ST. JAMES A.M.E. ZION CHURCH HISTORIC CEMETERY

MATAWAN, MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY



St.James AME Church in1936 St.James AME Church in1936

St. James A.M.E. Zion Historic Church Cemetery is an African American burial ground located on Johnson Avenue in Matawan Borough, Monmouth County, NJ.
In 1843, Richard Little and his daughter Matilda Conover, organized the first congregation of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, at 102 Atlantic Avenue.
In 1847, James Jameson sold the 60' x 100' lot to the Methodist Episcopal Church for $20.
The cemetery is noted on Plate 28 of Wolverton's 1889 Atlas of Matawan, on Atlantic Avenue as "Colored M. E. Ch. Cem."
In 2002, only six grave sites are visibly marked by bases or partial stones. The only gravestone partially readable belongs to William H. Shemo, but this one is broken in two. As of January 2002, there is not one legible, complete gravestone standing. As many as 65 unmarked graves are suspected to have been interred in this cemetery.

St. James AME Zion Historic Church Cemetery Burials, 1883-1900
Matawan Borough, NJ

surname first name yyyy-mm-dd source age other
Beals Alice 1898-08-13 MJ obit
wife of Charles H. Beals; nee Cummings
Beard Edna 1889-07-12 MJ obit
dau. of John M. & Eva L. Beard
Bodine Lallage L. 1891-01-18 MJ obit 8y3m dau. of Abraham & Sarah E. Shemo Bodine
Bodine Alfred 1891-00-00
0y3m1d son of Abraham & Sarah E. Shemo Bodine
Bodine Abraham Lincoln 1893-08-20 MJ obit 0y0m28d son of Abram & Sarah E. Shemo Bodine
Conover Maud 1890-01-04
0y8m dau. of Simon & Susan Conover
Cruse George 1883-07-05
23y son of Henry & Hannah Cruse
Cummings Mary 1886-03-13
71y dau. of Mary Holmes
Davis Jane B. 1885-03-09
24y dau. of John & Jane DeHart
Dixon Abram 1896-10---
46y son of Matilda Williams
Hendrickson Charles 1889-04-21 gravestone 84y husband of Hannah Hendrickson; Co. A, 25th Reg., Civil War Vet.
Holmes Wilhampe Gertrude 1884-07-30
0y4.5m dau. Daniel & Mary Holmes
Holmes Charles 1885-12-30
36y son of Frank & Kitty Holmes
Holmes Christina 1897-12-17
18y5m wife of W. A. Holmes
Holmes Nathaniel N. 1898-08-05 MJ obit 43y
Holmes Susan Jane 1893-12-28 MJ obit 70y wife of Charles H. Holmes
Holmes Charles 1899-09-17
79y
Jameson William A.
news item
Civil War Vet.
McReeves Martha 1889-07-20 MJ obit 2y7m dau. of Asa & Fannie McReeves
Napoleon May 1887-09-13
0y3m dau. of Joseph & Caroline Napoleon
Reeves Charlotte J. 1885-01-13
0y8m dau. Jacob & Catharine Reeves
Riley James H. 1900-04-07
56y
Schanck Melvila 1892-07-03 MJ obit 0y8m dau. of William & Mary Schanck
Schanck Catharine C. 1895-07-10
0y5m dau. of Dave & Mary Schanck
Shemo William H. 1899-01-30 MJ obit 58y son of Robert & Sarah Shemo; Co. H, 127th Reg., Civil War Vet.
Shemo Robin 1894-06-13
76y
Shemo Hazel Alfreda 1889-07-10 MJ obit 0y8m6d dau. of Alfred & Katie Shemo
Smith - 1890-10-23
0y0m5d son of William & Ellie Smith
Smith Henry 1899-05-04
0y11m15d
Smock William 1893-09--- MJ obit 0y6m son of Lawrence & Susan Smock
Williams Margaret M. 1894-02-22
61y wife of George Williams; dau. of Charles & Elizabeth Beard



A partial list of Reverends associated with this Saint James A.M.E. Zion Church is as follows:
Reverend James Simmons (founder and pastor) see Little Family Burying Ground for more information.
Reverend C. L. Percy, about 1891?
Reverend L. G. Mason, 1893 - 1896, transferred to Bethlehem, PA.
Reverend R. F. Butler, 1896
Reverend M. M. Edmonson, 1904
Reverend J. H. White, 1916
Reverend E. A. Carroll, 1923
Reverend Raymond Z. Taylor, 1936
Reverend Pinder, 1957
Reverend Burton ?
Reverend Marvin L. Pearson, 1990 - current


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George Joynson is available for your genealogy research at 1(732) 239-0118.
Last updated November 2006. Hope to hear from you soon!