Abel I. Smith Burial Ground
Encyclopedia
The Abel I. Smith Burial Ground (also spelled Able I. Smith Burial Ground) was a family burial plot in Hudson County, New Jersey
.
, the farm is said to have been bisected by Secaucus Road
, and "between the Paterson Plank Road
on the north, the Penn Horn Creek
on the East, the lands of S. Jacobs on the south, and the old Secaucus racetrack to the west."
The burial ground lay in a grove at one of the highest spots in Secaucus
, obscured by high grass and trees, overlooking the expanse of the meadows and into the Hackensack River
. It was bordered on the west side by County Road and the grounds of a Mental Disease Hospital that is no longer in existence, currently located near the intersection of Secaucus Road and County Road. The Abel I. Smith Burial Ground faces the Hudson Palisades on the west and the marsh
es of Secaucus on the east.
Along with the Van Buskirk Family Burial Ground, the Sandford Family Burial Ground and others, the Abel I. Smith Burial Ground is one of a few recognized family burial grounds in Hudson County.
on the grounds was that of Abel Smith himself, who died in 1755.
The Smith family farm was approximately 206 acres (833,653.2 m²), consisting of meadowland and toward the upland of western Hudson Palisades. The Smith family owned the plot from the 18th century until the early 20th century. The property was passed down through the generations, and as a result, many of the burials were of the Smith family themselves. However, a few other families were buried there over the course of its use as a cemetery, namely the Post and Earle families.
In the year 1875, "Jack" Jackson, who was described as the last slave in New Jersey, died at the age of 87 on the Smith family farm. In 1820, Smith manumitted
his slaves, but Jack refused the freedom he was offered and remained on the family estate until his death. Following the will of the late Abel Smith, he was interred in the family burial ground.
Overall, the Abel I. Smith Burial Ground contained roughly 64 gravesites
. The site held several vaults; the crypt
had 24 shelves, with 12 coffin
s reserved for adults and 12 for children. These were reserved for the Smith family. In 1950, it was reported that all the vaults had been broken into and all the bodies had been removed, likely by grave robbers.
, the remains of those buried were never removed, giving the usage of the land as a cemetery under the Smiths' ownership a span of roughly 153 years, and it is presumed that the bodies are still buried there.
After the sale to the respective companies, a proposal was aired to turn the grounds into a park. In 1948, a Secaucus librarian named Marion Dudley also supported the preservation of the site as a park due to its old age and its high position, which would provide a good view over Secaucus. However, these proposals apparently failed.
Attempts to transcribe the gravestones have been undertaken, and several lists exist. It is believed that the original burial site was built over by a UPS
company warehouse, and that the bodies still lie in their plots.
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
.
Location
The land owned by Abel Smith stretched far; in a 1908 edition of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the farm is said to have been bisected by Secaucus Road
Secaucus Road
Secaucus Road travels between Secaucus and the district known as the Transfer Station in Union City, New Jersey atop the Hudson Palisades in Hudson County, New Jersey....
, and "between the Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road is a road that runs through Passaic, Bergen and Hudson Counties in northeastern New Jersey originally lain in the colonial era. The route, connecting the city Paterson and the Hudson River waterfront, still exists...
on the north, the Penn Horn Creek
Snake Hill
Snake Hill is an igneous rock intrusion jutting some 150 feet up from the floor of the Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey, USA. It was largely obliterated by quarrying in the 1960s that reduced its height by one-quarter and its base area by four fifths...
on the East, the lands of S. Jacobs on the south, and the old Secaucus racetrack to the west."
The burial ground lay in a grove at one of the highest spots in Secaucus
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
, obscured by high grass and trees, overlooking the expanse of the meadows and into the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. It was bordered on the west side by County Road and the grounds of a Mental Disease Hospital that is no longer in existence, currently located near the intersection of Secaucus Road and County Road. The Abel I. Smith Burial Ground faces the Hudson Palisades on the west and the marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es of Secaucus on the east.
Along with the Van Buskirk Family Burial Ground, the Sandford Family Burial Ground and others, the Abel I. Smith Burial Ground is one of a few recognized family burial grounds in Hudson County.
History
In 1733, Abel Smith and his wife Deborah moved from Great Neck to Secaucus, where he bought a large tract of land and constructed a large mansion. The first burialBurial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
on the grounds was that of Abel Smith himself, who died in 1755.
The Smith family farm was approximately 206 acres (833,653.2 m²), consisting of meadowland and toward the upland of western Hudson Palisades. The Smith family owned the plot from the 18th century until the early 20th century. The property was passed down through the generations, and as a result, many of the burials were of the Smith family themselves. However, a few other families were buried there over the course of its use as a cemetery, namely the Post and Earle families.
In the year 1875, "Jack" Jackson, who was described as the last slave in New Jersey, died at the age of 87 on the Smith family farm. In 1820, Smith manumitted
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
his slaves, but Jack refused the freedom he was offered and remained on the family estate until his death. Following the will of the late Abel Smith, he was interred in the family burial ground.
Overall, the Abel I. Smith Burial Ground contained roughly 64 gravesites
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
. The site held several vaults; the crypt
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
had 24 shelves, with 12 coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
s reserved for adults and 12 for children. These were reserved for the Smith family. In 1950, it was reported that all the vaults had been broken into and all the bodies had been removed, likely by grave robbers.
Sale
On December 1, 1908, the deed to the Smith land was turned over to B.M. Shanley's Sons' Company of Newark and the H.S. Korbaugh Company of West Virginia for the sum of $255,000. Although the site is no longer used as a cemeteryCemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
, the remains of those buried were never removed, giving the usage of the land as a cemetery under the Smiths' ownership a span of roughly 153 years, and it is presumed that the bodies are still buried there.
After the sale to the respective companies, a proposal was aired to turn the grounds into a park. In 1948, a Secaucus librarian named Marion Dudley also supported the preservation of the site as a park due to its old age and its high position, which would provide a good view over Secaucus. However, these proposals apparently failed.
Attempts to transcribe the gravestones have been undertaken, and several lists exist. It is believed that the original burial site was built over by a UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
company warehouse, and that the bodies still lie in their plots.
See also
- List of cemeteries in Hudson County, New Jersey
External links
- Able I. Smith Burial Ground at GraveInfo
- Find a Grave at Abel I. Smith Burial Ground