New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
THEIR NOBLE TASK.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLT
TON TO RESTORE COLONIAL
CEMETERIES.
THE OLD ToPANEMrIs BuRYING-GRouND TO RE-
CEIyE THEIR ATTENTION FIRsT-oN ITS
SITE GEORGE KEITH WORKED AS
AN EPJsCOPAIJAN MISSIONARY
AMONG THE QUAKERs.

SITE GEORGE KEITH WORKED AS
AN EPIsCOPAIJAN MISSIONARY
AMONG THE orAKERs.
Tho New-Jersey Daughters Of the America" NV,
,u,ion have elected for themselves sacred anu
noble task which indicates that, While loi :,
Gliding betwixt the tweedledum ana the 'Me,t -.
~ Tho mast they are now going TO do something io'
the new generation. TIE restoration oil oiu' "es
lected historical cemeteries may ho' ne ' 49,,
cheerful occupation for crested orga"'"'''o' w
q IL REGARDED a. most sensible one and becom-
ing duty for patriotic women. Mrs. Margaret iiei
bert Mather. OF Bound Brook who Is ac'Ne III ''s
DAUGHTERS of the American Revolution. If leading III
this work 49,,
Down In Monmouth County hidden away y" .'''
Freehold and Matawan Railroad. at an oOsc"le ~"
ton called Wicatunk. which was an cary i"
settlement is n cemetery known as the iop''.'""'
burving-ground In II sleep many OF the oiu 'io"-
mouth County pioneers IT IS not exactly iorSo'-
ten Gods acre for its locality and the carry Sr'S
gle of the sleeping siros are iod IN n oscon"e''e
way on the pages OF MonmouthS history IL Is "o"
ever a neglected spot, and the searchers AFTER eP-
taphs find points to the nettes anu o'''i'
than they do In inscriptions the crurnDing stones
This IS TO receive the attention OF the pairouc
women Some of the descendants of those buried
there are TO asse, in the work of restoration.
Graves;ones can hardly be mlestones, as they
mark the end Of the journey. but this cemetery is'
in its entirety, a historical monument inafhns q"
epoch not much Of secular history as OF me r.
gious struggles OF the hearts ana conscience IL
tells mostly OF the days Of George Keith. who was
a remarkable parsonage in Colonial days. for ne
founded the Keithians. split from ne or,noIpN
ing, and who afterward became an ardent Episco-
paIian In this little cemetery sleep many who be,
sepaTasd from he.T f5me' because
Keith. when following his profession as surveyor
Fox did missionary work in Monmouth. bu; Keith
undid all his work. lie came over To- grow up Win
He was somewhat of politician. and in having HIM
self made surveyor;General he made many enemies
school IN Philadelphia. but he was soon IN nU 10,
the meetings around the city of Penn. H. succeed
e1 in dividing the Friends ana turned Dr'rn ne
claimed n common crier, sedtious person ana an
enemy OF the King and Queen. He went to England
with his appeal to the yearly meeting bui lost ms
and turned to the Church of England and
was soon put in orders H came back TO America lea
Quaker followers. and he succeeded in breaking up
many Quaker meeting house including the one
Thomas Laurie. Thomas Warner ana John Barclay
house was as about mile west Of MARLBOROUGH. be-
tween the old Hendrlck +: Connover farm ana the
north nov, Side THIS old meeting Was lost 70 the
Friends for Keith captured i for the Episcopalnns
materia, was used in building 81. Peters Church.
that csn a be decpherS BY Re anq"ap ria Many
of the names are iamar hecause their desccndants
copalians. for OF the stones date beyond i702
for X then that the Rev George Keith began
10 haptize the Quakers, who were changing their
faith and their raimcnt. There f. doubt about
IT, for Keths vanity led him TO publish little book
called A Journey of Travel from New Hampshire
to Coratnck. on the Continent of America. by George
Keith. a. NJ. Late Missionary from the Society for
the Propagation Of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
and Now Rector of Edburon. in Sussex" In this
book he gives daily account Of his travels. He
tells how at Topanemus he held service with the
Quakers. the Presbyterians running opposition to
him. and how all three speakers had 10 sleep under
the same roof but he records the fact that Thomas
Boels the host. was formerly Quaker 'but Is now
CT the Church" on January l. 1903 Friday he ba D.
iized Boels and his five children.
The next day John Reed and three children left
Quakerdom. on the same day William Leads and
his sister Mary Leads. and Alexander Naapcr and
three children were baptized John Reeds tomb
now be seen by any one who will remove the
weeds Thomas Warne. OF tho founders OF the
original meeting house and West Jersey prOprie-
tor, Is buried here Iiis slab Is feet long and 3
feet wide. The ir scription is lengthy and IL says:
''IIe died with the dead May 18th. Ammo 1922 aged
seventy years
Another inscription on a large slab reads
Colonel John Anderson. once President OF His
Majesty's Cornc.l Of the Province OF New-Jcrsey.
who died the 2sth day of March. 1885, aged seventy
years.
His country's friend. ohging to neighbors
Gave no man offence paid each for their labors.
Was case at home abroad dare appear.
Gave each man his dues. and no man did fear"