USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > History First Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge, New Jersey 300th Anniversary May 25, 1975 > Part 6
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Fig. 16
Fig. 17, dated 1726, is unique as far as the engraving is con- cerned. The skull is neither the typical death's head nor the soul image; the crossed bones are rare in our cemetery. A survey revealed only one other monument with an engraving of crossed bones. The hourglass engraving, however, is repeatedly used in Puritan engravings. In Puri- tan symbolism, it suggests the journey of the soul from Death to Life and also symbolizes the corruption and decay of the flesh. 1º The engraving around the top of the stone is unusual for the year 1726 and the engraving below and on both sides of the crossed bones chal- lenge interpretation. Is it foliage from the "Tree of Life?" Does it represent flames of fire? Modern eyes and imagination cannot truly measure or gauge all Puritan symbols.
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Fig. 18
Fig. 17 Fig. 18 is an interesting and beautiful exhibit. The engraving so prominently shown is "The Tree of Life." This engraving has had symbolic significance since at least the Sumerian times, 5000 B.C., and has been used by a number of cultures to symbolize spiritual values. It was used by the Puritans and still is so used until the present day. Note particularly the engraving of the coffin placed under "The Tree of Life." This combination of coffin under tree is symbolic of the victory of eternal Life over Death. Additional interesting secondary engrav- ings are also seen on the right and left hand shoulders of this monument.
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The Puritan influence had probably waned with the coming of later succeeding generations and the influx of other sects into the Wood- bridge area.
The winged Death head and the winged glorified soul image en- gravings ceased to be used after the very late 1700s.
The engravings following those of the Puritan influence had no set pattern but were quite individualistic.
Fig. 19 shows an engraving of what is called an incinerary urn. The purpose of an urn as here illustrated was to receive the ashes produced by a cremation.
1831
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 20 shows the evolution of the use of a scallop shell for de- corative purposes. This motif is found in various forms in a number of the old red sandstone monuments.
Fig. 21 shows a composite form of engraving: the scallop shell, but with fewer flutes than shown in Fig. 20; additional shell shapes in both upper corners and both floral and unusual geometric engravings are on the main face of the stone.
Fig. 21
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Fig. 22
Fig. 22 shows another example of engraving after the Puritan influence had completely waned as the year 1800 approached. This stone shows a beautiful symmetrical floral design suggested by the tulip.
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The many monuments erected after 1800 are with very few ex- ceptions the now standard granite stones. They are of a great variety of size and shape as is shown in Fig. 23.
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
The tendency in recent years has been toward a smaller, more uniform shape, roughly resembling a pillow (Fig. 24). This size is principally due to the fact that practically all recently purchased per- petual care plots accommodate only two to four interments. There have been no large (six or more) plots acquired by any family for many years.
It is somewhat surprising to learn of the frequency that new grave openings are requested by out-of-town residents connected with old time Woodbridge families who have large plots in which there are still unused burial areas.
There may be among the readers of this discourse doubts regard- ing the custom among the Puritans for their penchant for what may appear weird, almost frightening in appearance, graven images on tombstones. The examples of Puritan engraving in our burial ground are probably the least gruesome of any when compared with many examples of the art as it may be found in Hingham, Paxton, Belling- ham, Deerfield, Hanover, and other Massachusetts towns, as well as in Peterboro, New Hampshire; Grafton, Vermont; Wiscasset, Maine, and many other New England burial grounds. 11
How do we account for their strange taste in engraving on tomb- stones? There are no Puritans available to answer this question. If however, we delve into certain facts concerning the Puritans, we prob- ably will agree that their reasoning or thinking was complex, yes, complicated, even paradoxical. How otherwise would we account for their system of engravings on tombstones or their belief in witchcraft?
Witchcraft is the human exercise of alleged supernatural power for anti-social, evil purpose. Witchcraft survived in England until the
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18th Century - 1200 years after the introduction of Christianity and was taken to colonial America by English settlers (including the Puri- tans). In 1692 after a prolonged witch trial in Salem, Massachusetts, as a result of accusations by a group of teenage girls, more than 30 persons were convicted of witchcraft. 12 The usual sentence for con- viction of witchcraft was death.
The reality of witches and wizards was universally assumed; witch- craft being merely another wile of that old deluder Satan himself. Evil demons and unclean spirits had to be cast out or driven into the sea, as in the New Testament. Seventeen hundred years had brought about some refinements in the "driving into the sea" method but these bene- fitted pigs more than people. 13
It takes no stretching of the imagination to understand how the Puritan mind which could condone all the indignities and persecution, yes, even death upon a suspected witch or wizard could and did design, invent, and carve symbolic figures on headstones. Symbols that are far from being aesthetic or pleasing to the eye. In some instances the symbolic meaning defies our present day interpretation.
To bring this matter of symbolic carvings, witchcraft, and the pecularities of the Puritan mind to a close but to show how fully it had immigrated to Woodbridge is illustrated by one simple "quote" from a law passed by the General Assembly in meeting at Woodbridge, New Jersey on December 9, 1675: "If any pesron be found to be a Witch, either male or female, they shall be put to Death."
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Section 2 First Families or Early Settlers Interred in Our Cemetery
In 1670 there were fifty-seven individuals who were made patent holders by the East Jersey Proprietors. This meant that they were given land, some a surprisingly large acreage, and are referred to as the First Family or Early Settlers.
"If one owned a small tract of land in those early days, it was called a farm; if it was approximately 200 acres, it was a plantation." 1
A search of certain available records show a surprising number of this group were interred in our cemetery. We feel sure that the following short biographies regarding some of the first families or early settlers will be of interest to the reader.
Alston - Here is a family name that few, if any, readers will as- sociate with the very beginning of the settlement of Woodbridge. This surmise will apply as well to other first family names which follow.
The early records show that John Alston, Sr. and two sons, John, Jr. and Peter, were among the first settlers of Woodbridge. 2
John Alston, Sr. suffered shipwreck in Boston Bay on July 26, 1631 with two other fishermen. He later removed to Welles, Maine, where he took the Oath of Allegiance to the Massachusetts government on July 5, 1658.
There is no doubt but that with the other inhabitants of the Pis- cataqua region of New Hampshire and Maine who found their way to Woodbridge, also came John Alston, Sr. to head the locally promi- nent family by that name. 3
Twenty-two Alstons have been interred here, the earliest is dated 1733.
Ayres Family
The Ayres or Ayers were from Newbury, Massachusetts at which place Obadiah Ayers, by his wife Hannah, had a son born March 2, 1663. Obadiah was probably the son of John Ayres, who was of Salis-
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bury, Massachusetts in 1640; of Haverhill in 1647; and of Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1666. 4 The writer found no record of the exact date of the coming of the Ayers to Woodbridge but Obadiah was listed as a Freeholder in 1670. He received a grant of 171 acres of land. There is still, today, between Main St. and former Metuchen Ave., a property known as the Ayer Clay Bank.
There are nine interments in the Ayer Plot.
Barron Family
Without a shadow of doubt, one of the most interesting of the early Woodbridge families is the Barron Family.
The Barrons are descended from the Palatine Barons of Burn- church, County of Waterford. Ireland. The patronymic name of the family was FitzGerald. The last branch of the FitzGeralds, who were Barons of Burnchurch, retained for several years a station of rank and influence in Kilkenny. When they became involved in the troubles of the times they were forced to abandon their native shire and settle in the bordering county of Waterford. To escape the rancor of persecu- tion and elude its vigilance they assumed the cognomen of Barron in- sted of their patronymic, FitzGerald. 5
The FitzGerald family can be traced back to the Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror to the year 1066. The earliest traceable individual member is Walter FitzOtho in 1086.
