Tangled Family Lines at First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rockaway, New Jersey

On May 9, 2026 I visited the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey. It was a rainy day, so the stones were darkened. I prefer overcast, dry days for cemetery visits, but this is how the schedule worked out.

This is an active church and cemetery. This is their website.

I saw some Wiggins stones. More articles on Wiggins are coming.

Jody at grave of Daniel G Wiggins (1827-1895) and wife Phebe Belcher (1830-1888).
First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey.
May 9, 2026.

Daniel Gard Wiggins (1827-1895) was a granduncle of Sarah Lavinia Merritt (1842-1909), wife of Private Charles Youmans Cook (1833-1913). Charles was the reason for this visit.

Elizabeth Minton (1822-1901) and husband Jonathan Wiggins (1820-1877).
First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey.
May 9, 2026.

Jody at the Cook/Merritt graves.
First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey.
May 9, 2026.

Here's the stone of Catherine Shaw (1825-1891). She was the first wife of Nicholas Keating (1825-1898). After Catherine's death, Nicholas remarried to Mary Neil (1830-1898), my third great-grandmother. Finding this marriage lead to discovering the names of her parents. 

Jody at the grave of Catherine Shaw (1825-1891),
wife of Nicholas Keating.
First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey.
May 9, 2026.

Tangled lines: Catherine Shaw was a granddaughter of Conrad Hopler (1730-1816), making her a first cousin, once removed of Mary Neil's first husband, my third great-grandfather, Calvin Cook (1826-1889).

Marion Laurel Lutter 1952-2026

Marion Laurel Lutter passed away on May 1, 2026. She was 73 years old.

Jody and her aunt, Marion
July 12, 2025
Her last birthday

Marion was the youngest child and only daughter of Clifford Lutter (1915-1980) and Beulah Bernice Cook (1921-2003). She was born in Newark, New Jersey on July 12, 1952.

1958
Howard, Clifford, Marion, David

In 1970 Marion graduated from Barringer High School in Newark.

Marion's high school graduation photo
1970

Marion trained as a hairdresser and beautician.

She joined The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in 1972.

Installation of Marion
May 26, 1972

Later Marion specialized in billing for medical offices.

Family photographs and documents wound up in Marion's custody. I have them now.

May 2011

When the prior generation is gone, you cannot ask them questions. There will be no more stories, no more explanations, no more naming the mysterious people in unmarked photos.

Thanksgiving 2009
Howard, Marion, Clifford, David

Marion is survived by a son and two grandchildren, two brothers, one first cousin, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces, great-grandnephews, and countless second, third, fourth, fifth and beyond cousins.

Three Plainfields in New Jersey

Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey.

To the northwest is North Plainfield, a borough in Somerset County.

To the south is South Plainfield, a borough in Middlesex County.

Below is a map of these boundaries.

Map showing shared boundaries of North Plainfield, Plainfield, and South Plainfield.
New Jersey Department of Transportation

Below is a map of the wider area within New Jersey.

Map showing area of New Jersey containing the three Plainfields.
Map of New Jersey Department of Transportation

Accuracy is important in genealogy. The location of an event or residence is where we would begin looking for records. The counties recorded marriages until the later 1800s, when state filing took over. The counties still process and maintain probate records.

I just realized this tricky naming pattern spread across three counties and thought I'd share with fellow New Jersey researchers.