LAYTON CEMETERY

Layton was first settled around 1800 by John Layton and was known as Centreville, the settlement is located roughly in the middle of the township at the confluence of Layton-Bevans Road (CR 640), Tuttles Corner-Dingmans Road (CR 560), and Layton-Hainesville Road (CR 645).1 In 1861, John B. Layton petitioned Washington, D.C. for mail delivery. The petition was in the name of Centerville, but that name was already being used by another community in the state. The name “Laytons” was assigned to this area, named for Layton who had put forth the petition. The name was later changed by the Post Office Department by dropping the ‘s’.1

The original portion of the cemetery located on County Route 645 was connected to the Layton (Centreville) Church. The land on which the former church and the cemetery are located dates back to 1801 when James Faurot purchased 131.95-acres of land from the Rutherfurd family. On March 27, 1828, Faurot and his wife, Elizabeth, deeded 1.17-acres of land to the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church with the trustees consisting of Isaac Losey, Faurot, John Depue, Peter Young and Isaac Bedell.2

According to his death certificate, Joseph Van Blarcom is buried here, though there is no headstone. It is possible he is buried with one of his wives (Mary Bevans or Sarah Ackerson), both of which are buried here. Mary's headstone lists her widowed name, Shay, instead of her maiden name, Bevans. Her first husband, Coe Shay, is also buried here.

1Layton, New Jersey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layton,_New_Jersey. Accessed February 2016.

2Sweetman, Jennie. "Layton Cemetery project finally nearing completion." New Jersey Herald. March 1, 2014 Published: http://www.njherald.com/story/24861595/layton-cemetery-project-finally-nearing-completion#. Accessed February 2016.