very humbling to see them being honored at this time.
What I found interesting was many of the branches of ‘Founding First Families’ of Bergen County were interned here, representing Bergen County’s contributions to the foundation of the United States.
The Engle family plot where Revolutionary War veteran John Engle was a member
The Vreeland family plot closest to the church is the resting place of Revolutionary War veteran Michael Vreeland (again this site was once their family’s farm)
A closer look at the Vreeland family plot
I believe this is the tombstone of Michael Vreeland, Revolutionary War veteran
Another branch of the Vreeland family
Another branch of the Vreeland family
The Herring (Haring) family crypt
The Outwater family crypt. General Outwater’s side of the family is buried in a family plot in Carlstadt, NJ
The Banta family plot
The DeGraw family plot
The grave of Benjamin Westervelt
The grave of a soldier I could not read
It was so interesting to walk amongst the rows of tombstones and trying to understand each person’s story and their personal contributions to the way our community was founded and developed. So many of these family names are woven into the history of Bergen County.
There is a quiet elegance to these graveyards and on a warm sunny afternoon they are less scary and more of a place of understanding and respecting our past. It was an interesting history lesson.
Looking at the oldest section of the graveyard where many Colonial family plots are located
History of the Church:
(From the Church website)
The English Neighborhood Reformed Church is the oldest building in Ridgefield, NJ, erected on its current site way back in 1793, long before Bergen County became the bustling metropolitan area it is today.
But even before this, way back in 1675, Ridgefield was known as “The English Neighborhood” and covered roughly 10 miles of land between the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers. This is where our church gets its historic name. The first construction of the church (in Leonia) dates back to 1768, but was moved to its present site in Ridgefield, in 1793.
This area played a role in the Revolutionary war, when General Washington retreated with the Continental Army in 1776 from NY City and passed through the English Neighborhood. Those who fled the area for their cause, included the English Neighborhood Church’s first minister, Garrit Leydekker, an Englishman and a Tory, who fled for the safety of New York City, taking the church’s first records with him.
The historic graveyard next to the church
The church’s steeple was the tallest structure to rise above the flat meadowlands and would become a surveyors landmark. It is approx. 80 ft. in height and made from hand-strewn timbers and wood dowels, rather than nails.
The historic church on a sunny afternoon
In 1804, Edgewater Avenue was a bustling artery for commerce and was part of the toll road known as the Bergen Turnpike. For 100 years, covered wagons transported their goods from the farms of NJ, to the ferries that would carry them to market in NY City, right past the church. The church was once located in the heart of the bustle of life as it was, before the industrial revolution.
The historic doors of the church
In 1854, the railroad was brought to Ridgefield, which introduced industry and growth to the town. Throughout the Civil War, members of the congregation were active in the “underground railroad.” Runaway slaves were hidden under the bridge by Overpeck Creek. They were given food, clothes and other necessities to help move them to the next safe haven, during the night.
In 1912, the Sunday school building was added, across the way from the church. Additions to the building were completed in 1954 and 1962.
A bridge was built over the Railroad tracks in 1932, which led to the closing of Edgewater Avenue and the “Old Highway” that once brought passersby with regularity, became a dead-end street. These gradual changes have meant that the historic legacy of the English Neighborhood and its church, goes largely unnoticed.
However, these changes also, today provide the quiet hamlet that the church finds itself surrounded by – a little piece of heaven on earth – right here in a busy, and often congested, Ridgefield. It is this history and this unique location that makes the English Neighborhood Church a one-of-a-kind place to worship.
We hope you will join us some Sunday to see for yourself. God has blessed this congregation for nearly 233 years (2026). Jesus is doing some amazing things with this church and its people. You are welcome to be one of them, as we move into the next thing God is calling us to do and be, as Jesus’s disciples.
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught International Marketing. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
I also taught Principles of Management and International Marketing which came with their own challenges. It was the amount of people in each class and what projects would they be working on. I knew the things I wanted to work on, I just had to figure out how to frame them.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division.
Each business concept does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work. It came to me one night around 3:00am in the morning when I was trying to figure out a project for my students to work on.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This semester I attempted one of the toughest and most extensive Team projects in all the historical projects I have created, taking the listing of the Daughters of the American Revolution created for Bergen County Historical Division for the “Bergen 250”and we took it to another level.
