Post by Freehold Resident on Aug 28, 2006 17:53:18 GMT -5
Freehold Baptist Burial Ground, Freehold Borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey
According to Ellis' History of
Monmouth County (1885), pp. 147-420, the Baptists in the vicinity of Freehold (then called Monmouth Court House) erected a meeting house about a mile south of that village in about 1765. Originally members of the Middletown (Township) Baptist Church, the Freehold Baptists became part of the Baptist Church of Upper Freehold (Township) when it was formed in May 1766. The Freehold meeting was served by ministers from Upper Freehold until after the Revolutionary War, when the meeting
house gradually fell into disuse and decay. By 1820 sermons were held only monthly at Freehold, and probably were given in private houses.
In 1822 James M. Challis became the minister at Upper
Freehold, and finding the congregation in a weak state he embarked on a program to strengthen his flock. He was so successful in bringing new members into the church that in 1834 ninety-two members were dismissed from Upper Freehold to form the Freehold Baptist Church. The new congregation also prospered, and in 1847 moved to the village of Freehold where it had erected a new house of worship. The burial ground alongside the original meeting house continued to be used by the
congregation, and remains in place to the present day.
The earliest death date noted on the gravestones is that of Edward, son of Edward Clayton Sr., in 1774; his sister's death is noted in 1778. Two further Clayton deaths are recorded in 1802 and 1813. The earliest non-Clayton death is that of William Bennett in 1811; two Morford and one Emmons burial took place in the next few years. More than fifty deaths, many of them children, are noted in the two decades before 1840.
The records published here are a composite of a partial copy, mostly of the older stones, made by Russell B. Rankin in 14 September 1946, a complete copy by Mrs. Judith Pettie made in June-July 1956, complete recheck of both copies made by Edward J. Raser in the summer of 1967, and a recheck made by Matthew J. Weismantel in the period from the fall 1998 through the summer of 1999. By the late 1990's the conditions of the stones had declined markedly as the burial ground has often been poorly cared for, and it was very difficult to confirm many of the inscriptions marked down earlier. During the last recheck over 114 stones were found to be "mostly unreadable", 8 stones were "broken and mostly unreadable", 11 stones were simply "broken", and 165 of the stones listed in past surveys were now unidentifiable. Past surveys have also indicated that the cemetery contained a number of fieldstone markers, some without inscriptions. A small brownstone marker, not
otherwise identifiable, lies near the Peter Applegate plot and contains the inscription: "M. BDI/ AU 29 1828."
In the southwest corner of the cemetery is a memorial stone inscribed: "Site of the original First Baptist Church of Freehold, N.J. and out-growth of an Upper Freehold Township Baptist Church whose membership of 92 organized this church
Nov. 28, 1834. This monument is a tribute to the memory of those who have contributed to the growth and glory of the First Baptist Church of Freehold, N.J. Dedicated Nov. 8, 1959."
Some of the more interesting markers:
Applegate, Daniel ., "A Soldler of the war of 1812," d. Dec.
28, 1873, aged 80.4.6. (Not Found 1998-99) To his left is a red
fieldstone inscribed only "U.A." (Not Found 1998-99).
Asay, J.J., "Co. C., 29th . N.J. Inf.," no other data (Not Found
1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth County, p. 263: John J. Asay,
private, died of disease, Belle Plain, Va., Mar. 8, 1863.
Connelly, Edward, Pvt.
3 Regt. NJ Militia, War of 1812, 1785-1866
Cottrell,
John T., "1st Leut . Co . K. 5 Req. N.J . Vols .," b. July 10, 1834, d
. Nov . 30, 1898 (Not Found 1998-99).
