The White Church First Presbyterian Cemetery is at 600 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge, NJ 07095-3530. You can contact the church office at (732) 634-1024.

Roads and Landmarks

Situated in Woodbridge Township, the cemetery is accessible via several major roads, including Rahway Avenue and Port Reading Avenue, which form a triangle around the property. Route 1 and the Garden State Parkway are nearby, providing convenient access from broader Middlesex County.

Notable landmarks include the Woodbridge Center Mall, just a short drive away, and Trinity Episcopal Church, located adjacent to the cemetery.

Directions to Shevchenko Monuments

To travel from White Church First Presbyterian Cemetery to Shevchenko Monuments at 329 S Florida Grove Road, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, head south on Rahway Avenue, then turn left onto Green Street. Continue onto Amboy Avenue, and after about 2.5 miles, turn right onto S Florida Grove Road. The destination will be on your left.

This roughly 4-mile journey takes approximately 10-15 minutes by car.

History and Description

This historic cemetery is part of the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, often called the "Old White Church."

Established in 1675 alongside the original Meeting House, the cemetery has been a burial ground for over three centuries. The current church, built in 1803 by Jonathan Freeman, replaced the earlier structure, and the graveyard expanded around it.

Spanning five acres, it features well-maintained grounds with tombstones dating back to 1690, earning it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Ethnicities and Religions

The cemetery primarily reflects the Puritan roots of Woodbridge's early settlers, who were of English descent. Over time, it has become a resting place for a predominantly Protestant population, with many Presbyterian congregants buried here.

Notable families like the Freemans, Cutters, and Bloomfields dominate the older sections. Later burials include veterans and community members of diverse European ancestry.

Church Affiliations

The cemetery is directly affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, the sixth-oldest Presbyterian congregation in New Jersey. Founded 1675 as a non-denominational Meeting House, it became Presbyterian in 1710.

The church, still active today, maintains the cemetery and offers historical tours, reinforcing its role as a spiritual and cultural anchor for the community.

Design Elements

As a Presbyterian cemetery with Puritan origins, the design elements feature classic colonial Christian motifs.

Early brownstone monuments display Puritan funerary art, such as "Death's Head" carvings with skulls and crossed bones, symbolizing mortality, and later "glorified soul" images with wings, reflecting hope in the afterlife.

These evolve into simpler limestone and granite markers over time, consistent with Protestant restraint.

Unique Sections

The cemetery includes several distinct sections, with older graves near the church showcasing colonial-era brownstones and fieldstones. Newer sections, often on strips extending outward, feature modern granite memorials.

Revolutionary War soldiers' graves, marked by flags, add a patriotic element. Ornate monuments, like that of a freed slave, highlight individual stories. The layout blends historical reverence with evolving burial practices.

Rules for Monuments

White Church First Presbyterian Cemetery features flexible monument rules, especially in its newer strip sections. No size, material, or design restrictions allow families creative freedom.

All colors are permitted, and photographs can be incorporated, reflecting a modern, personalized approach to memorialization. This leniency contrasts with the simpler, standardized designs of the older sections, accommodating contemporary preferences while preserving historical integrity.

Shevchenko Monuments in Perth Amboy, NJ, designs, builds, installs, and maintains memorials meeting all dimensions, material, and inscription rules.

Contact Shevchenko Monuments today to order a compliant memorial. Honor your loved one with a lasting tribute.