Old Churchyard North of Oakhurst. (From Book of the Dead of Monmouth) This site of this old churchyard was deeded by William Brinley, miller, to Peter Parker, William Green, Frederick Maps and Thomas Little, for the sum of five shillings, deed dated February 7, 1791. The church to be erected, was to be "free for the use of all ministers of the Gospel (bearing good character and an exemplary life and conversation) of any denomination of Christians whatsoever, " and "for the exclusive use of the Methodists (qualified as aforesaid) every other Sunday." The land was described "on the road that leads from the said William Brinley's mill to Long Branch," on the west side. The remains of Brinley's mill are still to be seen, the foundation and several of the millstones, about 200 yards south of the churchyard. During the pastorate of the Rev. Samuel Budd, the Methodist congregation erected a church in Mechanicsville, and abandoned the old building. This was in 1809. Oakhurst, at that time was called Oceanville, and the Mechanicsville of that period is now West Long Branch. Thomas Little, Esq., of Hartford, holds the original deed from William Brinley, also other old documents which prove that the old edifice was used by both the Presbyterians and the Methodists, and that the new building in Mechanicsville was also shared by them. After its abandonment by the Methodists and Presbyterians, one or two "clergymen" of ill repute preached there, and later the building was carried across the road and made into a barn now standing. At present, the churchyard is a thicket of brush and briars, and is used by whoever desires free burial ground. None of the families now using it hold deeds for their plots. A complete record of the inscriptions is not obtainable. Over half of the stones have fallen; many are broken and in small pieces; some are entirely buried, and others have been destroyed by fires built upon them. Further attempt will be made to enlarge the present and the result will be printed in another volume. Bennett Peter W., d. Nov 10, 1859, aged 58y 6m 23d Bennett Martha S. Tallman, wife of Harmon L., d. Mar 20, 1824, aged 49y 7d Bennett Salenia, wife of Robert, d. Jul 23, 1874, aged 48y 7m 9d Bennett Linda, dau. of Robert and Salenia, d. Nov 21, 1869, aged 17y 6m 16d Bennett Clara, dau. of Robert and Salenia, d. Apr 18, 1862, aged 1y 4m 24d Bennett Rosanna, (no dates). Bennett Eliza Louesa, dau. of Robert and Salenia, d. Nov 10, 1848, aged 2y 4m Bennett Isaac, son of Robert and Salenia, d. May 25, 1854, aged 1d Bennett Theresa, dau. of Robert and Salenia, d. Apr 19, 1857, aged 1y 2m 24d Bennett Jane R. West, wife of Joseph, b. 1824; d. 1902 Bennett Joseph, d. Nov 30, 1864, aged 41y 2m 24d Bennett Albert, son of Joseph and Jane R., d. Dec 20, 1863, aged 3y Brinley William, d. Jan 16, 1840, in his 90th y. Brinley Rachel, wife of William, d. Jan 16, 1850, aged 70y Brinley Sylvester, d. Sept 20, 1840, aged 47y 7m 25d Brinley Hannah, wife of Sylvester, d. Apr 11, 1843, aged 52y 10m 18d Brinley John, Sr., d. Aug 7, 1795, aged 47y Brown Gordon, son of George T. and Rebecca, d. May 8, 1851, aged 29y 7m 22d Brown. See Slocum Brown Rebecca, wife of George T., d. Apr 8, 1860, aged 63y 3m 5d Brown George T., d. Mar 13, 1880, aged 84y 9d Brown Vincent, b. Jun 18, 1823; d. Apr 25, 1884 Brown Children of Gordon and Mary E.,; Georgie E., d. Mar 18, 1877, aged 3y 4m 24d; Jennie A., d. Mar 18, 1877, aged 8m Brown Elizabeth, wife of Jacob, d. Feb 28, 1877, aged 71y 7m 28d Brown Henry, son of William and Fannie, d. Mar 28, 1867, aged 2m 28d Brown Walter, son of Vincent and Jane, d. Mar 14, 1877, aged 11y 8m 3d Clayton Stephen N., d. Mar 30, 1867, aged 29y 1d Clayton Joel, d. May 8m 1871, aged 63y 8m 19d Clayton Catharine, wife of Joel, d. Dec 27, 1879, aged 74y 4m 26d Cluff J. Henry, d. Nov 24, 1864, aged 30y 4m 7d Cook Daniel D., son of Stephen and Effermah, d.Jan 8, 1854, aged 