24 Halsted Street - Newton - New Jersey - 07860 - (973) 383-1985
February 1855
On February 10, 1855, The Most Revered James Roosevelt Bayley (Bishop of Newark), purchased from Eunice Vansands (sole acting executor of the Last Will and Testament of Charles Vansands) for the amount of $270.00, containing two lots in the village of Newton on Jefferson Street. The first lot contained fifteen hundredth of an acre and was conveyed by Henry Pooder and Ester his wife to Charles Vansands on November 14, 1818 (recorded in Book L2, page 181 of Deeds in the Sussex County Clerk’s Office). This first lot is where the first Catholic Church was opened in the spring of 1856 and today is known as the “Old Catholic Cemetery.” The foundation was laid in the fall of 1855. The second lot, containing one hundred and fifteen thousands of an acre and was conveyed by George Vass and wife to Charles Vansands on September 28, 1838 (recorded in Book X3, page 73 of Deeds). The second lot was located across the street from the first lot and on some old maps is labeled as part of the cemetery. It is unclear on which lot the first rectory was built.
September 1859
On September 20, 1859, The Most Reverend James Roosevelt Bayley (Bishop of Newark) purchased from Edward & Jane McCormick on third of an acre for $300.00 on Jefferson Street (recorded in Book X4, page 274 of Deeds). Edward McCormick purchased this property from Thomas Anderson on May 28, 1858 (Book V4, page 520 of Deeds). This lot was behind the first lot purchased on 2/10/1855 and towards Main Street. With these two lots the old Cemetery became .45 1/3 acres.
Map of 1860
The Princeton University Library 1860 Map of Sussex County, Newton, shows the Catholic Church building on Jefferson Street and next to the Church building (in the direction of Halsted Street) the first rectory and then the residence of Father Philip McKay. The map also indicates the spring and stream on the property of J. R. Stuart, which today is where the property of Saint Joseph School building is located. On October 17, 1864, The Most Revered James Roosevelt Bayley transferred the one third of an acre to Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
New church completed
In 1872, a new Church building was completed on Halsted Street. In 1875, an additional lot was acquired and a new rectory was constructed on Elm Street. On November 11, 1876, The Sussex Register (a local newspaper printed in Newton for many years) reported that Martin Hughes purchased the former residence of Father Edward McCosker for $125.00 and was being moved to a lot opposite on Madison Street.
New parochial school
The Sussex Register also reported on August 25, 1881 that it is rumored that a Catholic parochial school was to be started in Newton. The new pastor, Father George W. Corrigan (1880-1881) favored it, but doubted if his people could afford it since the limits of the parish were confined to the vicinity of Newton. On September 8, 1881, The Sussex Register reported Saint Joseph Parochial School was opened on Monday, by the attendance of the scholars at the Mass of the Holy Ghost. As an earnest success, Father Corrigan assured his people on Sunday, that every effort would be made to give the children a “thorough education” and he would “sooner close his church than his school.”
The Most Reverend Doctor Winand Wigger (Bishop-elect of Newark, 1881-1901), with the interest of building parochial schools, established a Diocese School Board for the examination of teachers. Miss Florence Field, an experienced teacher and musician, was in charge of the annual fair.
School closed
On October 6, 1881, The Sussex Register reported that the parochial school of Saint Joseph Church was closed and the pupils returned to the public school. After the opening of the new church, the old church building (on Jefferson Street) became a parochial school. On August 23, 1882, The Sussex Register once again reported that the old Catholic church had been remodeled for use by the parochial school, which had been located in the basement of the new church. The Sussex Register reported on June 4, 1883, that Bishop Wigger visited Saint Joseph Church in Newton on Friday morning and Confirmed fifty-five persons. After the Confirmation ceremony, the blessing of the cemetery took place. The Litany of the Saints was read and then a procession marched around the cemetery while the Bishop read prayers and sprinkling the ground with Holy Water.
Picnic of 1883
On June 27, 1883, The Sussex Register reported that a grand picnic would be held on the 3rd and 4th by the members of Saint Joseph Catholic Church on the school grounds on Jefferson Street. It also reported that on July 4, 1883, that the picnic of Saint Joseph Church, with excellent music for dancing began. On July 11, 1883, it was reported that Saint Joseph Church was “a very successful affair.” It was also reported that on June 17, 1885, about nine o’clock on Sunday evening while a procession was passing from Saint Joseph Church on Halsted Street to the old chapel on Jefferson Street, one of the torch bearers set fire to a veil worn by one of the young ladies. It was quickly torn off and she escaped serious injury, but the accident created quite a commotion.
Sisters of Charity come to Newton
Some time after 1881, Father Michael A. McManas (5th pastor of Saint Joseph Church from 1881-1890) established the first Catholic Cemetery on Jefferson Street and revived the parochial school. In 1886, the Sisters of Charity were brought in to teach at the school.
Decorations of the graves
On May 25, 1887, The Sussex Register reported that members of Captain Walker Post will meet at headquarters at twelve o’clock, on Monday, to decorate graves in Saint Joseph Cemetery and the Old Cemeteries before the arrival of the Post from Branchville. On September 7, 1887, it was reported that Saint Joseph Parochial School opened on Monday, with seventy (70) students in attendance under the tutelage of the Sisters of Charity.
