Tag: Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ

Union Cemetery                                                                   316 Darlington Avenue                                             Ramsey, NJ 07446

Union Cemetery 316 Darlington Avenue Ramsey, NJ 07446

Union Cemetery

316 Darlington Avenue

Ramsey, NJ 07446

(291) 327-3879

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1680177/union-cemetery

https://www.countyoffice.org/ramsey-union-cemetery-ramsey-nj-4cf/

Open: Sunday-Saturday Dusk to Dawn

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Union Cemetery of The First Presbyterian Church of Ramsey, NJ

History of the Cemetery:

(from the church website)

Union Cemetery is a religious cemetery located at 316 Darlington Ave. in Ramsey, NJ. The cemetery is owned and managed by the First Presbyterian Church in Ramsey. As a religious cemetery, the cemetery is restricted under New Jersey state law and is not open to the general public. Only members of a Christian church and their immediate relatives may be interred at the cemetery.

The historic cemetery from the road. To the left is the oldest part of the cemetery

Entering the cemetery from Darlington Avenue

The newer part of the cemetery is to the right of the driveway

I was visiting the Union Cemetery in search of veterans of the Revolutionary War and found an interesting cemetery with a deep history in Bergen County. Many first families of Bergen County are buried here and veterans not just from the Revolutionary War but the Civil War all the way up to today are buried in this active town cemetery.

The older part of the cemetery is to the left of the driveway. These tombstones are from the early 1800’s.

The older part of the cemetery dates back to before the Revolutionary War

Many of the early family plots are located here with well known names like Hopper, Christie, Ackerman and the town’s namesake, the Ramsey family, whose family plot is in the oldest section of the cemetery.

The grave of Hannah Jane Ramsey in the Ramsey family plot

Part of the Ramsey family plot

The Ramsey family plot

The Union Cemetery to find the graves of Revolutionary War veterans and found some but not all of them. The tombstones are so worn after over two hundred years that they either had disappeared or were so worn you could not read them.

The oldest section of the cemetery where many veterans both from the Revolutionary and Civil War are buried. It was hard to read many of the tombstones. Some the veterans were buried in their family plots, others with their spouses separately. The burials were concentrated in the oldest part of the cemetery. Most of the veterans have been honored with American flags.

The first tombstones I found were from Ackerman family members

https://www.njgsbc.org/files/familyfiles/g0/p10.htm

The grave of veteran John Ackerman

The grave of veteran James Ackerman

I could not make out the name of this Ackerman member but I figured it was one of the brothers wife

The grave of veteran John P. Post

The Post family history:

(from the Saddle River Historical Society website)

The Post family was of Dutch descent. The first Post was a soldier, who came here to protect the new settlements along the Hudson. They soon turned to milling; the name Post is attached to several mills in Bergen and Rockland Counties. Joseph Post, born in 1775, built a mill on the west branch of the Saddle River about 1800. He also opened a tavern and store on what is now West Saddle River Road, just north of Parker Place, across from the entrance to the mill.

The graves of members of the community at that time including the grave of John P. Post

The grave of veteran William Vanderbeck

The grave of a member of the Van Brock family, who was married to James Ramsey

I was not too sure who this was but by the veteran’s flower I am assuming the grave of veteran John Van Blarcom

The grave of Hannah (I believe Ackerman)

The Christie family plot

The Hopper family plot

The Hopper Family history:

(from the Saddle River Historical Society website)

The Hopper family is one of the oldest of European descent in Bergen County. Andries Hopper came from the Netherlands to New Amsterdam in the 1640’s. His widow and her son Hendrick were in the Polifly area (Hackensack) by the late 1600s. There was land to be had in the unsettled areas of what became Bergen County. Hendrick’s two oldest sons, Andries and Jan settled in the HoHoKus area (part of Paramus) around 1712. The Hopper name appears on many old homes and mills on early maps of the area. It was two of Andries’ children, Abram and Jan, who settled sometime around 1730 along the Saddle River in what is now Upper Saddle River.

