Groups honor veteran with ceremony
PETERSBURG — “I was out last night putting flags out and trying to envision how this was going to go,” Paul Sutton said of the ceremony May 6 to officially mark the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Henry Young.
Sutton, adjutant of Aaron Wittkamp Colwell American Legion Post 239 in Tuckahoe, served as emcee of the event, which brought local veterans and historical groups together with members of the local and state chapters of the SAR and DAR to recognize Young’s service and honor his final resting place.
Sutton told those gathered that Upper Township covers the northernmost part of Cape May County. It is a little more than 62 square miles of land and 6.5 square miles of water.
The township ranks in the top 5 percent statewide in land area but in the bottom 10 percent in population, having about 12,000 residents spread among its 10 villages.
Formed in February 1723, it was incorporated as one of the initial 104 townships in New Jersey in 1798, three years after Young’s death.
“Little is known of Henry’s post-war years, although he owned a substantial plantation and died at the family homestead near Sluice Creek and was buried in the ground that we honor today,” Sutton said.
Those assembled included Committeeman Curtis Corson, the fifth great-grandson of Henry and Millicent Young. His grandmother’s grandfather was a Young — and Lydia Corson, the couple’s seventh great-granddaughter.
“It was a lot of hard work and a lot of planning and it was really nice,” Corson said of the ceremony, noting the last time he was there was probably in 1976, when the site was cleaned up to mark the nation’s bicentennial.
“My roots are here and my heart is here,” he added. “We have the 13th generation in Upper Township. It means a lot to me; I care about the township and that’s why I am involved. My children and grandchildren live here. I have five grandchildren, three live in Upper and another is expected.”
After several days of rain, the sun came out and brightened the sky for the late-morning ceremony. Sutton said they planned for 60 guests — including descendants, members of the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution, elected officials and township emergency services employees — but estimated the crowd numbered about 80.
Young, born March 5, 1746, in Cape May County, died Nov. 6, 1795, in Petersburg at age 49. He began his service as an ensign under Capt. James Willetts Jr. in the Second Cape May Militia in 1777. He later served under Joseph Beavers in the 2 Battalion, Hunterdon Militia.
But his grave and the cemetery where it is located had long been neglected and forgotten until a couple of years ago, when Sutton took over his duties as adjutant.
“Upper Township has a very rich history,” Deputy Mayor Kim Hayes said. “To find ways to continue to recognize and acknowledge Upper Township’s history — not just in Cape May County but in the founding of our nation — is amazing. They have done a fantastic job here. It’s awesome to see everybody come together to recognize Upper Township.”
The scene was the Young Family Cemetery off Tyler Road, part of the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. It is on the highest point of the land that the Youngs once owned, 1,600 to 1,700 acres stretching all the way to Route 9. The cemetery had fallen into disrepair and Sutton said the post contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which owns the property, and they worked together to clear the path leading to the grave, Cedar Swamp Trail.
“The 11-grave cemetery had just become a place that you cannot even find unless you know exactly where you are going,” Sutton previously told the Sentinel.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife removed a 90-foot black cherry tree growing amid the graves. A large stump remains but there are plans to cut it down as low as possible to remove the obstruction.
Barbi Harris, a local genealogist and member of the General LaFayette Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, cleaned all of the stones and they now appear as they did when installed starting in 1795. They’re made of white marble, probably ship’s ballast unloaded in Port of Philadelphia and sold to a local gravestone engraver, Sutton said.
Refuge manager Robin Donohue of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service transferred to the refuge in April 2022 and began helping the VFW clean up the area.
“These folks did good stuff for us. We’ve got it on our property and we owe it to them to do what we can to maintain the cemetery and recognize them,” Donohue said.
Outfitted in their colonial garb, the New Jersey State Society of Sons of the American Revolution color guard posted colors. The Rev. Robert Costello, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, delivered the invocation.
Ray Lambert, senior vice commander of VFW Post 239, led the pledge of allegiance.
The Sons of the American Revolution pledge was led by Michael Mangum, vice president of the New Jersey State Society of Sons of the American Revolution and president of the Colonel Richard Somers chapter of the SAR.
Charles Morgan, immediate past president, State Society SAR, welcomed guests and elected officials, including U.S Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
The Rev. Deb Moore, pastor of Living Waters Veterans Memorial Chapel in Wildwood, offered the benediction.
Others taking part included Charles Morgan of the Sons of the American Revolution and Rosemary Cain Wallace of the Daughters of the American Revolution who laid wreaths on the grave.
Raymond J. Lambert Sr., vice commander of Post 239, led the Pledge of Allegiance and Mangum led the SAR Pledge.
Bill Archer, commander of VFW Post 239, delivered the closing remarks.
A reception followed the ceremony at the John Wesley Gandy Farmstead just down the road south of the Cedar Swamp Trail.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff