Historic Grounds
The Colonial Cemetery
“What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.” (1 Cor. 15:42, NRSV)
A resting place since 1675
One of New Jersey’s oldest burial grounds
The cemetery lies on a five‑acre site adjacent to the church and has likely been used since the original Town Meeting House was built in 1675. The earliest surviving tombstone dates to 1690, making it the second‑oldest monument in Middlesex County.
Monuments through time
Stone, craft, and memory
Early monuments were carved from brownstone, followed by white limestone in the early 1800s and granite in the late 1800s. Some brownstones more than 250 years old remain in remarkable condition, including one dated 1702.
The cemetery also contains fieldstones, slate markers, and terra‑cotta tombstones—each reflecting the craftsmanship and materials of its era.
Early settlers
Families who shaped Woodbridge
Many of Woodbridge’s earliest settlers are buried here, including the Freemans, Cutters, Pikes, Bloomfields, Barrons, Edgars, Ayers, Moores, Pralls, Inselees, and Harneds. The church continues to receive genealogy inquiries about these families.
The cemetery is also notable for its Puritan funerary art—ranging from carved “Death’s Head” motifs to winged cherubic faces symbolizing the glorified soul. Two stones even feature skulls above crossed bones, a rare colonial design.
A life remembered
Mary Compton Campbell
One of the most remarkable stones marks the grave of Mary Compton Campbell, the first child of European descent born in Woodbridge. Born in 1668, she died in 1735 at age 67, and her headstone remains clearly readable after nearly three centuries.
Service and sacrifice
Veterans through the centuries
The cemetery includes the graves of approximately 75 Revolutionary War soldiers, 50 Civil War soldiers, and veterans of World War I, World War II, and later conflicts. Each year, volunteers place new flags on roughly 240 veterans’ graves.
Other notable burials include five pastors, two town mayors, and Thomas Barron, benefactor of the Barron Art Center. A walking tour is available for visitors.
Preservation and honor
A nationally recognized historic site
In December 2007, the church and cemetery were added to both the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register. This recognition was made possible through the dedication of the Heritage Committee, led by the late Robert J. McEwen.
The designation helps ensure that this sacred ground will be preserved for generations to come as a place of memory, faith, and community.
