Hi to all my Cornelius Carhart cousins:
I have just returned from Mansfield-Woodhouse Cemetery (Presbyterian
Cemetery on the southern outskirts of Washington, Warren Co., NJ) and took a
photograph of CORNELIUS CARHART'S tombstone. Well, it is doubtful that his
tombstone lettering will show up in the photograph, but his wife's newer
tombstone adjacent has his Rev. War service engraved on it very clearly.
I would say that 3/4 of the cemetery is occasionally mowed, but 1/4 of this
cemetery is completely overgrown and I could see tombstones sticking up among
the growth! I don't have an explanation for this unless it is a lack of
funds. A very old stone wall surrounds the cemetery, but is in bad shape in
many places.
A log Presbyterian Church was originally adjacent to the cemetery. There was
no way to locate the site where it once stood, too overgrown. I attended the
Sunday services of the current Presbyterian Church which is now in the town
of Washington, pehaps 12-15 blocks away from the cemetery. The church is
expecting its' new pastor next Sunday, so a retired pastor was there
yesterday. I would guess that there were approx. 75 members in attendance; I
don't know the total church membership. On display, however, was the
original 1700's deed from King George III to Thomas BOWLBY, which he gave to
the Presbyterian Church. I would think this land deed was for the old log
Presbyterian Church and the Mansfield Woodhouse Cemetery, but I am not sure
as the Bowlby family owned 5,000 + acres so it could include the current site
of the Presbyterian Church. I personally could not decipher the words on the
deed, although the church just had the deed professional cleaned at a cost of
approx. $1,000, but could not afford the cost of preservation which runs into
the $l,000's.
The Washington, Imlaydale, Hampton, Clinton area of Warren & Hunterdon
Counties, NJ is a beautiful area. There are rolling hills, trees and more
trees, hollows and mills still in existence. Clinton is a charming town;
very popular on weekends for the tourists and local people with the river
flowing through and the old red mill now a museum.
If anyone would like a copy of Cornelius Carhart/Williampe Carhart's two
tombstones, please send me a sase envelope, I guess with a $1, but WAIT until
you hear from me again so I can be sure they turned out clear enough to be
worth your while. (I descend from Cornelius Carhart's daughter, Lydia
Carhart Bowlby.)
Susan Ulfers Campbell in GA