Sautjes Tave’s Begraven Ground Cemetery  Bogart Road & Everett Road                              Demarest, NJ 07627

Sautjes Tave’s Begraven Ground Cemetery Bogart Road & Everett Road Demarest, NJ 07627

Sautjes Tave’s Begraven Ground Cemetery

Bogart Road & Everett Road

Demarest, NJ 07627

(732) 260-7877

https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/demarest_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1586040/sautjes-taves-begraven-ground

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=63548

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46390-d33256525-Reviews-Sautjes_Tave_s_Begraven_Ground_Cemetery-Demarest_New_Jersey.html

The Sautjes Tave Begraven Ground Cemetery is an example of an early Dutch Cemetery of some of the first Colonists in Bergen County with some families arriving in the early 1600’s .

The entrance to the Sautjes Tave Begraven Ground Cemetery in Demarest, NJ

The historic sign at the entrance placed by the David Demarest Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

The inside of the historic cemetery

These early families once owned farms under royal patents of hundreds of acres and these would be passed down from generation to generation. These small family cemeteries were once located on the edge of family land that have since been replaced by modern suburbs. This is now in the middle of a traffic circle surrounded by homes. The cemetery is a wonderful shape and is nicely landscaped.

The cemetery from the south side

Generations of a Bogarts, Blauvelts, Haring, Demarest, Du Bois, Van Scivan and other prominent families all inter married into each family were buried here.

The Bogart-Bauvelt family plot

The Bogart-Blauvelt family plot

The Demarest family plot

The Demarest-Haring family plot

The Ann Marie Demarest grave

The Cornelius Demarest grave site, a Revolutionary War veteran

Patriot Douwe Talema, who was killed by the Tories during the Revolutionary War

The Daniel Van Scivan grave, another Revolutionary War veteran

The Haring Family plot

The Haring family plot

The James Haring grave

The Sophia Haring grave

The Du Bois family plot

The Cemetery view from the southern corner

My video of Touring the Cemetery and its historic roots:

My tour of the cemetery

Leaving the cemetery you can see the landscaping offers these families privacy in both life and death.

After the tour of the cemetery, I explored Downtown Demarest, NJ and discovered a beautiful little town with small local stores and a beautiful set of parks surround the streams and the train station just off the downtown.

The town of Demarest Veteran’s display

The town of Demarest has its own rich beauty and you can see this by visiting its Downtown area and its parks.

The breathtaking Duck Pond Park attracted a lot of painters who set their easels by the banks of the streams.

The Duck Pond is really beautiful

They also have a really nice railroad terminal that is now a senior center

The historic Demarest Railroad Station

This wonderful community has so many wonderful attributes.

Hopper Family Burial Ground                                Spottswood Road                                                 Glen Rock, NJ 07452

Hopper Family Burial Ground Spottswood Road Glen Rock, NJ 07452

Hopper Family Burial Ground

Spottswood Road

Glen Rock, NJ 07452

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1593990/hopper-family-burying-ground

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=36966

Open: Dawn to Dusk

My review on TripAdvisor:

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Hopper Family Burial Ground

The Hopper Family Burial Ground sign

The Hopper family burial ground once sat between two branches of the Hopper family farms and was the resting place for members of both extended families.

The graves date back to before the Revolutionary War to the late 1800’s. It now sits between the suburban neighborhood in Glen Rock, NJ and one of the town’s elementary schools.

The grave of Elizabeth Alyea, the last person to be buried here in 1867

The grave of John Van Embury, whose wife was a member of the Demarest family.

The grave of Jess Demarest mostly is covered

These graves of the Hopper family were covered by grass.

The grave of John Hopper

Raham Hopper and his wife, Maria Goetschius graves

The Hopper family graves

The grave of Henry Hopper

The John Hopper family grave

https://www.glenrockhistory.org/post/2017/06/17/john-a-hopper-and-the-civil-war

Except for the last person to be buried here in 1876, all the tombstones were laid flat. Most have been overgrown by weeds and grass.