I challenged the students to visit all the cemeteries and graveyards on the listing (using my blog if needed), find the tombstones of the veterans of the Revolutionary War and photograph them. Next they needed to create a biography of each of the veterans.
From there, they needed to create a short video of that gravesite and put it all into a QR code so visitors can find them. It was a big challenge but I knew this class could do it. There was something about the personality of this class that would make it work.
I then planned a series of field trips so that the students could visit particular sites in a more formal tour. I asked a lot of the contacts who I have met over the years to help me out, so the students could see why this project was so important to the 250th Anniversary to both our County and our Country. It took a lot to plan and execute. I gave them six weeks to do the research and create other sections of the project.
A. They had to take the listing of all the veterans and their list of grave sites and play ‘detective’ to find the tombstones and then film and create the QR codes.
B. They had to create a special “250th Medallion’ that would be placed at each veteran’s tombstone to honor them on the “Bergen 250”. These pieces of art were very clever.
C. They had to create a “Farm to Table” fundraiser with three courses and an American selection of wines, one being from New Jersey. They also had to create the menu and the invitation to the event. The Teams created the menu, cost and budget to show how much they would raise for the event.
D. As an extra credit assignment, I had the Teams create a special “Halloween Tour”, with a special concession menu, tour script of the cemetery or graveyard of their choice and create the logo and advertising for it. Three of the four Teams created this.
Then I planned a series of field trips to visit the most important sites in Bergen County, some were tiny stand alone family cemeteries, some were historical sites and some were very important church graveyards with family plots.
I think this is where the students had the most fun. This is where the comradery of the class was created. As I took the Team out to many of the sites on their listings, the Teams got to see the concept of “Dark Tourism”, the desire to visit places were either bad things have happened, the site has an evil past or something to do with death. This has become a popular form of Tourism in the Twenty-First Century. (Think the 9/11 Memorial).
It was also a chance to get out of the classroom and get some fresh air and sunshine. These are some of the places our Team visited.
My Graveyard and Cemetery Team “Out in the Field”:
The first site I took my Team to was the Baylor Massacre site in River Vale, NJ, where the British had ambushed a battalion of soldiers and killed them. The site has a rather dark history from the war.
The irony about the site is that all my students were from Bergen County and none of them had been here before. I had taken my previous ‘Bergen 250’ class here as well as our next stop, the Haring Farm Cemetery just a few blocks away.
The Team picture at the Baylor Massacre site
We next toured the Haring Family Cemetery down the road on Old Haring Farm Road. This was one of the many examples of small family cemeteries that used to be placed at the edge of family farms, who wanted loved ones buried close by or the distance to the family church was too far away at that time.
Touring the Haring Family Cemetery
The Haring family is one of the most important and prominent Colonial families in New Jersey (and are very distantly related to me by marriage), so I felt this site was very important to visit to show the family dynamic of that era.
Our Team at the Haring Farm Cemetery at Old Haring Farm Court
We then went on our Team lunch at Pompilio’s Pizzeria in Downtown Westwood, NJ. I feel on projects like this to build comradary and for the students to start their projects, we need to ‘break bread’ with one another and get to know each other in a relaxed place. Plus the students seem to love free pizza and Coke. This lunch has started many successful projects.
Our Team Divisional at lunch at Pompilio’s Pizzeria:
Our Team lunch at Pompilio’s Pizzeria
We all had such a nice time at lunch and feel this is the best way to get to know one another. The food at Pompilio’s is also excellent. I always host the lunch with large Cheese Pizza and Coke.
My Executive Team at our lunch
Our next Field Trip was the Old Stone Church in Saddle River at 481 East Saddle River Road in Saddle River, NJ. This is one of the oldest churches in Bergen County and in New Jersey.
The Old Stone Church at 481 East Saddle River Road in Saddle River
This church has the most complete set of tombstones of Revolutionary War veterans and the church website has some of the most complete information on their veterans.
Our group picture at the Old Stone Church
Our next trip was to the First Reformed Church of Hackensack, the second oldest church in New Jersey and one of the most important for the Revolutionary War. Their graveyard has the most amount of Revolutionary War veterans in Bergen County.
