Machpelah Cemetery, North Bergen
Encyclopedia
The Machpelah Cemetery, also spelled as "Macpelah Cemetery", or "Macphelah Cemetery", is a cemetery in Hudson County, New Jersey
.
. It is one of several burial sites along the western slope of the Hudson Palisades, which rise to the east 220 to 260 ft (67.1 to 79.2 m) above sea-level, including the adjacent Hoboken Cemetery, and nearby Grove Church Cemetery
, Weehawken Cemetery
, and Flower Hill Cemetery, which together constitute a string of green open spaces in North Hudson County
. The entrance is just north of the Tonnelle Avenue
terminus of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail.
: מערת המכפלה, Me'arat HaMachpela, Trans.
"Cave of the Double Tombs"; Al Magharah, "the Cave") is a series of subterranean caves located in Hebron
, Israel
.
, which contained a celebrated and exotic garden, locally called the "Frenchman's Garden", since the well-known botanist André Michaux
was commissioned by the King of France, Louis XVI in 1786 as a botanist with the ability to import any plant, tree or vegetable from France that was desired by the United States. It also featured a variety of plants collected from the United States, as well as plants from all over the world. It was enclosed in a stone wall, roughly 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) and kept by the gardener Paul Saunier. The Lombardy poplar was originally stocked in the garden, and, introduced into commerce, eventually spread throughout the United States.
of then New Durham
, land at Machpelah Cemetery was first used for burial purposes in 1850. The cemetery was officially opened in 1853, by the Third Reformed Presbyterian Church Society of New York, and thus, was for many years strictly a Protestant cemetery. It was considered to be a minor suburban burial ground for the New York Area during the 19th century, as most of the surrounding vicinity of Hudson was sparsely occupied. Typical grave depths are approximately six feet, where roughly half of those dug reveal sand. Trap rock
lies underneath most of the Palisades' ridge, and the soil has been described as being hard and compact, and thus difficult to dig through. Other sediments varying throughout the cemetery are yellowish earth, loose drift gravel, and pockets of sand.
Overall, the grounds at Machpelah cemetery are approximately 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). Because of the steep grade of the grounds and the eventual descent into the surrounding marshes in Secaucus
, contamination of wells, springs, and water-courses in the surrounding area is very low. It has offices that are on the cemetery grounds, and it had one at 108 West 25th street, New York City
. Although it has historically been a Protestant cemetery, it has buried other religious sects, and has even been listed as a Jewish burial ground. There are 9 American Civil War
veterans graves at Machpelah Cemetery.
A report from 1879 states that 2,500 graves lie in the cemetery, where the price of a grave annually was about $100, and in the next century it was reported to have over 18,000 bodies in it. Much of the grounds are now occupied.
In 1900, many who died in the massive fire on the Hoboken piers
the SS Saale, and SS Bremen
on the North River (Hudson River) were interred at the cemetery and the adjacent Flower Hill
in gravesites purchased by the shipping company.
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
.
Location
Machpelah Cemetery is located at 5810 Tonnelle Avenue, in North Bergen, New JerseyNorth Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
. It is one of several burial sites along the western slope of the Hudson Palisades, which rise to the east 220 to 260 ft (67.1 to 79.2 m) above sea-level, including the adjacent Hoboken Cemetery, and nearby Grove Church Cemetery
Grove Church Cemetery
The Grove Church Cemetery is a nonsectarian cemetery, located on the western slope of the Hudson Palisades, along with several other cemeteries in a string of green open space, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The Grove Church, who owns the cemetery, is one of the oldest religious...
, Weehawken Cemetery
Weehawken Cemetery
The Weehawken Cemetery, like neighboring Hoboken Cemetery, is not located in its namesake town of Weehawken but rather on the western slope of the Hudson Palisades in North Bergen, New Jersey, with its main entrance on Bergen Turnpike. At its east side the cemetery is overlooked by the Bergen Crest...
, and Flower Hill Cemetery, which together constitute a string of green open spaces in North Hudson County
North Hudson, New Jersey
North Hudson is the collective name of the municipalities of Weehawken , Union City , West New York , Guttenberg and North Bergen in Hudson County, New Jersey...
. The entrance is just north of the Tonnelle Avenue
Tonnelle Avenue (HBLR station)
Tonnelle Avenue is a station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail located at 51st Street in North Bergen, New Jersey. The station opened for service on February 25, 2006....
terminus of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail.
