BCT TEXT VERSION: (I wish I had seen this sooner). Posted: Thursday, October 23, 2014 5:30 pm | Updated: 10:06 pm, Sat Oct 25, 2014. By Sean Patrick Murphy Staff Writer BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP — The descendants of the people buried in the Hays Riverview Cemetery as long as 200 years ago are looking for a rescue. The cemetery on River Road, near the New Jersey Turnpike Bridge overpass, used to be known as the Rainiers Hays Cemetery. Dave Fisher, president of the Hays Riverview Cemetery Association and a relative of all the Rainiers interred there, said the association has fallen on hard financial times. One hundred people were buried there from 1793 to 1940. There are 10 people in the association, which was created before Elizabeth Rainier Hays died in 1913. Right now, the association has $8,000 in its general fund. Fisher said the group is looking for a new caretaker or someone who can reactivate the cemetery, perhaps with mausoleums. The minimal annual cost — mostly for grass cutting — is $2,500. But Fisher said there are always other expenses, like tree removal. The association also maintains 3.67 acres across River Road along the river. “We’re looking to see if we can mainly have someone take this over and maintain it,” Fisher said. “These are our ancestors and we are honoring them, and we feel as though it’s our moral duty to keep this maintained in their memory,” said Marlyn Argast, who has been with the association “for years and years,” along with her parents. The association hopes to sell some spare land. Some property was sold to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and also to a trucking company for $77,000. But $75,000 had to be set aside for a maintenance and preservation fund, the state-mandated minimum for cemeteries. Jeff Lamm, a spokesman for the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, said based on the Hays Riverview Cemetery Association’s annual filings, the group receives $281 a year in interest. Argast said she heard the Diocese of Trenton might be looking for some land. Fisher said the New Jersey Department of Fishing and Wildlife was interested in the riverfront property for a boat dock. “They were going to buy it, but they also ran out of funds, so they couldn’t do it,” he said. “(Our) hope is that we sell that section and have this maintained as a separate entity,” Argast said. “They’re not making land anymore,” she added. “I’m sure there must be a church or a group somewhere that can use the cemetery (owned land) for their own purposes.” “We don’t have any fundraising right now. We’re just trying to sell land,” Fisher said. The Hays Riverview Cemetery is not the only local cemetery facing financial or maintenance issues. One in Mansfield recently had graves sink because of poor drainage. Mayor Brian Carlin said the association never approached municipal officials for funds and doubts there is much the township can do to help. “It is a private entity,” Carlin said. “It’s probably unlikely that there’s anything the township can do.” Fisher said the association offered to sell the property along the river to the township. “They said they werent interested at all,” he said. The association is accepting donations made out to the Hays Riverview Cemetery. They can be sent to P.O. Box 14, Titusville, N.J. 08560. Leetta Tamn: NOTE My G G Grandfather is buried at Titusville and his gravestone is missing. He was captured at the 2nd Wilderness Battle, sent to Andersonville Prison, escaped by pretending to be dead and thrown on the Dead Wagon, then into a mass grave. He escaped to return to his post and finish the war. many of the graves of these brave men are in deplorable condition. His name was George Whittaker and he lived to be 98 years old....Leetta ) Here is his picture..
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 12:05:55 +0000
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