My students outside the First Reformed Church of Hackensack at 42 Court Street
The historic outside cornerstones of the church with the original family founder names carved in the bricks
The family keystones
John Paulson keystone
Henry Berry keystone
Albert C. Zabrifky keystone
The Historic First Reformed Church pews and stained glass windows.
The first floor of the church and the inside pews
The alter
The view of inside of the church
The Revolutionary War artifacts
My student visit on the second floor of the church. The church’s artifacts are displayed in the cases here.
Tour of the church
The Child’s family windows
Voorhis-Lozier-Moore Windows
The Kraissi family windows
The Van Valen windows
The War years windows
The church is the second oldest church in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country. We then walked outside to tour the historic graveyard in the back of the church. It had the most amount of Revolutionary War veterans buried in Bergen County, NJ.
Many of the veterans of the American Revolution were buried closest to the church, which was the tradition of the time to be buried as close to the church as possible. Their graves were marked by Revolutionary War medallions and American flags.
The Demarest-Voorhis Revolutionary War graves
General Poor’s grave
Albert Romin grave Revolutionary War veteran
The front part of the church by the Hackensack Green was the resting place of many of these heros
Our Team of Student Consultants picture inside the historic graveyard
It is also the resting place of General Enoch Poor, who died during battle, whose funeral was attended by General George Washington himself. We took this group picture by the General’s grave.
Our Team pictures with General Poor
Our last field trip and one of our most important was to the Old South Presbyterian Church in Bergenfield. This was the place of the Demarest family plot, which is currently under a full renovation.
We worked with Melissa Naylis, who is leading the renovation of the church and master carver, Bob Carpenter, who showed us how he is restoring the graveyard. He had led one of my previous classes when we visited the graveyard for my ‘Bergen 250’ project.
Master Carver Bob Carpenter leading our tour
The South Presbyterian Church and the Demarest family plot
The Demarest family plot
Melissa Naylis starting the tour with us
The students got to learn of the important history of the grave sites and why they are an important piece of the United States founding. The were the men who fought for our freedom and the wives and families that supported the effort.
Melissa leading the tour and introducing Bob Carpenter to us
Melissa Naylis explaining the work that is being done in the graveyard
Bob Carpenter explains his work
Some of the earliest tombstones in the graveyard
Bob Carpenter explaining the renovation
Bob Carpenter talking about the Demarest plot renovation
Pastor Glen from the Old South Presbyterian Church introducing himself to the students and joining us on this part of the tour.
Talking about the care of the tombstones
Talking about care of the tombstones
We then moved to tombstone of the founder of Rutgers University for a marble carving demonstration. Bob Carpenter wanted the students to know the effort into carving into stone and brought the tools of that era and a piece of marble for the students to use. The students got a kick out of this and some really enjoyed it.
Bob explaining the work of a marble carver
Describing the process
My students giving it a try
My student Amy, carving marble
My student, Walid, carving on marble
Demonstrating the process
After the demonstration, we talked about the work of the Demarest family and their contributions within Bergen County.
The founder of Rutgers University, John Henry Goetscheus and a member of the extended Demarest family.
Our Team picture after the tour
Taking a quick tour of the graveyard after the formal tour, the Blauvelt-Kipp family burial ground
I found that being ‘out of the field’ really exposed the students to not just to visiting parts of the county they had never seen but showing them how cemeteries and graveyards are part of our culture of respect and memory. They can be looked at less as religious standpoint but as a historical value of who we are and how it part of all of our pasts.
We also looked about how these sites could play a role of building Bergen County tourism by promoting these sites as a part of the history of our country. Not just during the Revolutionary War but as part of our cultural fabric.
On April 29th, 2026, the students made their formal Presentation of the project and showed off their research of the sites and their fundraising tools to support the restoration of these sites.
This was an amazing project that will benefit so many people from historians to researchers to people who love the Revolutionary War and its history to family members looking for loved ones.
It is my class’s contribution as well as other future and past projects to benefit the “Bergen 250” and the rich history of Bergen County, NJ. Our County has contributed so much to not just the building of the state but of the United States as well. It was one of the best projects I ran as CEO of Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Executive Picture:
The “Cemetery and Graveyards” Team
Our Reception following the Presentation
Our Presentation was followed by a Q & A with many people we had met along the way from our visits “out in the field” who had come to see the final project and this was followed by our Corporate Team picture and then a reception in honor of the Student Consultants who made this important possible and come to life.