Estell, B. H., "Sgt. Co. K 5th N.J. Inf..," no other data
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth County, p. 251:
Benjamin H. Estell, first sergeant, died at Washington, D.C., May 19,
1862. Next to Mary Estill.
Estell, T.H., "Sgt. Co. K 5th N.J. Inf.,"
no other data (Most Unreadable 1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth
County, p. 251: H. Estell, first sergeant, died of disease, Georgetown,
D.C., Feb. 3, 1863. ,Next to Mary Estill.
Hiser, Christopher,
"Sergeant Co. C. 9 N.J. Inft.," b. Oct. 12, 1838, d. Apr. 25, 1911
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99); wife Mary Ellen, b. Nov. 19, 1861 (sic),
d. Feb. 28, 1904.
Reid, Ellison E., "Co I 14 Regt. N.J. Vols," 1837-1921; wife
Christian, 1836-1899 (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). In same plot: James
Emmary Reid, 1873-1904 (Not Found 1998-99). Ellison's stone inscribed
"Ried;." others inscribed "Reid."Simpson, Andrew, Esq., "....Judge of the County Court...," d.
Nov. 19, 1867, age not given (Not Found 1998-99); wife Gertrude, d.
Stricklin, Dr. David L., d. Feb. 1, 1869, aged 28.5.25; wife
Sarah M. , d. Jan. 28, 1868, aged 24.2.15; lnfant son Irvin, d. Jan.
24, 1868, age not given (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). Inscription on monument: "Dr. Stricklin commenced the study of medicine in 1862, and entered upon a course of lectures in 1863 in the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1864 attended a course of lectures in the school of Physicians and surgeons in New York, from which he graduated in 1865 and commenced the practice of medicine in Freehold where he proved to be a Physician highly esteemed. . . where he continued until disabled by disease of the lungs...and died...."
Taylor, Thomas, "A Revolutionary Soldier, " d. Sept . 20, 1824, aged 64.3.4
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99); wife Hannah, d. Aug. 2, 1852, aged
82.4.6.
Throp, ,Samuel, d. Nov.
24, 1842, aged 45 yrs. (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). "This stone iserected by his pupils and the citizens of Freehold as a tribute of
Gratitude and respect."
According to Ellis' History of
Monmouth County (1885), pp. 147-420, the Baptists in the vicinity of Freehold (then called Monmouth Court House) erected a meeting house about a mile south of that village in about 1765. Originally members of the Middletown (Township) Baptist Church, the Freehold Baptists became part of the Baptist Church of Upper Freehold (Township) when it was formed in May 1766. The Freehold meeting was served by ministers from Upper Freehold until after the Revolutionary War, when the meeting
house gradually fell into disuse and decay. By 1820 sermons were held only monthly at Freehold, and probably were given in private houses.
In 1822 James M. Challis became the minister at Upper
Freehold, and finding the congregation in a weak state he embarked on a program to strengthen his flock. He was so successful in bringing new members into the church that in 1834 ninety-two members were dismissed from Upper Freehold to form the Freehold Baptist Church. The new congregation also prospered, and in 1847 moved to the village of Freehold where it had erected a new house of worship. The burial ground alongside the original meeting house continued to be used by the
congregation, and remains in place to the present day.
The earliest death date noted on the gravestones is that of Edward, son of Edward Clayton Sr., in 1774; his sister's death is noted in 1778. Two further Clayton deaths are recorded in 1802 and 1813. The earliest non-Clayton death is that of William Bennett in 1811; two Morford and one Emmons burial took place in the next few years. More than fifty deaths, many of them children, are noted in the two decades before 1840.
The records published here are a composite of a partial copy, mostly of the older stones, made by Russell B. Rankin in 14 September 1946, a complete copy by Mrs. Judith Pettie made in June-July 1956, complete recheck of both copies made by Edward J. Raser in the summer of 1967, and a recheck made by Matthew J. Weismantel in the period from the fall 1998 through the summer of 1999. By the late 1990's the conditions of the stones had declined markedly as the burial ground has often been poorly cared for, and it was very difficult to confirm many of the inscriptions marked down earlier. During the last recheck over 114 stones were found to be "mostly unreadable", 8 stones were "broken and mostly unreadable", 11 stones were simply "broken", and 165 of the stones listed in past surveys were now unidentifiable. Past surveys have also indicated that the cemetery contained a number of fieldstone markers, some without inscriptions. A small brownstone marker, not
otherwise identifiable, lies near the Peter Applegate plot and contains the inscription: "M. BDI/ AU 29 1828."
