Volunteers Report Stolen Rose Bush From Howell’s Brewer Cemetery

HOWELL, NJ - A memorial rose bush in front of a Howell cemetery has been reported missing, sparking a community uproar.

Ron Errickson, a Jamesburg resident who has spearheaded an effort to clean up the long-forgotten Brewer Cemetery on Squankum Road, reported the theft via Facebook on Sunday.

Errickson noted that he had worked on the cultivation of the rose bush for a week alongside four other volunteers and cub scouts. He says the bush was at the site two weeks ago during the latest round of gardening.

“Please return it or gladly give me the $45 plus the amount for the rose bush and rose bush support,” Errickson wrote. “Very rude and uncalled for such a beautiful place to mess with … do the right thing and return it or refund my money so it can be replanted with a new one.”

Last summer, 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

“Nothing was returned or admitted to what happened to it,” Errickson told Patch in a Facebook message. “[But] I have several people who want to donate rose bushes and supplies to repair what was removed and to make it even better … I’m more [upset] about the fact it was taken away without warning.”

A Chevy dealership in Woodbridge has since reached out to assist with the recovery efforts as well.

Errickson says he won’t be accepting cash, but residents who wish to donate to the effort can donate gift cards to stores like Home Depot, Lowes or a nearby farm/nursery.

According to New Jersey State Library documents, the plot began as a burial ground for Shrewsbury resident Adam Brewer. In his 1768 will, the land was set aside for Brewer's family cemetery, which was subsequently maintained for several generations.

Hundreds of individuals were buried in the location over the years, including several Civil War and World War I veterans. Many of the cemetery's tombstones date back to the early 1800s, with its oldest recorded burial dating back to 1806.