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground behind the residence at 45 East Saddle River Road
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground is part of the history of Saddle River, NJ’s early settlement period. The burial ground has about 40 tombstones that are arched and shaped. These are some of the first residents both of Saddle River and Bergen County, NJ.
The burial ground lies next to a creek off East Saddle River Road and can only be accessed by going through private property of the residents living at 45 East Saddle River Road. Please do not enter without permission of the owner of the home. These pictures were taken with a long distance camera from the street.
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground at 45 East Saddle River Road
The History of Saddle River:
(from the Saddle River Town website):
In 1675, Lenni Lenape tribal leaders sold a large amount of land on the Eastern side of the Saddle River (known as Werimus) to Albert Zabriskie. In 1708, Zabriskie sold this tract of land to Thomas Van Buskirk. The first house in Saddle River was built by the Van Buskirk family in 1709. The original Van Buskirk homestead still stands at 164 East Saddle River Road across from Borough Hall.
In 1709, the Lenni Lenape sold the land on the west side of the Saddle River to the English as part of the Ramapo Tract. Property on the west side of the Saddle River was acquired from this Tract throughout the 1700’s. The Ackerman Family was the most prolific buyer of these early Saddle River parcels and first settled on the West side of the Saddle River in 1745 when Johannes Ackerman acquired 245 acres.
The graves of George and Margaret Achenbach
Saddle River continued to grow and populate during the 18th century. Families such as the Van Buskirk’s, the Ackerman’s, the Achenbach’s, the Hopper’s, the Zabriskie’s, the Stilwell’s and the Baldwin’s farmed and developed the area.
The grave of George Achenbach
The first of many Saddle River mills was built in 1714 and the first school was constructed in 1720. Another early 18th century business was the blacksmith shop operated by the Ackerman family. Over the years, these 1st families built the quintessential “Old Dutch Homesteads” from actual sandstone that was found in town.
The Revolutionary War era tombstones
The Revolutionary War was a horrendous time for the residents of Saddle River. The townsfolk had spent the entire 18th century developing the area into a well established community and all growth essentially stopped during the war. Since the Jersey Dutch initially considered the revolution to be an English issue, it was particularly shocking when the fighting came to their backyards. From December 1776 until the end of the war, both American and British forces traveled through Saddle River and many times set up camp in the center of town.
Residents were in constant fear of the British employed Hessian soldiers who would terrorize families by raiding the houses for food and then burning the fields before leaving. Although no major battles took place in Saddle River, there were small skirmishes to fend off raids and the Blue Mill on East Saddle River Road was destroyed. Even George Washington, the future father of our country, passed through Saddle River on multiple occasions and tradition has him staying overnight at the Ackerman Homestead on the East road.
When the Revolutionary War ended, Saddle River residents picked up right where they left off in terms of community and industry development. The Ackerman’s built a Foundry on what is now Waterford Gardens. Tice and Berdan both opened stores in town and the Bulls Head Tavern opened its doors to weary travelers in 1802. Old mills were re-opened and new ones such as Van Riper’s Saw Mill and Basket Factory were established. The post war growth continued for decades and culminated in the 1820s with the construction of the Zion Lutheran Church in 1821 and a new schoolhouse behind the church in 1825.
The worn tombstones in the cemetery
History of the Van Bushkirk family in Bergen County during the Revolutionary War:
(From the Bergen County Historical Society website):
Loyalists in Bergen County came from all backgrounds, religions and economic classes. At the beginning of the war, a number were officers in the militia, the military force composed of all able-bodied males maintained by each province, and later the states. The lieutenant colonel of the militia was John Zabriskie of New Bridge. Zabriskie understood the sentiments of many of his neighbors, particularly those of Abraham Van Buskirk, whose property was directly across the bridge in Teaneck. Van Buskirk was a surgeon in the militia under Zabriskie, and with whom he served on Bergen County’s Committee of Correspondence, an entity established to keep in touch with other New Jersey counties and the events occurring there.
The Van Houton Family Cemetery at 108 Delaware Lane on what was once the family farm
The historic Marker from 1822
The family plot from the entrance of the cemetery
About five generations of Van Houton’s have been buried in this spot, with an impressive list of family members who have served in all the nation’s wars.
