The Naugle/Auryansen
Cemetery
The Naugle/Auryansen Cemetery is significant in the early settlement period of Closter's history. Documented burials date to circa 1722 and include Dutch pioneer families with names like Vervalen, Naugle (Nagle), DeClark, Ferdon, Parsells, Auryansen, Demarest, Haring, Cole, Kearney, Montague and Bogert. Seven Soldiers, Closter farmers, who served in the Bergen County Militia during the Revolutionary war and one veteran from the War of 1812 are known to be among the interred.
The cemetery once known only as the "Burying Place," was part of the original lands purchased in 1710 by the Naugle brothers, Barent and Resolvent. They divided their lands in 1748 and the division stones carved with their initials ("BN" and "RN") are still visible in the middle of the cemetery. Later, the place became known as the Auryansen Grave Yard because this family took title to the land upon which it sits. Many of the sandstone and frame houses built by these families and their descendants are still standing in the Borough today.
In 1996, the Closter Historical Society undertook a three year project to restore the 19th century sandstone gravemarkers. At that time a complete survey was done of the tombstones in the Cemetery and Tim Adriance is in the process of preparing this information for publication. In 1961 Ralph Heaton of the American Legion obtained official granite plaques from the Veterans Administration and placed them at the foot of five Revolutionary soldiers' graves.
Various caretakers have helped maintain and clean the cemetery through the years. Presently, Tim Adriance, the Auryansen family historian is the caretaker. This is still an active cemetery. From: 1999 "Revisions and Update" of the Historic Sites Survey, by Pat Morillo for the Closter Historic Preservation Commission - attached to the Bergen County Historic Sites Survey: Borough of Closter dated 1981-1982.
The Cemetery is open to the public, but one must first obtain a key to the padlocked gates from the Closter Police Department. The cemetery is located at the end of a woodchip pathway leading off the driveway to 75 and 83 Hickory Lane. There is public access via easement on this driveway. The site is marked by a blue historical marker on Hickory Lane, on the North side of the road. From Susan Drive (off Ruckman Road), one can access the cemetery by walking up a grassy hill between #'s 42 and 50 Susan Drive, on the south side of the road. Both entrances have locked gates. The cemetery required such fencing to prevent loss through vandalism, theft and ATV use.
The Naugle/Auryansen Cemetery is significant in the early settlement period of Closter's history. Documented burials date to circa 1722 and include Dutch pioneer families with names like Vervalen, Naugle (Nagle), DeClark, Ferdon, Parsells, Auryansen, Demarest, Haring, Cole, Kearney, Montague and Bogert. Seven Soldiers, Closter farmers, who served in the Bergen County Militia during the Revolutionary war and one veteran from the War of 1812 are known to be among the interred.
The cemetery once known only as the "Burying Place," was part of the original lands purchased in 1710 by the Naugle brothers, Barent and Resolvent. They divided their lands in 1748 and the division stones carved with their initials ("BN" and "RN") are still visible in the middle of the cemetery. Later, the place became known as the Auryansen Grave Yard because this family took title to the land upon which it sits. Many of the sandstone and frame houses built by these families and their descendants are still standing in the Borough today.
In 1996, the Closter Historical Society undertook a three year project to restore the 19th century sandstone gravemarkers. At that time a complete survey was done of the tombstones in the Cemetery and Tim Adriance is in the process of preparing this information for publication. In 1961 Ralph Heaton of the American Legion obtained official granite plaques from the Veterans Administration and placed them at the foot of five Revolutionary soldiers' graves.
Various caretakers have helped maintain and clean the cemetery through the years. Presently, Tim Adriance, the Auryansen family historian is the caretaker. This is still an active cemetery. From: 1999 "Revisions and Update" of the Historic Sites Survey, by Pat Morillo for the Closter Historic Preservation Commission - attached to the Bergen County Historic Sites Survey: Borough of Closter dated 1981-1982.
The Cemetery is open to the public, but one must first obtain a key to the padlocked gates from the Closter Police Department. The cemetery is located at the end of a woodchip pathway leading off the driveway to 75 and 83 Hickory Lane. There is public access via easement on this driveway. The site is marked by a blue historical marker on Hickory Lane, on the North side of the road. From Susan Drive (off Ruckman Road), one can access the cemetery by walking up a grassy hill between #'s 42 and 50 Susan Drive, on the south side of the road. Both entrances have locked gates. The cemetery required such fencing to prevent loss through vandalism, theft and ATV use.