NJHUNTER-L Archives

Archiver > NJHUNTER > 2001-08 > 0998509741


From: "Thomas Johnston, Jr." <>
Subject: [NJHUNTER] Prallsville Graveyard
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 15:50:43 -0400


On Wed, 22 Aug 2001 on you messaged in part:

>This article was in the Lambertville Record of Aug. 6. 1879 and maybe the
>earliest recording of this old family cemetery. Rittenhouse and Cavanaugh
>researchers maybe interested. I found it interesting that even in 1879
>someone raised the question of preserving the local gravesites.
>
>Carol Reading Morris
>---------------------------------------
>"A friend yesterday visited the old graveyard on the farm of Morris
>Wolverton, near Prallsville in this county, and copied the following names
>and dates from the headstones of that ancient burial place. The first three
>or four stones contained only initials:
>A.H. 1711
> J.J.H.
>A.W., D.C.,D.C., 1732
>
>W.R., 1767
>C.R., 1778
>
>M.H., (no date.)
>
>P. Rittenhouse, born 1724; Died 1791
>
>Sarah Rittenhouse, widow of Peter Rittenhouse, died May 16th, 1811, in the
>76th year of her age.
>Stacy Rittenhouse, died April 11, 1827. In the 22d year of his age.
>Peter Rittenhouse, son of Elisha and Isabella Rittenhouse, his wife, born
>1798. Died 1804
>Ann Cavanaugh, wife of *John Cavanaugh, died Dec. 24th , 1810, aged 20years,
>6 mo. and 4days
>Hannah Cavanaugh, wife of John Cavanaugh, died Feb. 24th 1814, aged 22 years,
>10 mo. and 5 days.
>Jacob and Letitia Lambert's son, born Jan. 15th 1815. Died the same day
>A.H., died September 29th, 1820, aged 26 years and 2 days.
>John Bake, died Dec. 9th, 1826, aged 47 years and 2days.
>
>*John Cavanaugh was Sheriff of Hunterdon County in 1832, and lived at
>Prallsville. Married for this third Miss Shamp. Moved to Phila., where he
>died.
>
>This graveyard is so grown up with bushes and briers that it is very
>difficult to find the graves of the ancient dead. Would it no be well for
>those who are interested in the past to look after the old graveyards that
>are now so sadly neglected."


I am a direct descendant of John Cavanaugh and his third wife, the "Miss
Shamp" referred to (actually Caroline Schomp) and was very much interested
in the above, of which I had previous fragmentary knowledge. I tried at one
time a summer or two ago to get to the cemetery but the staffers as the
nearby Woolverton Inn advised against it because of the threat of ticks and
dense undergrowth. Apparently there is no easy access. Winter months, at
times of no snow, were suggested as the best time to make the effort.

While I have no certain date as to when John ceased being Sheriff, I
believe it was before 1832; he became Sheriff in the early 1820's.

Tom Johnston


This thread: