Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 5 10 10 marker indicating where he is buried. The oldest surviving headstone, in not only the Throckmorton-Lippit- Taylor Burying Ground, but at all of the Jersey Shore, is that of Job Throckmorton, who was John Sr.'s son. Job was born in 1650 and died in 1709, a mere three hundred six years ago. According to historical documents, Job Throckmorton married Sarah Leonard. While on the surface it might not seem significant, Sarah came from a family of notoriety—the Leonardo section of Middletown was named after the Leonard family. Throckmorton was a farmer and a landowner, and together they had eight children. Throckmorton repre- sented Middletown in the General Assembly in 1693. He passed away on August 20, 1709 at fifty-nine years old. Records show that, at the time of Throckmorton's death, an inventory of his goods included six cows, three oxen, a three-year-old colt, two bulls, thirteen small swine, over one hun- dred twenty bushels of wheat, and other items including a number of land plots. Throckmorton's tombstone was made out of reddish-brown sandstone with hand-etching, which was com- mon for the early 1700s. The motif at the top, a grinning skeleton head with wings, symbolized victory over death in resurrection. Records show that he was buried near his father, John. Sr., and brother, John Jr., but neither has a surviving headstone. The reddish-brown sandstone markers survived the years and harsh weather elements surprisingly well. Throckmorton's tombstone has evi- dence of repair work done at some time, but considering it is over three hundred years old, it is in excellent condition. The Topanemus Burying Ground, located in Marlboro near the Freehold border, is another one of the oldest cemeteries in the Jersey Shore area. Hidden in the middle of the woods and surrounded on all four sides by housing develop- ments, sign markers are near the trail entrance on Topanemus Road (near the Weathervane Way intersection). The trail and grounds were cleared and restored thanks to separate Girl Stories In The Sandstone The Oldest Graveyards and Tombstones at the Jersey Shore BEACHCOMBER " L et u s ta k e a j o u r ne y do w n t he S hore to see w h at w e can f i n d …" Dating back to 1684, the Throckmorton-Lippit- Taylor Burying Ground in Middletown is the oldest cemetery in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Below: The oldest surviving headstone at the Jersey Shore is that of Job Throckmorton, who died in 1709. J ob Throckmorton…Margaret Reid… Alexander Dove…Mary Carhart… Adrian Hun…Joseph Holmes… These aren't the names of the newest Dancing With The Stars cast. Rather, these are the names of early Jersey Shore residents who may have walked on the same ground as you, albeit some three hundred years ago. And they are the names of the old- est surviving tombstones in the Jersey Shore area. Each of these people had a story, almost as unique as the sto- ries of the graveyards where they are located. Most of the oldest area cemeteries are found in and around Middletown, which has a long and rich history as one of the oldest settlements in New Jersey. The Throckmorton-Lippit-Taylor Burying Ground is the oldest ceme- tery in both Monmouth and Ocean Counties, dating back to 1684. Secretly tucked away behind the Middletown Municipal Complex on Penelope Lane, the cemetery is eas- ily accessible and well maintained. While records indicate that John Throckmorton, Sr. was the first per- son interred there in 1684, there is no Jill M. Ocone Jill M. Ocone

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