No one has been maintaining this cemetery or edging the tombstones so the cemetery is hard to study. Most of the graves were grown over or in bad shape.

The cemetery needs some work and a little TLC but still a reminder of the important part of our Country’s history.

Those buried in the Hopper Cemetery:

(Genealogical Society of Bergen County website)

NameDate of DeathAge at DeathNotes
Anne HopperFeb 2, 183988y, 3m, 27d
Jacob DemarestDec 22, 183211y, 3mSon of James & Ann Demarest
Peter HopperAug 28, 181873y, 6m, 26d
John VanEmburghJuly 13, 185228ySon of James J. and Anna Demarest
Maria HopperMar 30, 18514y, 6m, 13dDaughter of Garret H and Eliza Hopper
Theunis HopperJuly 29, 18544yChild of Garret H. And Eliza Hopper
Eliza SpearMar 5, 1897born Feb 7, 1814Wife of Garret H. Hopper
James J. DemarestAug 6, 184956y, 7m, 2d
Henry J. HopperFeb 5, 184942y, 1m, 22d
Sophia CourterMar 4, 186084y, 6m, 16dwife of Aaron Courter
Aaron CourterFeb 28, 186285y, 2m, 5d
Caroline HopperOct 25, 189778y, 1m, 28d
Maria GoetschiusJune 15, 188979y, 2m, 12dwife of Abraham H. Hopper
Garret H. HopperJan 10, 187060y, 1m, 8d
Peter HopperMar 3, 187973y, 4m
Ann HopperDec 27, 188874y, 7m, 17d
Henry G. HopperJune 22, 185924y, 3m, 13d
Dorcas AckermanAug 11, 186692y, 11mwife of Garret P. Hopper
John A. HopperMay 25, 186322y, 6m, 14dCivil War casualty
Henry P. HopperMar 28, 187085y, 11m
Abraham HopperMar 20, 185648y, 6m
Elizabeth Ann HopperMar 10, 186819y, 7m, 17d
Garret J. HopperSep 12, 187655y, 1m, 23d
Eliza WesterveltOct 22, 189468y, 8m, 22dwife of Garret J. Hopper
Garret P. HopperMay 12, 185282y, 3m, 13d
Albert J. HopperNov 5, 181838y, 11m, 28d
Elizabeth AckermanJan 17, 186487y, 1m, 8dwife of Henry P. Hopper
Jacob DemarestApr 23, 182965y, 8m, 27d
John J. LydeckerAug 14, 184652y, 10m, 4d
Sarah M. HopperJune 2, 181930y, 12m, 12dWife of James Williams
John H. HopperAug 7, 185971y, 2m, 7d
Mary VoorhisApr 7, 187084y, 1m, 20dwife of John H. Hopper
Clarence WilliamsJuly 19, 18732 monthsSon of James and Sarah Williams
BabyMay 4. 18282 monthsSon of Garrett and Jemime VanWagoner
Catherine HopperAug 9, 183840y, 11m, 12dwife of John J. Lydecker
Kacia DemarestAug 4, 184976y, 3m, 27d
Ann VanEmburghApr 19, 183335y, 10m, 14dwife of James Demarest

Hopper Farm Family Cemetery                             Lexington Lane                                                          Oakland, NJ 07436

Hopper Farm Family Cemetery Lexington Lane Oakland, NJ 07436

The Hopper Family Farm Cemetery

Lexington Lane

Oakland, NJ 07436

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2247921/hopper-farm-family-cemetery

https://ldsgenealogy.com/NJ/Bergen-County-Cemetery-Records.htm

Open: Dawn to Dusk

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Hopper Farm Family Cemetery is a reminder of what happens when time passes you by and the world changes around you. I went in search for the grave of Andrew Hopper, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. I could not find it.

This historic cemetery is hidden from the road behind two large homes on a tiny hill in the back woods. The only way to access the cemetery is to walk down the utility road off the main road, walk through the woods and walk up through the bush to back of two families back yards.

You can tell by the rotting fallen fence that this cemetery was once enclosed but the fence has since fallen and the cemetery in disarray. Still there is a quiet elegance to it.

The cemetery is in desperate need of clean up and repair as tombstones are broken, fallen and discolored.

Some of the family tombstones have fallen. Still you can see members of the Hopper and Demarest families buried here.

Members of the Vanderbryck family Maryann and Rachel

The grave of David Hopper

The grave of Susan Storms, wife of one of the family members buried here.

The grave of Peter Bogart, a member of the extended family

One of the broken tombstones that I could not read

Another tombstone in loving memory of a name I could not read

The broken stone of Fredrick Storms grave

The family cemetery sits quiet and neglected in the woods. Most of the tombstones broken and discolored and hard to read.

I took one last look as I walked down the hill and said a prayer to these forgotten people. One what must have once been the family farm sits a development of extremely large and well maintained McMansions. This is the irony of this once prominent family.

The family buried at this cemetery:

(Bergen County Genealogical Society website)

Copied July 4, 1913, By John Neafie New York City.

1. Abraham Verbryck, d. Jan. 8, 1843 ae. 63-11-8.
2. John P. Ackerman, d. Feb. 24-1829 ae. 34-1-4.
3. Rachel, wife of John P. Ackerman, d. Oct. 4,1844
ae. 49-11-22.
4. Martha Ann, d. Apr. 6, 1835 ae. 1 yr. 8 da.
5. Martha Ann, d. Feb. 5, 1837 ae. 2 mos. 7 da.
6. Rachel Ann, d. July 12,1838 ae. 6 mos.
Children of
Abraham and
Susan Hopper.
7. Peter G. Bogert d. 5 Dec. 1859 ae. 76-6-16.
8. Mary his wife d. 5 April 1866 ae. 72-6-21.
9. David Berthoif d. 8 Jan. 1851 ae. 85-2-29.
10. Catharine Storms his wife d. 19 June 1864 ae. 87-2-5.
11. Peter, son of Stephen D. and Eliza Berthoif, d. 19 Nov.1843
ae. 1-7-2.
12. Elizer L. Ramsey (My Mother), wife of Stephen D. Bertholf
d. 18 Dec. 1876 ae. 56-7-5.
13. Stephen S. Berthoif (Brother), d. 28 Oct. 1875
ae. 21-11-17.(same stone as above.)
14. Frederick Storms d. 20 Feb. 1826 in 54th yr.
15. Alice, widow of above, d. 6 Jan. 1859, ae. 81-6-25.
16. John, son of Frederick and Alice Storms d. 29 Apr. 1852
ae. 37-7-10.
17. Susan B. Storms, wf. of Stites Miller d. at San Francisco,
Cal. 16 Dec. 1863 ae. 60 y.
18. Eliza, wf. of Philip Vantassel d. 10 Sept. 1830
ae. 29 y.21 d.
19. Samuel V. Codington b. 19 Jan. 1824 d. 30 Oct. 1834.
20. Mary Ann Verbryck, wf. of William Codington b. 9 Sept.1802
d. 17 Feb. 1835.
21. Samuel Verbryck b. 15 Nov. 1780 d. 16 June 1847.
22. Rachel his wife b. 5 Aug. 1778 d. 13 Dec. 1864.
23. Conrod Lines d. 20 Dec. 1839 ae. 66-2-8 (footstone C. L.)
24. Garret G., son of Philip and Jane Hopper, d. 17 Apr. 1833
ae. 15 mos.
25. Rachel Bogert d. 22 Oct. 1793 ae. 70 y. 22 d.
widow of Lucas Bogert.
26. Rachel dau. of Lucas Bogert d. 21 Feb. 1791 ae. 30-10-4.
27. Lucas Bogert d. 2 Sept. 1777 ae. 57 y. 4 m.
28. Maria Mandevil, wf. of Steven Bartolf, b. 26 May 1736
d.22 Feb. 1813 ae. 76-8-27.
29. Aaron G. son of Patrick and Sarah M. Cronk d. 25 Nov.1861
ae. 6 m. 29 d.