From the Revolutionary War up to World War II, the family’s contribution extends not just to Bergen County but our entire country.
The family extends to other older ‘first families’ of Bergen County, such as the Snyder’s, the Demarest’s, DeBuan’s and the Van Ripper’s.
This multi-generational cemetery is still used today by the descendents of John Van Houten, who left the property in his will. The grounds of the cemetery are well maintained. A metal fence around the property could use some minor repairs. Unfortunately a couple of the obelisk markers have fallen off their bases.
In the August 1992 Cemetery Inventory Booklet, published by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, they listed Andrew Schaaf as a contact person for the cemetery, with an address of 749 High Mountain Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417. The same publication mentions that an inventory of the cemetery was done by John Neafie in 1911.
In the 17th century, Lenape Indians traveled the land we now call Franklin Lakes. They made winter camp in the “Clove” near Buttermilk Falls and fished in Micharagrape Pond ( now Franklin Lake).
Slowly, the Dutch settlers made their way west from the Hudson River Valley. In 1701 the East Jersey Proprietors confirmed to Michael Hawden the land around the Pond. In 1772 Franklin Township was formed and included much of northwestern Bergen County. Farming was the major occupation of the early inhabitants, mostly Dutch with the names of Van Winkle, Van Houten, Ackerman, Pulisfelt, Van Blarcom, etc. They built solid farmhouses of sandstone and fieldstone. Fourteen of these historic homes still stand in our Borough.
Some of the original family member tombstones in the cemetery
Mills sprang up along the creeks: sawmills, gristmills, tanneries and forges. Daniel Youman’s Grist Mill on Franklin Lake was probably the first business established (it later served as a saw mill and a cider mill).
The 1876 Walker Atlas showed Franklin Lakes had about 100 residences, 5 mills, 1 tannery, 3 schools, 4 blacksmith and wagon shops, 1 church, 2 hotels, 1 store, and 2 railroad depots.
The railroad stations were built in 1869 when the New Jersey Midland Railroad was extended to Oakland. One station stood at Campgaw on Pulis Avenue, the other at Crystal Lake on High Mountain Road. Residents used the train for commuting, moving goods and mail.
Around the turn of the century, estate houses and mansions began to appear in the area. The industrial revolution brought wealth, and many of the wealthy became “gentleman farmers,” sometimes living here only in the summer. Examples of these houses include the Bartholf-Hughes house on Somerset, the Post-Terhune house on Franklin Lake Road, and the Atterbury-Brockhurst house on Ewing Avenue.
Eventually, the Campgaw section became the civic center of our Borough. In 1922 Franklin Lakes separated from Franklin Township, incorporated, and elected William V. Pulis as its first Mayor.
Edward May built three lakes and started the Shadow Lake Swim Club, which evolved into Shadow Lakes Estates. On the other side of the Borough, J. Nevins McBride purchased land around Franklin Lake and began building single-family homes in Urban Farms.
When Route 208 was extended to Oakland in 1959, Franklin Lakes became more accessible, and by 1980 there were more than 8,500 residents. The completion of Interstate 287 in the early 1990’s stimulated another boom in building. Today, the population of our Borough is 10,422.
From a sleepy rural community to an affluent metropolitan suburb, Franklin Lakes has changed extensively, continuing to be a desirable place to live and raise families.
The Franklin Lakes Historical Society was created to help preserve our Borough’s rich history, while at the same time looking to the future of our unique community and those who choose to make this their home.
The family still uses the cemetery into the twenty-first century
Part of the cemetery into modern times
Multiple family members are often buried together
The cemetery in modern times
The children of Ralph Van Houten who passed within a few years of one another
The grave of Abraham Van Houton and his wife, Bridget
The front part of the cemetery shows the different branches of the family and when they were buried.
The back part of the cemetery is rather old
The Snyder branch of the family
Another branch of the Van Houten family is buried together here
Members of the Ackerman and Cooper side of the family
Conrad and Elizabeth Van Houten
Jacob and Elizabeth Van Houten
Some of the modern graves of the Van Houten’s and Ackerman sides of the family
Many of these small family plots sit on buffs and have the most amazing views. It is as if the final resting place was to be a place of beauty and contemplation.