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The first member of this family, who now called themselves the Barrons as apart from Baron, who came to America, was Ellis Barron. He came to Watertown, Masachusetts in 1640 with his first wife Grace and their five children.
A grandson of Ellis, Elizeus by name, born June 4, 1672 in Groton, Massachusetts, came to Woodbridge about 1690 and was con- sidered as among the first setlers. Elizeus had a son, Samuel, born in 1711 and who died on September 1, 1801.
Thomas Barron, born in Woodbridge June 10, 1790 and died August 31, 1875, made munificent bequests to various institutions. He and his nephew, Col. John C. Barron, gave the land and money to erect the Barron Memorial Library on Rahway Avenue.
The cost of the original contract for the building, including laying out the grounds and beautifying them, was $17,998.58. The official dedication of the library took place on September 12, 1877.
Col. John C. Barron was chief surgeon of the 69th New York Volunteers during the Civil War. He was born November 2, 1837,
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in what is now the Dr. Rothfuss property at 574 Rahway Avenue. He died February 8, 1908.
There are at least thirty-one interments in the several Barron plots going back to 1744. Fig. 25 shows the monument on the Thomas Barron plot. Fig. 26 shows the family monument on the John Barron plot.
Fig. 25
Fig. 26
The Barron family is related by marriage to Calvin Coolidge, the 29th President of the United States. This relationship may be traced as follows:
1. A daughter of Ellis, Hannah Barron (born 1635) married Simon Coolidge (born in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1632) on Nov. 17, 1657/58.
2. Their son, Obadiah Coolidge, married Elizabeth Rouse on Feb. 28, 1686/87.
3. Obadiah, fifth child of Obadiah and Elizabeth, married Rachel Goddard on July 24, 1717.
4. Josiah, first child of Obadiah and Rachel, married Mary Jones on April 26, 1742. Josiah was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
5. Captain John Coolidge, third child of Josiah and Mary, married Hannah Priest on September 8, 1779. Captain John Coolidge served in the war of the Revolution in Captain Artemas Horve's Company, hastening to the Lexington Alarms April 19, 1775. In the 1780s Captain Coolidge moved to Vermont.
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6. Calvin Coolidge, first child of Capt. John Coolidge and Hannah Priest, married Sarah (Sally) Thompson (or Tompson) on Dec. 9, 1814 in Plymouth, Vermont.
7. Calvin Galusha Coolidge, first child of Calvin and Sarah (Sally), married on March 3, 1844 Sarah Almeda Brewer.
8. John Calvin Coolidge, first child of Calvin Galusha and Sarah Almeda, married May 6, 1868 Victoria Josephine Moor.
9. John Calvin Coolidge, first child of John Calvin and Victoria Josephine, born July 4, 1872, died January 5, 1933, married on October 4. 1905 Grace Anna Goodhuc. John Calvin, called Calvin, became Vice President of the United States in 1921 and on the death of Warren G. Harding in 1923, became President and acted as such until 1929. 6
Bishop Family
John Bishop was one of the original Associates. He was from Newbury, Massachusetts where by his wife Rebecca, daughter of Rich- ard Kent, he had a son Noah born June 20, 1658. He received a grant of 470 acres.
There are four interments in the Bishop plot. 7
Bloomfield Family
The name was originally French, coming to England from Caen, Normandy, and perchance is to be associated with William the Con- queror in 1066.
Thomas Bloomfield was a major in Cromwell's army. Upon the restoration of Charles II to the British throne he, Thomas, emigrated from Woodbridge , Suffolk County, England, with five children, Eze- kiel, John, Thomas, Nathaniel, and Mary. They first settled in New- bury, Massachusetts. They then removed to Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1665. Thomas, Sr. received a grant of 326 acres; Thomas, Jr., 92 acres, and John, 90 acres. 9 The elder Bloomfield was a carpenter by trade. He and his son, Thomas, became Freeholders in 1670. A grandson, John, was a captain in Col. Drayton's 3rd Continental Regi- ment in 1776. The marriages of several of Thomas Sr.'s children are given in the Woodbridge records, but in some cases both the names and dates are partially obliterated. This is the case with Ezekiel, but it is quite certain that his wife was Hope, daughter of Edward Fitz Randolph of Barnstable, Massachusetts, and that they were married at Woodbridge, December 22, 1680.
Numbered among the members of this illustrious family was Joseph Bloomfield who served as governor of New Jersey from 1801 to 1802,
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and again from 1803 to 1812. He was the grandson of Ezekiel. Dr. Moses Bloomfield, another member of this family, was a well-loved physician in the town whose monument in our cemetery bears the following inseription: "In memory of Dr. Moses Bloomfield, forty years physician and surgeon in this town; senior physician and surgeon in the Hospitals of the United States; Representative in the Provincial Con- gress and General Assembly; an upright magistrate Elder of the Pres- byterian Church. Timothy 1:12. 'I know whom I have believed.'"
In various plots there is a total of forty Bloomfield interments.
Brown Family
Research showed that a George Brown came to Woodbridge from Scotland in 1685 in the good ship "Henry and Frances." He was ban- ished from Scotland for refusal to take the Oath of Abjuration, August 17, 1685. There is a total of at least 124 interments with the name of Brown in numerous plots in our cemetery, the oldest bearing the date 1713, including the above named George Brown, his wife Annabel, son James and daughter-in-law, Agnes.
Clarkson Family
James Clarkson, Sr. was a First Settler at Woodbridge. 10 He came with the Scots contingent in 1684-1685 directly from Scotland. It is believed that the family came from the town of Lithgow, Scotland. He lived only two or three years after arriving here. On October 12, 1687, letters of administration on the estate of James Clarkson, Sr. were granted to his son James, a yeoman of Woodbridge. Following his death, the widow of James Sr. returned to Scotland to live with her son John.
There are twenty-eight interments in the Clarkson plots: the oldest is dated 1715. 11
Compton Family
Compton is an old family name going back to William the Con- queror in 1066. There is no record of anyone by this name interred in our cemetery. However, William Compton, whose daughter Mary was the first child born in Woodbridge in 1668, is probably the William Compton of Ipswich, Massachusetts. He purchased land there in 1662 but soon thereafter reportedly came to Woodbridge where he was a pioneer settler and received a grant of 174 acres. His grant must have been a wooded area since the records say that he was the first man in this area to cut down timber.
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Crowell, Crow, Crowes, Croel Family
The Crowells were probably from Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Among the earliest settlers were John and Yelverton Crow. John came over from England in 1635. The name was long written Crowe, some- times Crowes, Croel, but finally evolved into the present Crowell. 12 Edward Crowell, Sr. was a first settler of Woodbridge, arriving with his wife Mary Lothrop before 1688-89. The Crowells received a grant of 630 acres. His son Yelberton was a private in the militia regiment in 1715. Edward Crowell, Jr., born in 1680, was later in his life Town Clerk of Woodbridge for a period of twenty-five years.
There are at least 55 Crowells going back to 1728 interred in our cemetery.
Coddington Family
John Coddington who, by his wife Hannah, had several children born in Woodbridge between 1677 and 1689 may have been John Coddington previously of Boston, Massachusetts.
Some forty interments under this family name are in our burial ground.
Cutter Family
The common ancestor was Richard Cutter of Cambridge, Massa- chusetts. William Cutter was a first settler of Woodbridge in 1685. He was a blacksmith by occupation. Ephraim Cutter, a first settler from Massachusetts was by occupation a glazier. 13 Other, later mem- bers of this family had extensive holdings of choice, high grade clay bearing properties.
There are sixty-four Cutters interred here beginning with the year 1716.
