Berlin Cemetery, Berlin, NJ
Posted by: 
bpom
N 39° 48.125 W 074° 56.651
18S E 504778 N 4405792
Historic Berlin Cemetery
Waymark Code: WM5WTK
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2009
Views: 8
The present cemetery office was once a log cabin. King George the III, of England, deeded the land to Samuel Scull for 5 shillings. The deed was written in 1766 on sheepskin. The present day building bears that date. The deed covered 3 acres "beginning at a White Oak standing at the Fork".
The log cabin was used by the Presbyterian Church and was open to all denominations. It later served as a district school. The cabin was replaced by the present day building about 1850 and continued to serve as a school until the late 1870's. Renovations were made in 1971. The siding was made to the exact size of the original clapboard.
The cemetery fell into neglect and in 1884, the Berlin Cemetery Association was formed and continues to this day.
The "White Oak" mentioned in the deed served as a hanging tree. A man convicted of a crime was hanged from the tree and dropped into a grave dug below him.
Some interesting people buried here include a Lenape Indian family, 3 Hessian soldiers, Thomas McCann (Civil War soldier), Arthur Eldred (the first Eagle Scout in the United States, and Carlton R. Rough (a World War II Medal of Honor winner). Several of the Berlin's founding fathers are buried here including Richard Moss (the first settler here), Thomas Wright (first owner of a charcoal burning works and the Berlin Hotel), Samuel Scull (tavern owner), and Joseph L. Thackara (prominent merchant and Berlin's first railroad station agent).
Year photo was taken: 1900
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