Ely Cemetery, Hillside Ave, Livingston, NJ  07039

The Livingston Historical Society will open the historic Ely Cemetery, located on Hillside Avenue near Hillside Ter for public tours on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026 from 2 pm to 4 pm, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather updates will be posted on the Livingston Historical Society’s website: <a href="https://livingstonnjhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://livingstonnjhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/</a>.

The cemetery was established by Captain William Ely, a veteran of the French and Indian War, on a rood (quarter acre) of his land in 1777 when his daughter Elizabeth Ely Jones and her second husband, Frederick Jones, and their infant son, Benonni, all died within two weeks of each other.The plot was enlarged to its present size in 1864 by Ambrose Ely.The stone wall that surrounds the cemetery is made of rocks quarried from Riker Hill, which was part of the Ely Family’s property.

It is the private burial ground of generations of Ely’s and other prominent families with whom they intermarried such as the Vanderpoel, Dow, Goddard and Halsey families. Revolutionary War Patriot, Private Moses Ely served as a wagoner in Captain Elijah Squire’s Essex County Militia regiment.Other notable internments include the monuments of Smith Ely, Jr. served as mayor of New York City in 1877-1878, as well as two terms as a US Congressman; Edwin A. Ely, author of Personal Memoirs of Edwin E. Ely and generous benefactor of the Livingston Library and socialite Julia Smylie Dow, widow of Major Charles A. Smylie of New York. Mr. Smylie was a veteran of the Spanish American War and President of the Young and Smylie Company (Y&amp;S) Company manufacturer of Twizzler’s 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 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, sidewalk, fence 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 is gratefully accepted. Members of the High School Chapter and adult members of the Livingston Historical Society will be on hand to offer guided tours of the cemetery.

Local Event: Historic Ely Cemetery Open for Memorial Day

Essex County

Livingston

New Jersey

Historic Ely Cemetery Open for Memorial Day

The Livingston Historical Society will open the historic Ely Cemetery, located on Hillside Avenue near Hillside Ter for public...

Renee Resky

Eric Kiefer

New York City Metropolitan Area

Morris County

East Hanover-Florham Park

Millburn-Short Hills

West Orange

South Orange

Maplewood

Madison

Union County

Summit

Caldwells

Springfield

Chatham

Montclair School of Real Estate, 89 Walnut St, Montclair, NJ, 07042

<a href="https://www.montclairschoolofrealestate.com/steps-to-become-a-licensed-real-estate-agent.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CLASS INFORMATION HERE</a>
Real Estate License Course to prepare for the NJ state exam.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Get started in a new career part-time or full-time.
 EVENINGS * 6 pm - 10 pm * TUE/THUR * Start MAY 19, 2026 WEEKDAYS * 9 am - 3 pm * Start JULY 21, 2026 FAST EVENING Class * MON/WED + SAT * Start JULY 20, 2026.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; SUNDAYS * 9 am - 4:30 pm *&nbsp; MAY 3 -&nbsp; JULY 12, 2026.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;next Sunday in the Fall, 2026
Enroll&nbsp; ONLINE: <a href="https://www.montclairschoolofrealestate.com/enrolling-now-for-upcoming-classes.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">montclairschoolofrealestate.com/enrolling-now-for-upcoming-classes.html</a>
973-509-7300 or Email MontclairSchoolofRealEstate@gmail.com
AND we are re-launching a NJ Real Estate Broker Directory to help new Agents find their first broker!
If you are Hiring New or Experienced Agents - Get Listed!
<a href="https://www.njrealestateagentjobs.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.NJRealEstateAgentJobs.com</a>

Local Event: Become a NJ Real Estate Agent * IN PERSON or ONLINE * NEW Classes 

Montclair

Become a NJ Real Estate Agent * IN PERSON or...

CLASS INFORMATION HERE
Real Estate License Course to prepare for the NJ state exam.                                 Get started...

Become a NJ Real Estate Agent * IN PERSON or ONLINE * NEW Classes 

First Lutheran Church of Montclair

Join the 18+ community choir that ONLY sings rock music! NO&nbsp;AUDITIONS. Summer season starts Tuesday, May 19, 7pm, at the First Lutheran Church of Montclair. This summer our theme is “Music From the Movies”, including Footloose, Grease, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing, James Bond, Hair, and many more.&nbsp;Come try it out risk-free! Find your voice. Feed your spirit. Make new friends. For more information, visit our website RockVoices.com

Local Event: Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY...

Join the 18+ community choir that ONLY sings rock music! NO AUDITIONS. Summer season starts Tuesday, May 19, 7pm, at the First...

Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

Greenwood Gardens

<h3>Friday, May 22</h3><h3>Rain date, Saturday, May 23</h3>
<h3>5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m</h3><h3>Generously Sponsored by Stone Mountain Properties</h3>
Be wowed by the high-energy, evocative dance moves of award-winning Nimbus Dance, our area’s newest resident cultural institution. The program features Dawn Marie Bazemore’s infectiously jazzy work, The After Party, set to the music of Nina Simone and Nancy Wilson, along with Artistic Director Samuel Pott’s deeply ruminative reflection on humanity’s primal connection to the planet in Patch of Turf. The program also features a new work by Houston Thomas, in collaboration with choral composer Saunder Choi, that was recently awarded the prestigious Princess Grace Award in Choreography, and which responds to Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus,&nbsp;engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Performances by Nimbus Dance crackle with unexpected creativity and rousing athleticism. Attendees are invited to stroll through the garden starting at 5:30 p.m. and then enjoy complimentary wine and cheese on the West Terrace at 6:00 p.m. before the performance begins at 6:30 p.m.
$50 members; $55 non-members

Local Event: Greenwood Gardens Music and Dance in the Garden Series ~ Nimbus Dance

Greenwood Gardens Music and Dance in the Garden...

Friday, May 22Rain date, Saturday, May 23
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.mGenerously Sponsored by Stone Mountain Properties
Be wowed by the...

Greenwood Gardens Music and Dance in the Garden Series ~ Nimbus Dance

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Renee Resky, Neighbor

Posting Activity

Historic Ely Cemetery Open for Memorial Day

MAY

25

2:00 PM

Livingston, NJ

Become a NJ Real Estate Agent * IN PERSON or ONLINE * NEW Classes

Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

Greenwood Gardens Music and Dance in the Garden Series ~ Nimbus Dance