Permit me to divert your attention northward for a brief moment. The old Union Church sits crumbling into ruin in a bend of Fairview Avenue, a stone's throw from Schooley's Mountain Rd., in Long Valley. Built in 1774, it replaced an earlier structure that legend (and some historical references) suggest was made of logs.
Certainly there are burials in the adjacent churchyard that predate the given date of construction, and in fact extant references tell us that religious services were held on the site as early as 1743.
This building hasn't held up as well as some others of similar age in the area, and I think it may have been subject to a fire, which wouldn't be surprising given that there was an open pit in the center of the floor for a fire.
The details of the wall construction are interesting, as are the many burials in the churchyard, which is maintained by the local historical society. The German Reformed Lutherans who populated the valley beginning in 1707 have long since been diluted by waves of Irish and Italian immigrants, and the area is now a suburban commuter town for the most part, yet the church remains a place of reverence for the descendants of those inhabitants.
Leonhard Nachbar was born in 1698, and emmigrated to what was then German Valley with his wife in 1748. Note the smaller stones in the foreground with just initials and a date. I believe these were the orignal stones, and that they were latter supplemented with fancier ones when descendants could afford them.
Leonhard was layed to rest here in 1766. He passed on the family homestead, on a large piece of the former Logan Tract just west of town, to his second son Leanard because he was able to pay the most. He didn't pass on his name: Nachbar became Neighbour, and in some places Naper, or Nabers, and the family branched out across the midwest. The manor house still stands on West Mill Road.
While most of the stones are in english, three or four remain that are incribed in flowing german script. If I am puzzling out the German correctly, this stone marks the resting place of the wife of a man named Haas, who was buried in 1796.
John Thomas, laid to rest in 1820, may have composed his own epitaph:
My friends who live to mourn and weep,
And see the grave wherein I sleep,
Prepare for death before you die,
And lay in tomb'd as well as I
Anne Thomas, wife of Matthias, buried in 1793. "There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."
There are many broken stones in the yard, as well as half-buried fragments, sockets, and pedestals. These three have seemingly rested against this wall for a long time.
Sophia Neighbour, a descendant of Leonhard Nachbar, and sufficiently proud of that lineage that she retained her maiden name when she went to her reward.
The two graves in the foreground of this shot are interesting. Conrad Rorich lies to the left, buried in 1790. His is the only other standing intact stone inscribed in German. To his right lies Anne Rearik, buried in 1799. Rearik may be an anglicized spelling of Rorich.
Detail of Conrad Rorich's stone, set up in 1790. If anyone knows enough German to have a shot at that inscription, it would be interesting to know what it says.
Leanard was Leonhard Nachbar's second son. He was the one who was able to pay the most, and so ended up with the family farm. He also anglicized the family name.
Leanard was one of those who first received a simple stone bearing only his initials and the year of his death.
Loesa Neighbour, wife of Leanard, died the year following the death of her husband, as is related in histories of the family written by their descendants.
Another stone propped up against a wall. I didn't bother trying to make out who it was, as the light was growing long.
Lest there be any doubt that Lambert had two wives. I was not able to find the first. Perhaps she ran off to Ohio.
The local area still has plenty of folks carrying the name Welsh, Welch, or Welsch. The gentleman for whom this striking stone was placed made it to the ripe old age of 85.
Others did not live as long.
Judy Tufford, wife of Matthias, died in 1798.
"for a day In thy Courts is better than A thousand: I had rather be A doorkeeper in the house of my god then to dwell in the tents of wickedness:"
Certainly there are burials in the adjacent churchyard that predate the given date of construction, and in fact extant references tell us that religious services were held on the site as early as 1743.
This building hasn't held up as well as some others of similar age in the area, and I think it may have been subject to a fire, which wouldn't be surprising given that there was an open pit in the center of the floor for a fire.
The details of the wall construction are interesting, as are the many burials in the churchyard, which is maintained by the local historical society. The German Reformed Lutherans who populated the valley beginning in 1707 have long since been diluted by waves of Irish and Italian immigrants, and the area is now a suburban commuter town for the most part, yet the church remains a place of reverence for the descendants of those inhabitants.
Leonhard Nachbar was born in 1698, and emmigrated to what was then German Valley with his wife in 1748. Note the smaller stones in the foreground with just initials and a date. I believe these were the orignal stones, and that they were latter supplemented with fancier ones when descendants could afford them.
Leonhard was layed to rest here in 1766. He passed on the family homestead, on a large piece of the former Logan Tract just west of town, to his second son Leanard because he was able to pay the most. He didn't pass on his name: Nachbar became Neighbour, and in some places Naper, or Nabers, and the family branched out across the midwest. The manor house still stands on West Mill Road.
While most of the stones are in english, three or four remain that are incribed in flowing german script. If I am puzzling out the German correctly, this stone marks the resting place of the wife of a man named Haas, who was buried in 1796.
John Thomas, laid to rest in 1820, may have composed his own epitaph:
My friends who live to mourn and weep,
And see the grave wherein I sleep,
Prepare for death before you die,
And lay in tomb'd as well as I
Anne Thomas, wife of Matthias, buried in 1793. "There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."
There are many broken stones in the yard, as well as half-buried fragments, sockets, and pedestals. These three have seemingly rested against this wall for a long time.
Sophia Neighbour, a descendant of Leonhard Nachbar, and sufficiently proud of that lineage that she retained her maiden name when she went to her reward.
The two graves in the foreground of this shot are interesting. Conrad Rorich lies to the left, buried in 1790. His is the only other standing intact stone inscribed in German. To his right lies Anne Rearik, buried in 1799. Rearik may be an anglicized spelling of Rorich.
Detail of Conrad Rorich's stone, set up in 1790. If anyone knows enough German to have a shot at that inscription, it would be interesting to know what it says.
Leanard was Leonhard Nachbar's second son. He was the one who was able to pay the most, and so ended up with the family farm. He also anglicized the family name.
Leanard was one of those who first received a simple stone bearing only his initials and the year of his death.
Loesa Neighbour, wife of Leanard, died the year following the death of her husband, as is related in histories of the family written by their descendants.
Another stone propped up against a wall. I didn't bother trying to make out who it was, as the light was growing long.
Lest there be any doubt that Lambert had two wives. I was not able to find the first. Perhaps she ran off to Ohio.
The local area still has plenty of folks carrying the name Welsh, Welch, or Welsch. The gentleman for whom this striking stone was placed made it to the ripe old age of 85.
Others did not live as long.
Judy Tufford, wife of Matthias, died in 1798.
"for a day In thy Courts is better than A thousand: I had rather be A doorkeeper in the house of my god then to dwell in the tents of wickedness:"
