The Colfax chronicle., 1903-11-28
NEGLECTED GRAVEYARD.
can Independence Allowed
to Go to Ruin.

The cilapidated old graveyard from
which the dead folks had to emigrate,
according to one of Mark Twain's grimly
humorous sketches, finds its counterpart
over in Newark in the disgraceful con-
diiton of the burying ground in the rear
of the old First Presbyterian church, in
Broad street, near the Central railroad
of New Jersey. What makes the scanda-
lous neglect of this historic old cemetery
the more glaring is the fact that it stares
all people in the face. strangers as well as
others. who come into the city over the
Jersey Central line, says the New York
Sun.
Another thing which underscores the
dismal plight of this forlorn old Gods
acre is the fine bronze tablet which the
Society Of Colonial DANES has placed on
the front of the church edifice itself The
inscription on this tablet proudly invites
attention to the fact that the church is
the oldest monument in the city.
The church itself is a beautiful speci-
men of the late eighteenth century style
and is visited by hundreds of people who
are interested in such matters. 1t is of
stone and, barring accident or the re-
morseless hand of improvement, !"
should stand for centuries.
About the front and back of the fence
at the rear of the church the grass is kept
trinity shaven and the lawn is orna-
mented with attractive dispositions of
flower beds.
Behind that fence is the cemetery, on
which, it would seem. the most care of
all should be exercised Revolutionary
soldiers who suffered with Washington
at Valley Forge and fought with him at
Monmouth. Princeton and Trenton are
sleeping there. Inscriptions on the
tombstones bear the names of many Of
the most honored families in New Jersey.
With all that. 1t is safe to say there Is
not another burying ground within a
radius of 100 miles of New York that Is
in so shocking state of neglect.
Weeds and rank grass have been al
lowed to grow up and die and rot and
grow again and rot again for years.
The paths are barely outlined through
the jungle.
Tom3stones are broken off, lying Cat
on their hacks or reeling in all attitudes
and at all l'angles. Garbage and rubbish
abound and the center of the cemetery
apparently has been used as a place
wherein to burn refuse of all sorts.
This church, to make matters worse, is
one of the wealthiest churches in the
state For over 100 years, as the inscrip-
tion on the Colonial Danes table sug-
gests, it has been landmark and a
venerated monument in Newark
The original edifice, opposite the site
of the present one, was not only a
church but a refuge from the Indians,
as well. 1t Was built in 1869. That
building was destroyed and another
built in its place. about 1t being the
first burying ground in Newark.
The cornerstone of the present struc-
ture was laid by Dr. Alexander McWhor-
ter in fIS1 on land purchased in 1774
The revolutionary war stopped the
building project for 13 years The
church was dedicated in 1871 and the
burying ground in it's rear-the one
which has been permitted to drift into
such a condition of shameful neglect
was opened at that time.
The father of Aaron Burr was the
pastor of the church who Immediately
preceded DR.. Alexander McWhorter.