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Woodland Cemetery, Newark Records (ca. 1855 - ca. 1980s)
RepositoryNew Jersey Historical Society
Collection IDMG 1230
Size5.5 linear feet
Collection Description
Woodland Cemetery was founded in 1855 as the West Newark Cemetery. The cemetery was known as the German Cemetery in its early history since most of the burials were of ethnic Germans. In fact, many of the early monuments in the cemetery are carved in the German language. Covering approximately 36.5 acres and over 80,000 burials, Woodland was an active cemetery well into the 1980s that conducted, and still does, a small number of burials in existing graves. In 2016 a new section of affordable graves and ash plots was opened and promoted to the surrounding communities.
The entirety of Woodland Cemetery is historic in nature. It was among the first rural or garden cemeteries in the region. The main entrance to the cemetery, a brownstone Gothic Revival gatehouse, was constructed between 1873 and 1881. Well over 600 war veterans are buried in Woodland as well, covering every major U.S. war from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War, including over 350 veterans of the Civil War. (Source: Woodland Cemetery web site at, https://woodlandcemeterynnj.org/ )
NOTE See also Lucius A. Bowser, "Persons of color buried in the Woodland cemetary [sic], Newark, NJ: the later years, 1892 to 1990" ([New Jersey]: the author, 1995). Call no. N pf 498.
The entirety of Woodland Cemetery is historic in nature. It was among the first rural or garden cemeteries in the region. The main entrance to the cemetery, a brownstone Gothic Revival gatehouse, was constructed between 1873 and 1881. Well over 600 war veterans are buried in Woodland as well, covering every major U.S. war from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War, including over 350 veterans of the Civil War. (Source: Woodland Cemetery web site at, https://woodlandcemeterynnj.org/ )
NOTE See also Lucius A. Bowser, "Persons of color buried in the Woodland cemetary [sic], Newark, NJ: the later years, 1892 to 1990" ([New Jersey]: the author, 1995). Call no. N pf 498.
Collection Contents
The archival records available at the Historical Society consist of 11 document boxes holding photocopies of "Plot Cards." The copies are in folders corresponding to sections of the cemeteries, A to Z. Each photocopied card includes a sketch of the family plot and a list of people interred, with information as to the purchaser, fees paid, etc. The list of people is keyed to the sketch of the plot.
The interment records of Woodland Cemetery are indexed at the Society in 39 drawers of 3" x 5" cards. The cards are arranged alphabetically by name of deceased and include age of deceased, date of burial, location of the grave, place of death (often the residence of the deceased), and in many cases the cause of death, fees charged, and name(s) of payees. The work of entering data into the index is continuing.
The interment records of Woodland Cemetery are indexed at the Society in 39 drawers of 3" x 5" cards. The cards are arranged alphabetically by name of deceased and include age of deceased, date of burial, location of the grave, place of death (often the residence of the deceased), and in many cases the cause of death, fees charged, and name(s) of payees. The work of entering data into the index is continuing.
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsMedicine / Public Health; Property / Urban Development
Time Periods19th Century; 20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
ProcessedYes
Finding AidYes
Finding Aid NoteCard File Index