Unfortunately the family farm is long gone and the cemetery is now surrounded by McMansions. Talk about progress!
The Sturr Family Cemetery sits on a bend of the driveway of the Chabad Jewish Center of Northwest Bergen County and is a small cemetery that once sat on the edge of the J.H, Sturr farm.
The Sturr Family Cemetery
The farmhouse of the Sturr Family sits on the lot across the street from the cemetery property. This is located on a small buff on what was the edge of the farm.
The Sturr Family cemetery tombstones
The tombstones of the Courter and Carlouch family members
The grave of William Courter
The only visible tombstones that are left in the cemetery are an Ackerman family member, Anny Ackerman and members of the Courter and the Carlouch family’s (who must have married into the family).
The Ackerman family tombstones (the one to the right was unreadable)
The other tombstones are broken and no one is sure who is buried where in the cemetery.
The History of the Cemetery:
(From Find a Grave website)
The cemetery is located in Franklin Township, Bergen County, New Jersey, on what was once the family farm of J.H. Sturr. As of October 1991 only 6 markers were still remaining.
The Sturr Family Cemetery in full view
History of the House:
(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal Website)
H. Sturr House or Blue Meadow Farm Built 1860 378 Pulis Avenue, Block 1510, Lot 8 Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417
The Sturr House – also known as Blue Meadow Farm -is a handsome and little altered example of mid 19th century vernacular architecture which incorporates several stylistic elements such as gable returns and frieze area of the early 19th century Greek Revival style. The Borough of Franklin Lakes lists the erection year of the house as 1860.
The façade of this 2 ½ story house consists of clapboard. The front porch has five bays with square posts and a rectangular entrance door with rectangular sidelights. Two tall 1st story windows are on one side of the porch. A single hitching post with iron rings sits in front of the porch stairs. The building has a frieze area with linear design. Semi-circular headed louvered vents are in all gable ends. The rear of the house has a one story wing. There is a detached garage to the west side of the house as well as a round frame well. Further west of the house is a stable which has been extensively remodeled and converted into a residence in recent times. The house combined with associated structures is a significant remnant of the large farmsteads which ones dotted the Borough’s landscape prior to the recent suburban housing boom.
History of the Family:
(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal website)
This Sturr house and the nearby more altered house at 402 Pulis Avenue were duplicate structures and were probably built around the same time by members of the Sturr family. The 19th century Sturr family was descended from Conraedt Sturr who purchased 190 acres of land in this area with John Coeter from Robert Livingston in 1793.
The non-extant homestead and mill was located at present-day 930 Old Mill Road. It is known that Henry Sturr, the son of Conraedt, had a fanning mill at this location in 1850. In a will dated 1852 he bequeathed his property and mill to his grandsons John, Henry, and Daniel (Maria Braun – 1976 page 26 & 27).
The property along Pulis Avenue upon which these houses are situated was probably included in this will since the homes were built around the mid-19th century. Future deed research is recommended to identify the original builder and the construction date of the house (1861: H. Sturr, 1876 Estate of H.M. Sturr). Presently the house is privately owned and occupied.
Over the years I have heard newspapers saying some negative things about the City of Bridgeton, NJ in Cumberland County. The crime, the problems and the rows of rundown housing. I have to admit that the city has its share of problems like any city but Bridgeton is a paradox. For all its problems, it has so many interesting things to see and do. As I have been exploring historical sites of South Jersey, I have made many trips through the city and driven through the neighborhoods and walked the downtown and its really interesting.
When you leave the city on any side, you are in the countryside. There are all sorts of fields of crops as far as the eye can see and many Farmers Markets just outside its borders. When you return though, you know immediately that you are in the city’s borders as housing just seems to pop out of nowwhere.
When I was visiting museums and historical sites for a blog I was writing on Southern New Jersey, I left Greenwich, NJ and took a local country road that took me through the back roads and farm country to the big city of Bridgeton, NJ where I explored their now rundown downtown. I then explored the crown jewel of the community, the Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery.
The church stands out like a stately jewel in the middle of the town and is so beautiful and graceful at any time of the year especially in the late Spring and the early Fall when it is perfect for taking pictures. I love its historic cemetery with its Colonial era church and the gravesite that dates back to the 1700’s.
The Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery at 54 West Avenue South in Bridgeton, NJ
Visiting the Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery was an interesting experience. While trying to get from Greenwich to Bridgeton should have been a straight run but there were no names on the signs, and you just had to figure it out. I found the right road and it led me right to the cemetery.
The Presbyterian Church itself is only used now for special occasions and events but is an elegant building that sits on top of a bluff overlooking the downtown area. During the daylight hours you are allowed to roam around the cemetery looking at the gravesites (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).
So many famous politicians, war heroes, founding fathers of the City of Bridgeton and entrepreneurs at the turn of the last century are buried here.
The church and the historic cemetery.
What I found interesting about the cemetery was the family plots with the generations of people buried next to one another and their stories. It was sad when the parents buried their children and then died a few years later. Trying to figure the narrative of these families can be heartbreaking.
The family plots at the cemetery
The really sad part of such a historic cemetery is that it is so overgrown. I was walking through in some parts a foot of weeds. I know that taking care of a cemetery this size must be hard, but I would think there would be more care of the dead considering this is a destination for historians.
The historic cemetery in the Summer of 2024
When I finished touring the church grounds, I took a tour of the Bridgeton Historical Downtown. It was such a waste to see a bunch of old buildings falling apart and most of the businesses closed or small run-down businesses located in them. A block away was a more modern downtown with newer buildings. The shopping district caters to the very large Hispanic population that lives here and is great if you are looking for provisions for a picnic.
The one place that did stand out for me was the Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street in Downtown Bridgeton. They have some of the best and most creative doughnuts around. I could never make up my mind.
Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street in Downtown Bridgeton
The bakery just smells good when you walk in and the staff could not be nicer and more accommodating. I could barely make up my mind with all the delicious doughnuts to choose from.
I could not figure out what I wanted with all these delicious choices displayed in the cases. I finally decided on a Glazed Cream filled doughnut that was just mind blowing. It was so delicious. I had wanted to go back for another but did not want to ruin my appetite for lunch. For another trip.
This was like biting into a piece of heaven
When I visited Bridgeton in the Fall of 2024 for Halloween, I took the time to visit the Cohanzick Zoo and that was an interesting detour. The Zoo is part of the Bridgeton Park system like it is up in Bergen County. It is a small County zoo that takes about an hour to visit.
The zoo has an old fashioned feel with smaller rescue animals and equally not too large cages. The zoo is mostly comprised of animals who were rescued from either being poached, illegally transported or had been used as pets, many of them being neglected and abused.
The sign that welcomes you to the park at the Cohanzick Zoo
Throughout the park amongst the cages of wildlife are strolling gardens and animal related statuary.
The pathways and gardens were still in bloom the afternoon that I was there and it is a nice way to spend do the afternoon.
The Elephant statuary at the entrance of the zoo
The status of how some animals found their home here
The first resident I finished was the Raccoon House, where it looked like the raccoon was taking a snooze. He really looked out of it when I passed the cage.
The Raccoon House
The Raccoon Crossing sign
This poor little guy was out like a light
The zoo is one of the smaller more localized ones that I have visited so you can see the whole zoo in a short amount of time. Then you can walk leisurely around the paths and revisit the exhibitions again. Some of the animals like the peacock family, just wonder around the park and do their thing.
This gorilla sculpture that greets you in the back part of the zoo
Following the walkway to the back pens where a lot of the small animal and bird displays were located
The next exhibition that I visited was the Sand Hill Crane and I read that the poor little guy had been injured. He seemed a bit more optimistic when I passed the cage. I think that the animals just want some attention.
The Sand Hill Crane display
The Crane was watching all of us as we passed his cage
The next small animal that I visited was the Fennec fox and the two that I saw were fast asleep on this warm afternoon. They must have had a busy morning.
The Fennec fox cage
The foxes that I saw that day were fast asleep
One of the historical sites that I had wanted to visit was the historic Potter’s Tavern across from City Hall. I tried twice to stop in to see the Potters Tavern in Bridgeton but then double checked the guide and found out that it is only open on Sundays in July from 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Finally in the Summer of 2024, Potter’s Tavern opened for touring again and is now open on Sundays. It is well worth stopping and touring this important part of our Revolutionary War history.
