Mount Pleasant Cemetery was associated with the early Scotch Presbyterian settlement of Mount Pleasant. The site dates from the mid-18th century when a church and burial ground were established there. A church was built in 1734, with the graveyard added in 1763 on an acre of property deeded by local merchant Samuel Forman. The site served as the church and graveyard of Matawan’s original Scots settlers.
The cemetery’s associated church played a prominent role in the American Revolution. The Mount Pleasant Church’s pastor was Reverend Charles McKnight, who was strongly and vocally pro-Independence. In 1777, the church was burned down by a raiding party of Tories, and McKnight was captured. The Presbyterian congregation and its grounds had been a focal point for Patriot activity in the region.
There are at least twelve known Revolutionary War veterans buried in Mount Pleasant. Please see the following links for more information about each.
- David Amy
- Samuel Carhart
- Stephen Crawford
- William Crawford
- Thomas Geran
- Hendrick Hiers
- Mathias Hulsart
- Thomas Hunn
- John Lisk
- Cornelius Vanderhoef
- Christopher Van Pelt
- William Van Pelt
The information linked above is excerpted from Daisy Orr’s forthcoming book on Matawan’s Revolutionary War veterans. The text is still being reviewed, and the pages will be updated to reflect the most recent research.
More information about Mount Pleasant Cemetery and an index of burials there can be found at this link: Mount Pleasant Cemetery Index.