School Closed
On April 1, 1891 The Sussex Register once again reported Saint Joseph Parochial School was closed, due to the sickness of the Sisters. On May 10, 1893, it was reported that Saint Joseph Parochial School building was about to be repaired and repainted. Also, a complaint was made that several boards have been recently stolen from the fence which enclosed the little Catholic Cemetery of this town.
School re-opened
On September 13, 1893, The Sussex Register reported that the burial grounds belonging to Saint Church have been greatly improved in appearance and on September 20, 1893, Saint Joseph Parochial School reopened last week with about sixty (60) students in attendance. It continued to be under the education of the Sisters who have been its faithful instructors for several years.
On May 23, 1894, it was reported that a new fence has been built on the northeast side of the Catholic cemetery, and the people are wondering whether the town authorities had “grit enough” to finish the straightening of the Jefferson Street line, which was begun last year.
School closed again
On September 9, 1896, Saint Joseph Parochial School was closed due to decreasing enrollment. On that same day, The Sussex Register reported that the school, which was established in 1871, had been temporarily abandoned and Sisters Aloyse, Julianna and Romanna have moved from Newton. It was thought that the enrollment of the public school would increase because of the closing of Saint Joseph School, not because of lack of merit, for it ranked high as to educational advantage.
Annual Fair
On November 23, 1889, The Sussex Register once again reported the annual fair of Saint Joseph Church would open next Saturday evening (and continue to for two weeks) in the parochial school building on Jefferson Street. An Oyster supper (from 6:00-10:00pm) and a variety of attractions would be provided, which will certainly receive a large patronage. On October 10, 1906, the second lot was sold by Saint Joseph Catholic Church to Jacob T. Beatty for $450.00. Mr. Beatty subsequently sold off four (4) lots between 1910 and 1923 from this property.
New cemetery property
On December 2, 1906, Saint Joseph Church purchased the property for the new Saint Joseph Church’s Cemetery for $573.30. On April 29, 1909, The Sussex Register reported that Thomas E. Murray removed the bodies of his father, mother, sister and brother from their resting place in the Jefferson Street Cemetery to the new cemetery on South Main Street. Seven additional bodies were also removed from the Jefferson Street cemetery of Saint Joseph Church to the new cemetery on South Main Street according to The Sussex Register dated November 18, 1909.
Sixth Grade moved to Jefferson Street
It also reported on November 18, 1909, that the Board of Education of the Town of Newton had rented the school building of Saint Joseph Church, on Jefferson Street, and the students of the Sixth Grade, who have been using the assembly hall, will be taught hereafter in the Jefferson Street building.
Cemetery Improvement
On June 16, 1910, it was reported by The Sussex Register that the old Cemetery of Saint Joseph Church on Jefferson Street has been materially improved during the past fortnight by some thorough work done under the supervision of James English. Four wagon loads of poisonous vines and roots have been taken off the fencing and the whole cemetery looked “very neat.”
The January 1911 and May 1916 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Newton shows the Catholic Cemetery on Jefferson Street with the original Catholic Church building labeled as lumber storage. From 1910 thru 1916 (and possibly into 1917) Thomas F. Farrell (who died in 1917), a builder, rented the original Church building for $2.00 per month.
Original Church
The original Church building on Jefferson Street (razed in 1927) still had much of the lumber which was still useable and was employed by the Benedict Monks in the construction of the Little Flower Monastery (Saint Paul Abbey on Route 206). The present stone wall of the cemetery along Jefferson Street was built in 1928 by George Sharp and Son at a cost of $616.87.
Boundary Line Agreement
On May 14, 1990, there was a boundary line agreement between Saint Joseph Church and the Jewish Center of Sussex County (recorded in Book 1734, pages 20-25). A brick building, built over 40 years ago (owned by the Jewish Center of Sussex County) encroached onto the old Saint Joseph Church’s Cemetery property by 8.23 feet.
A new Deed
On October 2, 2006, there was a deed between Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church and the Jewish Center of Sussex County (recorded in Book 3103, pages 215-219), whereby a piece of the old Saint Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery (8.23 feet by 93.70 feet or .018 acres) was sold by Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church to the Jewish Center of Sussex County.
Property sold to Jewish Center
On June 21, 1938, Fogelson Realty Corporation (Solomon Fogelson was then President) purchased from MM Leon R. Westbrook, the lot where the brick building was later built (Book 362, page 410 of Deeds). Leon R. Westbrook acquired the property on October 2, 1933 from Obadiah Westbrook and Laura L. his wife (Book 338, page 153 of Deeds). The brick building was built to store Fogelson Bakery’s delivery trucks. On February 1, 1967, Fogelson Realty sold this lot to Nathan Fogelson and R. Sanford Fogelson (book 815, page 329 of Deeds). On February 2, 1968, Nathan Fogelson and his wife Pauline along with R. Sanford Fogelson and his wife Lenore, sold the lot to the United Telephone Company of New Jersey (Book 829, page 149 of Deeds). On April 30, 1985, United Telephone Company of New Jersey then sold the property to the Jewish Center of Sussex County for $53,000 (Book 1210, page 195 of Deeds).