Fisher (Visser) Family Burial Grounds - South Bound Brook, NJ
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 40° 32.763 W 074° 31.334
18T E 540455 N 4488475
These family burial grounds were part of the original Visser family Homestead of 1703, now witin St Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery. Most prominent grave is of Hendrick Fisher (Henderick Visser-II) a significant Revolutionary figure in NJ history
Waymark Code: WMCPNG
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 09/30/2011
Views: 4
The Church's website (
visit link) indicates:
"The Fisher Family graveyard is located behind and to the right of St. Andrew Memorial Church. Age has almost obliterated the gravestones, although visitors can still find a few legible grave markers. At one time, a plain brown sandstone slab planted at the head of Fisher’s grave, simply stated, for all his patriotic words and deeds "In memory of Hendrick Fisher, who departed this life on August 16, 1779(sic), in the 82nd year of his age."
Wikipedia (
visit link) has this brief summary about Fisher:
"Hendrick Fisher (1697–1778) represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Colonial Assembly, was one of three delegates representing New Jersey at the First Colonial Congress ("The Stamp Act Congress") in New York in 1765, was elected to New Jersey's Committee of Correspondence, served as a member of the Committee of Safety, was President of the Colonial Assembly, was the first President of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1775, was labeled an arch traitor and "Enemy of the Crown", and a founder and first President of the board of trustees of Queen's College (now Rutgers University).
His homestead and grave are currently located on the grounds of the Ukrainian Cultural Center on Easton Avenue west of Davidson Avenue in the Somerset section of Franklin Township."
Note... New Jersey's classification of municipalities can be quite confusing. Especially when the church Metropolia Center is partially located within the Borough of South Bound Brook and partially in Franklin Township, both of which are in Somerset County, NJ. The church and cemetery entrance is from 280 Main Street, in the Borough of South Bound Brook, but the Metropolia address is from Easton Avenue of (Franklin Twp) or just Somerset County.
This website (
visit link) also informs us:
"Hendrick Fisher was present for the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. He returned to his residence bringing with him a copy of the historic document. On July 7, 1776, Fisher read the Declaration of Independence at the Frelinghuysen Tavern in Bound Brook.
In 1776, General Howe offered full pardons to those who would give up their allegiance to the American cause. Fisher was one of 4 men specifically excluded from this offer. He was branded an "enemy of the Crown".
The Fisher Homestead was raided by the British army in April 1777, on its way to New Brunswick. They had hoped to capture Fisher for their King. Fisher was not at the home, but the soldiers they plundered his barn and livestock. The losses totaled $707.50, a substantial sum in 1777. Fisher died before the end of the war. He is buried in the family burial ground, in a special fenced section of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery."
There are over 20 graves at the site, but unfortunately time and environment has returned most stones back to the earth...