Potters Tavern at 49-51 West Broad Street in Bridgeton, NJ
The tavern is one of the city’s connections to the Revolutionary War where patriots from that time met and plotted their strategy during the war. It was also a meeting place for men who need to gather after a hard day on the farm. These taverns were part of the social factor at a time before electronic communication.
The Entrance room of the Potter’s Tavern
The Hearth in the Kitchen in the Potter’s Tavern
The Bar at the Potter’s Tavern
The tavern has been rebuilt and furnished to reflex the time period. There are three floors to tour with the first floor being the tavern itself, the bedrooms upstairs where travelers would stay after a long stagecoach journey. The lower floor was the kitchen and store room where meals would be prepared and staff would sleep.
The upstairs of the Potter’s Tavern was the overnight accommodations
The lower level of Potter’s Tavern
It is an interesting tour that should not be missed but the museum’s hours can be sporadic even as they are posted online and are seasonal so plan accordingly.
On a recent trip to Bridgeton, I was able to finally see the Bridgeton Liberty Bell that sits in a display case across the street from Potter’s Tavern in Bridgeton’s modern courthouse.
The Bridgeton Liberty bell is located in the lobby of the Bridgeton Courthouse, which is open only during the week. You can walk in through the back door from the parking lot and walk through the metal detector to get to the bell that is displayed in the hallway.
The bell was cast in Massachusetts in 1765 and was a source of information during Colonial days.
The Bridgeton Liberty Bell
It was used to call people together for important news and meetings when hanging in the courthouse in the Courthouse that was built in 1760-61. It rang for liberty when the Declaration of Independence was signed and as a warning signal for the War of 1812 (South Jersey Early American Historical Trail pamphlet).
A close up look at the bell
The historic marker of the bell
While walking in the downtown area one afternoon in the summer, I was trying to stop in the Bridgeton Library to visit the Robert Woodruff Museum of Indian Artifacts (that is only open by appointment only). Since nobody was there to help me that afternoon I left the library.
Across the street, a mother-daughter team was barbecuing and preparing tacos and tamales for locals and some workers on the construction site around the corner. The tacos were amazing and they only charged $3.00 for two small tacos and a Coke. I thought this great and the tacos were excellent. The ladies could really cook.
The fresh tacos from the pop up taco stand across from the library
Continue to follow this blog as I explore more of Bridgeton and its historical downtown and all it has to offer. There is so much that can surprise you in the City of Bridgeton, NJ.
My logo for “Smile! You’re Visiting New Jersey!” created my very creative nephew, Artist Kyle McFarlane
I have found that the way we market the State of New Jersey boring. Most of the tourism books created by the state tourism board and the local county tourism boards just don’t capture all the wonderful things to do and see in the State of New Jersey. From our quirky beach communities to our unique small downtown based towns, each section of the state is so different.
When most tourists think of New Jersey, they think of the opening scene of “The Soprano’s”, with the glimpses of Newark Bay and the skyline of lower Manhattan or the more urban sections of the state that have their share of problems. What we miss about our great state is that every part of the state has so much to offer. We even run into the paradox of North and South Jersey, where part of our state roots for New York teams and the other for Philadelphia teams and never the two should meet (except over the summer when I was in Cape May when Philly played the Mets to a very mixed crowd of fans).
We range from big cities, university towns and commuter townships to historical small towns and Revolutionary War era villages that rival anything in Vermont or New Hampshire with their town squares and “Greens” to the 18th century architecture with signs that read “Washington Slept here”. Don’t write off communities such as Newark or Paterson, which have a host of great things to do and experience. We have so much to offer.
So from this point, I have created this site to mirror the work I am doing on blog “MywalkinManhattan.com, which is walking every inch of the Island of Manhattan and surrounding parts of New York City, to creating this site to do the same with every corner of the State of New Jersey.
I have recategorized all my New Jersey based blogs from museums and cultural sites to festivals and special events that I have experienced and walking tours that I have enjoyed that I want to share with readers. This also includes great restaurants, delis and bakeries that dot our great state. If you have not been to New Jersey then you are missing a lot.
So join me as we explore the great State of New Jersey and say “Smile! You’re Visiting New Jersey!”
I thought this was an interesting video to describe the state. I hope you enjoy it.
mywalkinmanhattan 