Our Historical Cemetery

We are located in the heart of Morris County, rich with history, and the First Presbyterian Church of Rockaway is a significant part of this historical narrative. Our historical burial ground serves many purposes and remains an active burial site. The Rockaway cemetery offers various options for burial, including family, single, and double lots. Additionally, we have introduced a new columbarium, a structure with built-in niches for storing urns.

Part of the present-day Rockaway cemetery is believed to have once served as an old Native American burial ground. Colonial settlement took hold here in Rockaway around the year 1720, and tradition holds that this specific location was chosen as a burial ground by the earliest families. The Presbyterian Church was founded and organized on March 2, 1758, and the oldest gravestone dates back to April 8th, 1762.

There are an estimated 47 Revolutionary War veterans buried in this historical burial ground, including a Hessian soldier. Some accounts suggest that around 100 individuals buried here participated in the conflict. The cemetery also contains 16 veterans of the War of 1812, 6 service members from the