Deckertown-Union & Papakating Cemetery

05/02/2026

I’m happy to announce that the America 250 Cemetery Sign was installed this morning at Papakating Cemetery.

A heartfelt thank you to the Sussex County Commissioners, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Chinkchewunska Chapter, and Wendy Wyman for helping make this recognition possible.
I am also delighted to share that while researching the six known Revolutionary War Patriots buried at Papakating Cemetery, I uncovered a seventh Patriot: Humphrey Martin.

Humphrey Martin
31 August 1735 – 16 April 1805

Humphrey Martin was born in Piscataway, New Jersey, and passed away in Wantage, New Jersey. He was the son of Ephraim Martin and Keziah Runyon Martin and married Experience “Pedie” Pyatt in 1756.
Together they had six children: Pvt. James Martin, Eunice Martin Drake, Pvt. Nathaniel Martin, Ruth Martin Willson, Experience Martin Cox, and Ichabod Martin.
During the Revolutionary War, Humphrey Martin provided essential support to the Patriot cause through carting services, transporting flour to Warwick to help feed American troops.

Service Record
Received from Daniel Marsh, Quartermaster at Rahway, New Jersey
Certificate No. 60, dated March 7, 1780
$584.00 for 13½ days carting in February
(MS 4291, p. 2) QMG Dept. No. 2, Voucher 2222

Location of Grave
Enter the cemetery via the first left off Cemetery Road. Proceed to the large maple tree on the left and look just beyond the tree to the right.

Headstone Inscription
In Memory of Humphrey Martin who died April 16th 1805 in the 70th year of his age
A husband dear, a parent kind
A generous social friend
He’s gone to dwell above the skies
Where sorrows have an end

10/12/2025

Brothers Martin
Jerimiah & Humphrey
Celebrating America 250 and DAR Day of Service. I’m thrilled to announce I discovered that Humphrey is indeed Revolutionary War Patriot buried at Deckertown-Union & Papakating Cemetery. He provided .. 7 & 36/90 dollars. April 13, 1782. Transportin 4 barrels of flower from Sussex to Warwick carted by Nath Martin as per voucher for half a day service of 2 horse team coming for sd load. No. 8230 Nelson - Revolutionary War Certificates
That makes a total of 7 Revolutionary War Patriots!

03/31/2024

11/11/2023

05/18/2023

As the Memorial Day Weekend approaches....
May 30, 1868 : Civil War dead honored on Decoration Day
By proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, the first major Memorial Day observance is held to honor those who died “in defense of their country during the late rebellion.” Known to some as “Decoration Day,” mourners honored the Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
The 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances that had taken place in various locations in the three years since the end of the Civil War. In fact, several cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Mississippi; Macon, Georgia; Richmond, Virginia; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; and Carbondale, Illinois. In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon B. Johnson, declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo–which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866–because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
By the late 19th century, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day, and after World War I, observers began to honor the dead of all of America’s wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. It is customary for the president or vice president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. More than 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually. Several Southern states continue to set aside a special day for honoring the Confederate dead, which is usually called Confederate Memorial Day.

06/08/2022

Christmas in July Open House at the DAR Van Bunschooten Museum (1097 State Route 23, Wantage, NJ). This 3-day event will take place from July 15-17 from 11-4 each day. Each day there will be historical re enactors and demonstrations, free tours of the historical museum, food, a bake sale, Attic Treasures Sale, and a silent auction. The museum will be beautifully decorated in period Christmas decorations. Saturday the Long Hill String Band will be playing starting at 12pm and on Sunday at 10am there will be a brunch with Santa and George Washington (advanced tickets must be purchased for this only. Tickets can be purchased here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brunch-with-santa-and-gen-washington-tickets-359481367447).

01/21/2022

Sad news of the passing of Meat Loaf today. Here is a little bit of trivia about the singer and his connection to New Jersey from issue #21 of Weird NJ...

Reference photos for the album cover illustration for Meat Loaf's famous 1977 album, "Bat Out of Hell" were shot in a section of the Deckertown Union Cemetery in Wantage, NJ. Locals may be able to recognize the tombstones if they look close enough.

Howard Case, of the Sussex County Historical Society at the time, said the groups' agent called from New York, asking if there were any old cemeteries suitable for the picture. Five cemeteries in the area were scouted out, and the Deckertown Union was chosen because of the tree lines. The photo session took six hours to complete.

A fog machine was used to create a smoky atmosphere, but broke down during the shooting. A local volunteered the use of his lawn mower filled with kerosene, which made enough smoke suitable for the picture. The group also brought along its own grave marker, a silver tombstone with "Meat Loaf" inscribed on it. In return for the use of the cemetery, Meat Loaf and Co. gave a donation to the cemetery association. The cover was illustrated by Richard Corben, who died in December 2020. –Thanks to Paulie Rizzo