Death And Twizzlers: Tour Livingston's Ely Cemetery On Memorial Day

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Livingston Historical Society will open the historic Ely Cemetery on Hillside Avenue for public tours on Memorial Day, Monday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. COVID protocols will be observed.

The cemetery was established in 1777 by Captain William Ely, a veteran of the French and Indian War, on a rood (quarter acre) of his land. He built is after daughter Elizabeth Ely Jones, her husband Frederick Jones, and their young son Benonni all died within two weeks of each other. (The Historical Society is not sure of the exact cause of deaths, but believes they were from a disease such as small pox.)

After that, the cemetery became the private burial ground for many other Ely relatives. It also included members of of prominent families who married into the Ely family, such as the Vanderpoel, Dow, Goddard and Halsey families.

Among those buried are socialite Julia Smylie Dow, widow of Major Charles A. Smylie of New York. Smylie, a veteran of the Spanish American War, was also president of the Young and Smylie (Y&S) Company, manufacturer of Twizzlers licorice candy.

The cemetery also contains several examples of antique sandstone slabs, granite headstones and marble tablets, some with typical New England cherub carvings while others are almost illegible due to age.

The last person interred in the cemetery was Janet Halsey Olstead, an eighth generation descendent of Captain Ely, who died in 1978.

The cemetery was abandoned for many years until 1983, when trusteeship was granted to the Livingston Historical Society by order of the New Jersey Superior Court. Over the years volunteers have cleaned up the overgrowth of brush and repaired many plots. More recently, the Livingston Department of Public Works has helped to maintain the lawn and fallen trees surrounding the cemetery wall.

The public is invited to informal tours free of charge. A suggested donation of $5 per person to help with the upkeep of this historical landmark are gratefully accepted.

In case of inclement weather updates will be posted on the Livingston Historical Society’s website:
https://livingstonnjhistorical... .