Cemetery Mystery: Howell Site Faces Patterns Of Damage, Theft

HOWELL, NJ - A Monmouth County cemetery forgotten for decades - but recently revitalized by locals - is facing ongoing patterns of theft, damage and litter, according to volunteers.

Brewer Cemetery in Howell, which inters about seven veterans and 200 deceased locals in total, was most recently robbed of a memorial rose bush in front of its welcome sign back in June. While the rose bush was quickly replaced by two fresh bushes, a flag and mulch last week, all items have since been removed again, volunteers say.

“The two new bushes that were planted have been moved by another individual or group and replaced by other plants,” the Farmingdale Historical Society wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “Our question is, why was this done and what purpose does it serve? The difference this time from last week is that the bushes weren't taken. However, someone decided that they did not like the replacement bushes, and that donation of time and items was to be disregarded.”

The cemetery, which began as a burial ground for the Brewer family around 1768 and serves as the final resting place for several Civil War and World War I veterans, has also faced theft of stones, torn up grass, large amounts of litter and broken items in recent weeks.

“We will not be moving plants around again to where they were. There is no point. That does not honor the memory of those who are interned there,” the Farmingdale Historical Society continued. “We will continue to work in a positive direction and oversee work as it is taking place. We also will contact the authorities formally if items continue to be disturbed.”

While the revitalization of the Brewer Cemetery began in February 2020, the project really started to pick up steam after Jamesburg resident Ron Errickson and a small group of volunteers committed to restoring the cemetery, which had remained overgrown for decades following the Brewer family's relocation out of the area. Read more: Forgotten Howell Cemetery Gets A Makeover From Jamesburg Man

Now, with the assistance of the Farmingdale Historical and Howell Heritage and Historical Societies and Farmingdale Troop 13, the community-wide effort has helped the scores of individuals buried in Brewer to be forgotten no longer.

“As the recent work to plant new rose bushes does not fix the problem of the other disappearing, it does move us back in the right direction,” the historical society concluded. “When visiting Brewer, or any of the cemeteries, please be mindful of the history and appreciate the sacred grounds as members of other's families are laid to rest.”

Those interested in donating time or money to the effort can contact the Farmingdale Historical Society via Facebook.