News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Speer Cemetery Update

SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 – JERSEY CITY, NJ. — The Hudson County Genealogical Society is pleased to announce improvements in the condition of historic Speer Cemetery in Jersey City made by the City of Jersey City.

Gaining attention for the cemetery has been one of the special projects of HCGS President Bob Murgittroyd who commented "I'm happy to announce that during the week of August 24, the first major improvement of the abandoned Speer Cemetery in Jersey City have been made by the City of Jersey City with the installation of a historically appropriate fence. The work was done by use of a matching grant of funds by the city to the $25,000 already approved by the Hudson County Open Trust Fund. This is just the first step in a continuing project to restore this key element of Hudson County History and the Family Histories of those interred therein.

The next step will be to use modern ground penetrating radar to locate lost graves and tombstone. After that event steps will be made to restore tombstones and add landscaping which will bring dignity back to this long forgotten part of our county."

Below are some before and after photos of the cemetery work as well a tombstone from the family of one of our HCGS members.

The Cemetery before recent work:

After recent work:

A tombstone of the Varick family: