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by James O'Donohue (Author)
It has been almost two years since Part One of this series has been put together. I really enjoy visiting the old cemeteries in my spare time and learning from the people I meet.There are eleven more amazing graveyards to see in this volume, with most being located near a place of worship, like The Montville Reformed Church Cemetery which is still in use today, and some of them being tucked away in wooded areas far from site, like the "Early Newfoundland Cemetery", also known as the "Cuff Burying Ground", which is located next to the banks of the Pequannock River at the northern border of Morris County. The cemeteries and burial grounds we visit have been around since the 1700's and 1800's when the state was full of farmland and woods. Land owners would use a spot on their farm to bury their family members, others may have been buried near a church that was functioning at the time, but may no longer be in use today.The old farmland is disappearing, giving way to new homes and roads. So what happens to the cemeteries or family burial grounds? Some of them are in plain site on the side of the road, while others are off the beaten path hidden from view. The visible ones are usually fairly well maintained by a church, or a person who volunteers their own time to look after them, but the hidden ones are not as lucky. Many of them have simply been forgotten, lost in time, they are overgrown with brush, poison ivy and trees. Most of the tombstone names and writings have eroded away with time and have been damaged by falling tree limbs, wind, or vandalism over the years. These sacred places are in danger of being lost forever, some are already gone.Some heavily overgrown areas may be better visited in the colder months, but either way, dress appropriately with long pants and hiking boots, you don't want to encounter poison ivy, or ticks wearing shorts and flip-flops. Bring along some bug spray (deep woods off) and sunscreen when traveling off the beaten path in the warmer months. Be safe, and happy cemetery hopping!
