Morris County Cemeteries: Cook

Last week I visited a few cemeteries in Morris County with Dave Peck.  He has documented many cemeteries in the area and was kind enough to show me the final resting places of some of my ancestors.

We visited the Cook Family Cemetery, which is now located on the golf course of the Rockaway River Country Club in Denville, Morris County, New Jersey.  The cemetery was not always part of a golf course.  The burial grounds were part of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Rockaway Valley, on land donated by John P. Cook.  The church relocated but the cemetery continued burials until around 1907.  The main surnames on the stones are Peer, Spear, Husk, and Cook.

Cook Cemetery in Denville, Morris County, New Jersey.
About 30 stones remain.

My great great great great grandparents, Stephen Cook and Elizabeth Vandroof.
Steven and John P. Cook were first cousins, once removed.
Picture by Dave Peck.

The rotting tree was taken care of . . .

. . . but blackened a nearby stone in the process.

We next visited two cemeteries on private property in Boonton/Powerville.  The land originally belonged to the Cook and Scott families.  A small portion was set aside for burial grounds.  The Cook stones are worn and there is no fencing.

Cook Family Cemetery in Boonton, next to the Scott Family Cemetery.
The taller stone is likely for Michael Cook, who died in 1803 and was an owner of the land.

The neighboring Scott Family Cemetery is surrounded by beautiful stones.



I think this was the first time I have seen such raised markers.
Dave explained that they are common in the Philadelphia area.

Although on private property, this cemetery is not immune to vandalism.

Dave explained that these small stones with only a first name are believed to mark
the final resting place of slaves of the Scott Family.

Thank you to Dave Peck for an informative tour!