Dunham Family
As early in the Proprietary Period of East Jersey as 1670, refer- ence is made in the old town books to Jonathan Dunham, alias Single- tary, and Mary, his wife, formerly of Haverhill in ye Massachusetts colony. 14 It is recorded of him that a grant of land was made in his name in consideration of his building the first grist mill in Woodbridge 1670-1671, with his toll to be 1/16th of the grist.
In May 1670-71 Jonathan was a member of a jury sitting at Elizabeth and in 1671 he officiated as foreman of another jury. He became an influential citizen possessing sufficient acquired property holdings to entitle him to honorable distinction. He received in 1672 a grant of 213 acres. He is interred in the local Episcopal cemetery.
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A descendant, Willard Dunham, is head of the contracting com- pany that built our Fellowship Hall in 1955 and did the work of Res- toration and Renovation to the church sanctuary in 1971 and 1972. Mr. Byron Dunham, a member of our Church, is also a direct descen- dant of Jonathan Dunham.
There are eight Dunham interments dating back to 1758.
Edgar Family
Thomas Edgar, the common American ancestor of the Edgar family of New Jersey, lies buried here. Born at Keithock, Forfarshire, Scotland, October 19, 1681, he came to New Jersey in 1703 and died June 16, 1759. He was the son of David Edgar, Laird of Keithock and Kathirine Forrester (Fig. 27).
THOMAS EDGAR
THE COMMON AMERICAN ANCESTOR
MOMAK PAMMLY OF NEW JERSEY LIUS EURLED HERS BORN AT MITHOCK I ONFARSHIRE SCOTLAND OCTOBER QUIGEL . CAME TO NEW JERSEY
HE WAS THE SƠN QE
DAVID EDGAR LAIRD OF KEITHOCK AND KATHRINE FORRESTER
TUS TABLET ILACED BY HIS DESCENDANTS
IN 1980
Fig. 27
JENETT ENOX
THOMAS EDGAR
THE COMMON AMERKAN ANCESTOR
OF THE EDGAR FAMILLY OF NEW JERSEY LLES BURIED HERE
BORN IN WOODBRIDGE MARCH 16.1689
DIED SEPTEMBER 16.1767 SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM KNOX AND ANABEL GORDON WHO CAME FROM SCOTLAND
THIS TABLET PLAGES ESTHER DESCENDANTS
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Fig. 28
Jenett Edgar, the common American ancestor of the Edgar family of New Jersey, lies buried here. Born in Woodbridge, March 16, 1689, she died September 16, 1767. She was the daughter of William Knox and Anabel Gordon who came from Scotland (Fig. 28).
A son of Thomas and Jenett, Alexander by name, married a Mary Smith whose father owned the land now called Sewaren.
The section of the township known as Edgar Hill is named after a branch of this family who lived in that area many years. This area is identified today by the Edgar Station stop of the Pennsylvania Rail- road immediately north of the Woodbridge station.
There are seventy Edgar interments going back to 1754.
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Fitz Randolph Family
The Woodbridge Fitz Randolphs are the descendants of Edward Fitz Randolph or Fitz Randle of Scituate and Barnstable. 15 Edward was married to Elizabeth Blosson at Scituate May 10, 1637. Eliza- beth was born in Leyden, Holland, in 1620, daughter of Thomas and Ann Blosson. She came to New England with her parents in 1629.
Edward removed to Barnstable in 1639, among his several chil- dren was Nathaniel born May 15, 1642. Nathaniel, the eldest son of Edward, was married November 1662 to Mary, daughter of Joseph Halley. In 1667 Nathaniel, who some years before had joined the Quakers and had in consequence suffered much persecution from the Plymouth Government, exchanged his house in Barnstable for lands in Woodbridge and removed his family there. He represented Wood- bridge in the Provincial Assembly 1693-1694. He died in 1713.
A grandson of Nathaniel, Captain Nathaniel Fitz Randolph of the Revolutionary War fame, had two direct descendants now deceased who were well known to many of the readers of this report, namely, Asher Fitz Randolph, one of the most ardent, faithful workers for the Old White Church and his sister, Mittie Fitz Randolph Reynolds.
Our Township Committee in 1778 thought so much of the brave deeds of Captain Nathaniel that they ordered a sword for him as a "fitting tribute to his patriotism, vigilance, and bravery during the War."
Captain Nathaniel, while participating in attacks on Staten Island, captured a number of British. He was finally captured by the British and imprisoned in New York for about a year and a half. History records that he was cruelly treated and was finally exchanged for a Captain Jones, who was captured by Fitz Randolph's own men for that specific purpose. After release Capt. Fitz Randolph returned to active service. He died of wounds received in the skirmish near Springfield, New Jersey, in 1780 (Fig. 16).
There are some forty Fitz Randolphs interred in our cemetery. Force Family 16
The first Force to appear in Woodbridge records was Sarah, wife of Matthew Force. She was a witness to the will of Robert Custice of Woodbridge, dated 1696-97, March 4, and of whom an Edward Jones was made "universal heir and executer," a fact which is important, as the Jones were kin to the Forces.
Another excerpt from the old records, "Matthew Force had just married Sarah Morris, January ye 7th, 1696, by me, Samuel Hale, Justice."
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A Benjamin Force was by far the most important and prominent of the Force family. He was early a leader in the Church, a member of the Town Committee, and Moderator in 1727. He was originally from Dorchester, Massachusetts.
There are five interments in the Force Plot: the oldest dated 1733.
Ford or Foord Family
John Ford, who settled in Woodbridge in 1700 or earlier, came from Duxbury, Massachusetts. He was the son of William Ford and was born in 1659. He was a deacon in our church in 1708, and elder in 1710. He later removed to Morris County, New Jersey, where he became interested in iron mines and forges. 17 He died in May 1724.
Samuel Ford and Jacob, Jr. were sons of John Ford and Elizabeth Freeman. The latter was a tavern owner and iron manufacturer and was for many years a county judge.
In Morristown the Fords built the oak-planked, ship-caulked house which became Washington's personal headquarters during the winter when the Revolutionary War troops were encamped there. Being engaged in the "blooming iron works," the Ford family manufactured shot and shell for the Revolutionary Army.
Fords Corner or Fords, as it is now known, was named after this family. 18
There are five interments in the Ford Plot.
Freeman Family
Henry Freeman, a first settler, came here sometime before 1700. He was married on May 16, 1695, in Woodbridge to Elizabeth Bowne. She was the daughter of Judge James Bowne and his wife Mary Stout.
Henry, who became known as Judge Freeman, was born in 1670 and became a prominent figure in the early days of the Province of East Jersey. He was sturdy in his assertion of the rights of the Colonists against the encroachment of the royal governors, who, nevertheless, recognized his worth by long continued appointments as one of the six judges of the common pleas of Middlesex County. He was buried in the church burial ground, having died in his 94th year Oct. 10, 1763.
The descendants of Henry Freeman and his brother Edward Free- man represent a group of American citizens ever keen to both the rights and duties of State and Community.
Dr. Ellis Barron Freeman, M.D., born in 1807, died at the age of 70 in the year 1877, and his son, Dr. Samuel Edgar Freeman, M.D.,
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born in 1835, died in 1904 at 69 years of age. Both served this com- munity as highly respected physicians.
There are some fifty Freemans interred in our burial grounds.
Heard Family
John Heard, a first settler, presumably came from Salisbury, Massachusetts, and removed to Woodbridge in 1681. He was married. to a sister of John Allen of Woodbridge.
John Heard, by trade, was a cooper. He died in 1720. He had a son John born in 1681 who married in 1722 Mary, a daughter of Israel Thornell. John, Jr. died on March 2, 1757, age seventy-six.
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