On the evening of March 23, 1853, a group of civic leaders gathered in the Borough of Elizabeth to form a rural cemetery association under an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Chaired by the attorney Francis Barber Chetwood and recorded by Secretary Josiah Q. Stearns, the meeting brought together William Brown, Richard T. Haines, Joseph Cox, Henry Higgins, Caleb J. Luster, Pulaski Jack, and others who shared a common vision — a park-like resting place that would offer solace to the living as much as dignity to the departed.
Twelve trustees were elected by ballot that evening to manage the new association: Richard T. Haines, William Brown, John L. Norris, Lewis W. Spaulds, John H. Ralston, Apollos M. Elmer, Isaac M. Ware, Frederick A. Phelps, William A. Loy, Chailey A. Higgins, Josiah Q. Stearns, and Francis B. Chetwood. They named the institution "The Evergreen Cemetery" and chose a site near the Township of Elizabeth in what was then Essex County. The articles of incorporation were formally recorded on March 26, 1853.
The founding came during the era of the rural cemetery movement, a landscape design philosophy inspired by Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Laurel Hill in Philadelphia. The original grounds were laid out along the gently rolling terrain of what would become the township of Hillside, surrounded by farmland and within easy distance of Newark's rapidly growing immigrant communities. From its earliest decades, Evergreen served as a burial ground for families of diverse backgrounds — Irish, German, Italian, and Eastern European immigrants who built the towns and industries of northern New Jersey.
Francis Barber Chetwood, the association's first chairman, was a prominent Elizabeth attorney and the son of former mayor William Chetwood. He remained a guiding force in the cemetery's early development until his death in 1875. Chetwood himself was laid to rest at Evergreen — a testament to the faith the founders placed in the institution they created.
Evergreen Cemetery is incorporated on March 23 following a public meeting in Elizabeth. Twelve trustees led by Francis B. Chetwood and Josiah Q. Stearns are elected, and the first sections of the grounds are surveyed and laid out.
Rapid growth of the Newark metropolitan area brings increased demand. New sections are opened in the northern and western areas of the property. A carriage road system is established throughout the grounds.
The main mausoleum is completed, offering above-ground entombment for families seeking an alternative to in-ground burial. Its architecture reflects the Beaux-Arts influence prominent in institutional buildings of the era.
A veterans' section is established to honor those who served in World War II. Evergreen Cemetery becomes a participant in the federal veterans' burial benefits program, a relationship that continues to the present day.
The on-site crematory is established, reflecting changing preferences among New Jersey families. Evergreen becomes one of the first cemeteries in the region to offer both burial and cremation services on the same grounds.
A new columbarium is dedicated, expanding options for the placement of cremated remains. Digital records management is introduced to supplement and protect the original ledger books dating to the cemetery's founding.
Evergreen Cemetery continues to operate as a family-serving institution, maintaining more than 170 years of continuous burial records and stewarding the final resting place of thousands of families from across the region.
The landscape
The grounds of Evergreen Cemetery were designed to evoke a pastoral landscape — a garden of memory rather than a solemn field. Mature oaks, elms, and evergreen plantings give the grounds their character through every season. The maintenance staff maintains these plantings with particular care, recognizing that the appearance of the grounds reflects the respect we hold for those interred here.
Notable interments
Evergreen Cemetery is the final resting place of many who contributed to the civic, religious, commercial, and cultural life of northern New Jersey. While we do not maintain a formal registry of notable interments, families conducting research into local history are welcome to contact our genealogy office for assistance.
Records preservation
The original interment ledgers from 1853 onward are held on-site. A digitization effort begun in the early 2000s has converted a significant portion of these records to a searchable format. All records are available for research inquiry through our genealogy request process.
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