46y 1m Cook Ann Wardell, wife of Tucker, d. Jun 10, 1856, aged 75y 4m 13d Conrow Levi, b. Dec 28, 1802; d. Dec 27, 1882 Conrow Ann, wife of Levi, d. Jan 12, 1870, aged 53y 10m Covert Tucker, d. Jul 8, 1886, aged 65y 5m 4d Dangler CFFRONY, b. Feb 13, 1861; d. Jul 10, 1877 Edwards Daniel, husband of Nancy, d. Sep 11, 1814, aged 39y Emmons Dedliah, dau. of Tilee and Charlotte, d. Apr 11, 1851, aged 2y 2m 26d Emmons John, (small stone, no dates) Emmons Deborah, wife of John, d. Feb 27, 1862, aged 89y 4m 15d (Stone fallen and badly broken.) Emmons John, d. Jan 20, 1839, aged 71y 5m 3w 5d Finey Joseph, (on cedar slab, next to following record). Finley Philip, d. May 2, 1859, aged 64y Finley "Mary C., daughter of James and Bridget T. Finley, died Sep 25, 1871, aged 1 year" (On cedar slab in good preservation.) Herbert William, d. Jun 22, 1868, aged 80y Herbert Eleanor, wife of William, d. Nov 3, 1876, aged 88y Jeffes Mary, d. Jan 13, 1831, aged 66y 11m 20d King Joseph, d. Apr 14, 1805, in his 61st y. King Catharine, dau. of John and Elizabeth, d. Sep 1852, aged 53y King Robert H., b. Mar 24, 1806; d. Jun 21, 1893 Lane Peter D., b. Oct 28, 1802; d. Apr 15, 1872 Lane Almira, wife of Peter D., b. Dec 26, 1813; d. Apr 28, 1877 Lane Mary, d. Sep 3, 1797, aged 6y Lane Samuel, d. Feb 10, 1849, aged 72y Lane Catharine, wife of Samuel, d. Sep 9, 1845, aged 65y 5m Lippincott Henry, b. Jul 17, 1795, d. May 16, 1853, aged 57y 10m Lippincott Margaret, d. Jan 12, 1853, aged 63y Lippincott Henry, b. Dec 4, 1833; d. Apr 24, 1894 Lippincott John, d. Mar 17, 1863, aged 62y 8m 13d Morris See Quick. Morris Benjamin, d. Sep 4, 1841, aged 58y 2m 23d Maps Michael, d. Sep 17, 1802, aged 74y Maps Frederick, d. Jan 9, 1818, aged 62y Maps Sibyl, wife of Frederick, d. Mar 7, 1847, aged 84y Nixon Mamie L., dau. of Edwin and Amanda, d. Jan 18, 1875, aged 2y 2m 6d Quick Mrs. Catharine Morris, d. Oct 1, 1852, aged 66y 8m 5d (Stone next to that of Benjamin Morris) Reynolds Sarah, wife of William, d. May 10, 1854, aged 69y 7m 19d Reynolds William, son of William and Sarah, d. Oct 22, 1822, aged --y 1m 7d Ryer George W., son of George and Caroline M., b. May 27, 1851; d. May 30, 1854 Slocum Elizabeth Brown, wife of Michael, d. Apr 25, 1856, aged 28y 2m 23d Slocum John, d. Jun 9, 1831, aged 71y 3m 13d Slocum John, d. Jun 26, 1791, aged 70y Slocum Benjamin, d. Jul 23, 1847, aged 51y 8m 21d Slocum Deborah, wife of Benjamin, d. Mar 12, 1856, aged 50y 7m 1d Sorrell Hattie, dau. of Edward and Emma, d. Feb 19, 1887, aged 2y 7m Tallman See Bennett Tallman Elizabeth, wife of William, b. Jan 11, 1792; d. Sep 8, 1882 Tallman Ellis T., husband of Catherine, b. Jun 3, 1834; d. Sep 4, 1876 Tallman James, d. Jul 15, 1841, in his 28th y. Tallman William, b. Jun 28, 1794; d. Jan 24, 1849 Taber Richard, d. Aug 3, 1827, aged 65y 11d Truax John, d. Jun 3, 1830, aged 77y 9m 10d (Son of William Truax, Baptist, of Middletown. His age, as given on tombstone, is incorrect. His own Bible gives his birth date as Mar. 23, 1762, which would have made him aged 78y 2m 10d. See "Book of Monmouth Bible Records.") Van Note Daniel, d. July 1, 1867, aged 56y 11m 20d Van Note Deborah, wife of Daniel, d. Nov 24, 1872, aged 64y 3m 7d Vannote William, d. Nov 21, 1895, aged 75y 3m 11d Wright Harry, infant son of Daniel and Caroline Woolley Ruth, d. May 2, 1828, aged 15y 10m 11d West "Little Freddie" West See Bennett White George, d. Aug 8, 1877, aged 83y 6m 28d White Deborah, wife of George, d. Oct 12, 1872, aged 73y 1m 25d White Tucker, d. May 23, 1875, aged 71y 2m 7d White Mary, wife of Tucker, d. Aug 26, 1862, aged 53y 5m 15d White William Ellis, son of Samuel and Rebecca T., d. Feb 18, 1856, aged 9y 9m 21d White Howard, son of Samuel and Rebecca T., d. Apr 15, 1854, aged 10m 9d ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ruth Ryan < rryan@monmouth.com > ====================================================================