In the southwest corner of the cemetery is a memorial stone inscribed: "Site of the original First Baptist Church of Freehold, N.J. and out-growth of an Upper Freehold Township Baptist Church whose membership of 92 organized this church
Nov. 28, 1834. This monument is a tribute to the memory of those who have contributed to the growth and glory of the First Baptist Church of Freehold, N.J. Dedicated Nov. 8, 1959."
Some of the more interesting markers:
Applegate, Daniel ., "A Soldler of the war of 1812," d. Dec.
28, 1873, aged 80.4.6. (Not Found 1998-99) To his left is a red
fieldstone inscribed only "U.A." (Not Found 1998-99).
Asay, J.J., "Co. C., 29th . N.J. Inf.," no other data (Not Found
1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth County, p. 263: John J. Asay,
private, died of disease, Belle Plain, Va., Mar. 8, 1863.
Connelly, Edward, Pvt.
3 Regt. NJ Militia, War of 1812, 1785-1866
Cottrell,
John T., "1st Leut . Co . K. 5 Req. N.J . Vols .," b. July 10, 1834, d
. Nov . 30, 1898 (Not Found 1998-99).
Estell, B. H., "Sgt. Co. K 5th N.J. Inf..," no other data
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth County, p. 251:
Benjamin H. Estell, first sergeant, died at Washington, D.C., May 19,
1862. Next to Mary Estill.
Estell, T.H., "Sgt. Co. K 5th N.J. Inf.,"
no other data (Most Unreadable 1998-99). Ellis' History of Monmouth
County, p. 251: H. Estell, first sergeant, died of disease, Georgetown,
D.C., Feb. 3, 1863. ,Next to Mary Estill.
Hiser, Christopher,
"Sergeant Co. C. 9 N.J. Inft.," b. Oct. 12, 1838, d. Apr. 25, 1911
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99); wife Mary Ellen, b. Nov. 19, 1861 (sic),
d. Feb. 28, 1904.
Reid, Ellison E., "Co I 14 Regt. N.J. Vols," 1837-1921; wife
Christian, 1836-1899 (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). In same plot: James
Emmary Reid, 1873-1904 (Not Found 1998-99). Ellison's stone inscribed
"Ried;." others inscribed "Reid."Simpson, Andrew, Esq., "....Judge of the County Court...," d.
Nov. 19, 1867, age not given (Not Found 1998-99); wife Gertrude, d.
Stricklin, Dr. David L., d. Feb. 1, 1869, aged 28.5.25; wife
Sarah M. , d. Jan. 28, 1868, aged 24.2.15; lnfant son Irvin, d. Jan.
24, 1868, age not given (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). Inscription on monument: "Dr. Stricklin commenced the study of medicine in 1862, and entered upon a course of lectures in 1863 in the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1864 attended a course of lectures in the school of Physicians and surgeons in New York, from which he graduated in 1865 and commenced the practice of medicine in Freehold where he proved to be a Physician highly esteemed. . . where he continued until disabled by disease of the lungs...and died...."
Taylor, Thomas, "A Revolutionary Soldier, " d. Sept . 20, 1824, aged 64.3.4
(Mostly Unreadable 1998-99); wife Hannah, d. Aug. 2, 1852, aged
82.4.6.
Throp, ,Samuel, d. Nov.
24, 1842, aged 45 yrs. (Mostly Unreadable 1998-99). "This stone iserected by his pupils and the citizens of Freehold as a tribute of
Gratitude and respect."