Name
Machpelah is a name given to numerous cemeteries in the United States. The Cave of the Patriarchs or the Cave of Machpelah (HebrewHebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
: מערת המכפלה, Me'arat HaMachpela, Trans.
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
"Cave of the Double Tombs"; Al Magharah, "the Cave") is a series of subterranean caves located in Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Before the cemetery
Machpelah is contained within Lot No. 18 in then MaislandMaisland
Maisland, or Mais Land was an area in Hudson County, New Jersey.-Location:The region of Maisland was located on the western slope of the Hudson Palisades....
, which contained a celebrated and exotic garden, locally called the "Frenchman's Garden", since the well-known botanist André Michaux
André Michaux
André Michaux was a French botanist and explorer.-Biography:Michaux was born in Satory, now part of Versailles, Yvelines. After the death of his wife within a year of their marriage he took up the study of botany and was a student of Bernard de Jussieu...
was commissioned by the King of France, Louis XVI in 1786 as a botanist with the ability to import any plant, tree or vegetable from France that was desired by the United States. It also featured a variety of plants collected from the United States, as well as plants from all over the world. It was enclosed in a stone wall, roughly 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) and kept by the gardener Paul Saunier. The Lombardy poplar was originally stocked in the garden, and, introduced into commerce, eventually spread throughout the United States.
Use as a burial site
Located in the Bergenwood sectionBergenwood, North Bergen
Bergenwood is a long narrow district of North Bergen, New Jersey in the northern central part of the township between Kennedy Boulevard and Tonnelle Avenue, characterized by the steep slopes on the west side of the Hudson Palisades as they descend to the New Jersey Meadowlands...
of then New Durham
New Durham, North Bergen
New Durham is an area of North Bergen, New Jersey near the foot of Union Turnpike and Bergen Turnpike, and south of the Tonnelle Avenue Station of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail...
, land at Machpelah Cemetery was first used for burial purposes in 1850. The cemetery was officially opened in 1853, by the Third Reformed Presbyterian Church Society of New York, and thus, was for many years strictly a Protestant cemetery. It was considered to be a minor suburban burial ground for the New York Area during the 19th century, as most of the surrounding vicinity of Hudson was sparsely occupied. Typical grave depths are approximately six feet, where roughly half of those dug reveal sand. Trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
lies underneath most of the Palisades' ridge, and the soil has been described as being hard and compact, and thus difficult to dig through. Other sediments varying throughout the cemetery are yellowish earth, loose drift gravel, and pockets of sand.
Overall, the grounds at Machpelah cemetery are approximately 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). Because of the steep grade of the grounds and the eventual descent into the surrounding marshes in Secaucus
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
, contamination of wells, springs, and water-courses in the surrounding area is very low. It has offices that are on the cemetery grounds, and it had one at 108 West 25th street, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Although it has historically been a Protestant cemetery, it has buried other religious sects, and has even been listed as a Jewish burial ground. There are 9 American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veterans graves at Machpelah Cemetery.
A report from 1879 states that 2,500 graves lie in the cemetery, where the price of a grave annually was about $100, and in the next century it was reported to have over 18,000 bodies in it. Much of the grounds are now occupied.
In 1900, many who died in the massive fire on the Hoboken piers
1900 Hoboken Docks Fire
The 1900 Hoboken Docks Fire killed at least 326 persons in and around the Hoboken, New Jersey piers of the Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping company...
the SS Saale, and SS Bremen
SS Bremen (1897)
The SS Bremen, later renamed Constantinople and then King Alexander, was a German Barbarossa class ocean liner commissioned in 1897 by Norddeutscher Lloyd.-History:...
on the North River (Hudson River) were interred at the cemetery and the adjacent Flower Hill
Flower Hill Cemetery, North Bergen
Flower Hill Cemetery is located in North Bergen, New Jersey. It is cojoined with Hoboken Cemetery and Machpelah Cemetery.-Notable burials:*Ed Alberian children's television actor and entertainer...
in gravesites purchased by the shipping company.
External links
- Aerial view of Hoboken, Machpelah, and Flower Hill at Graveinfo
- Find a Grave at Machpelah Cemetery
- Civil War Gravestones at Machpelah at New Jersey Civil War Gravestones