TOMS RIVER – The Old Methodist Cemetery sits on the corner of Hooper Avenue and Washington Street. Downtown Toms River grew up around it; the hustle and bustle forgetting the people buried here. But a new movement is underway to preserve the tombstones that represent the last document of many peoples’ lives.
Sure, this article ran in The Toms River Times at Halloween, but part of that timing was because the contractors had a very busy schedule. The other part is that it’s fun to think about cemeteries during the spooky season.
But cemeteries are more than the setting of a horror movie. They are glimpses into history.
In 1828, the cemetery was deeded to the First United Methodist Church of Toms River. They had a meeting house built there that is long gone. The exact location of that building is unknown, but can be surmised by assuming it was in a place devoid of graves.
The only cemetery in town that’s older is Cedar Grove Cemetery on the corner of Cedar Grove Road and Bay Avenue, said R. Joseph Latshaw III, the church historian. After Riverside Cemetery opened (on a wedge of property between Old Freehold Road and Lakewood Road/Route 166), people stopped being buried here.
The most active years were between 1820 and 1905, with its peak being 1870, he said.
Trustees of the original church are buried here, as is the founder of Island Heights. A Revolutionary War veteran whose family owned what would later be Cattus Island rests here, as well as several Civil War vets.
Latshaw, who is also the president of the Ocean County Historical Society, was at the Old Methodist Cemetery one brisk autumn morning, clearing branches from the area and giving the contractors space to work. It’s been a project of his for several years, now. He’ll mow the lawn and do what he can do for the cemetery, but the project is significant and requires professional experience.
That’s where Roth Cemetery Services comes in. They were on hand repairing tombstones. The first thing they do is shore up any that are in danger of coming down, which could injure people.
Some stones are long slabs that are held upright by the earth on either side of the portion of the stone that’s underground. After decades and decades, ground shifts, rain filters through, and the earth weakens. Then, you’ll see the stones lean at an angle. Some of these stones are taller than a person – and that’s only the part you can see above the grass. They weigh hundreds of pounds.
Other stones have cracks. They have to determine if they need a small fix or something more intensive.
Some of the stones are difficult to read, and these epitaphs are a form of historical document. Preserving them offers a key to the past.
“Plus, it’s the right thing to do,” Latshaw said.
He’s been recording his work, so that future historians can learn what was done. Historians rely on physical documents such as these. In essence, he was creating history by his act of preserving it.
“One hundred years from now, someone might have to look at this newspaper to see what was done,” he said about this article.
He clarified that the stones won’t be replaced, and there is no permanent fix. “We’re slowing decay.” It’s normal for the stones to wear and tear over time, but as a historian he wants to preserve it in its natural state for as long as possible.
The year the cemetery was deeded to the church – 1828 – set up a guidepost. They want to complete this project 200 years later, in 2028.
The church is collecting an estimated $25,000 for full restoration. Donations may be made online through the church’s giving portal or in person at the church office. One of the largest donors has been the Daughters of the American Revolution, and he thanked them for their generosity.
Fortunately, he’s not the only person who has taken an interest in this area. Township historian J. Mark Mutter has done work here, as has Pauline Miller, who literally wrote the book about local history. A Monmouth University student, Reagan Miller, did a survey of all of the stones as a school project. Her work saved the project thousands of dollars, Latshaw said.
Anyone interested in volunteering or helping the church can contact R. Joseph Latshaw III, Church Historian at 732-998-5934 or by email at RJL072001@gmail.com.
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