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Draft:Retan Cemetery

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  • Comment: Still has the issues that got the article moved into draftspace, because you haven't attempted to find other sources (the formatting issues are secondary to the sourcing). I dream of horses (Hoofprints) (Neigh at me) 19:30, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

Retan (Reton) Cemetery: A historic, inactive cemetery in Fort Lee, New Jsrsey.

A 1992 survey.[1] conducted by the [2]Bergen County, New Jersey[3] Department of Parks[4] lists the following people buried at the cemetery:

  1. Our / Jimmey & Gregory
  2. In / Memory of, / Rachel / Rothery. / Died Febr. 21 / 1876. / Age 86 Years.
  3. In Memory of / James Reton / Died September 25, 1866 / Age 25 Years 4 Months / and 1 Day. / [
  4. Sacred / to the memory of / Sarah. / Wife of / Daniel Reton / Departed this life / Dec. 21, 1852. / Age 61 Years / 4 mo.s & 11 days ./

A list of thirteen people, inclusive of the four founded by the 1992 survey appear on the web site FindAgrave.com[5]

The name of the Cemetery

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The name Retan is exonym by residents of Fort Lee, after the impressive stone bearing the name of a James Reton (d.1866).

In Bergen County, New Jersey, the family Reton was affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church in Hackensack, New Jersey[6][7][8][9].

The Fort Lee Department of Public Works who is responsible for its care, refers to the cemetery as the "Retan Cemetery"[10].

Gravestones

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A 1992 A 1992 survey showed four gravestone. In August 2024, four gravestones are visible, and one gravestone is sunk below grade (see below).

Photos of extant gravesites

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The following gravestones were observed in August, 2024.

Our Jimmey and Gregory
Our Jimmey and Gregory
Sara Reton Reton Historical Cemetery, Fort Lee NJ 2024
Sara Reton Reton Historical Cemetery, Fort Lee NJ 2024
Rachel Reton
Rachel Reton
James Reton, Reton Historical Cemetery Fort Lee NJ 2024
James Reton, Reton Historical Cemetery Fort Lee NJ 2024
Sunk gravestone, Retan Historic Cemetery, Fort Lee, NJ 2024
Sunk gravestone, Unknown person, Retan Historic Cemetery, Fort Lee, NJ 2024

Sunken graves

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The New Jersey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) assessed the Cemetery in the early 2020[11]. Based on that assessment and the Last Will of James Reton[12], the DAR concluded that twelve graves were originally erected.

Location and ownership

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The cemetery is located on Edwin Avenue, Fort Lee, New Jersey nearest to house number 2030A. The Block and Lot are: 4458 / 11 which in May 2022 was noted is the Geographic Information System (GIS) - Bergen County as owned by the "Borough of Fort Lee".[13]. IN May 2022, the official assessment of the land value was $58,000 and class 15E (cemetery)[14])[15]. The Geographic Information System (GIS) - Bergen County (GIS) study's PAMS_PIN is 0219_4458_11.

In 1992 the entrance in 1992 appears to be with wide cement stairs[16] In 2024 the stair-pathway to the Cemetery is partially blocked[17] apparently due to constructions on an adjacent property.

According to a plaque installed at the cemetery's east side:

"Donated by The City of Fort Lee and Main Street Management The Crevani and Marchesi Families September, 1989"

References

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  1. ^ Archive Record, Bergen County, New Jersey, Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs Archives. See link for 1992 Retan Cemetery under https://ppwebassets.s3.amazonaws.com/release/42981/0430821d-c2b3-46dc-910f-f175a9611f54.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ5CJ5FUKH3PRGTNA&Expires=1727735808&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3D"Click%20here%20for%20Reton%20Cemetery%20Survey.pdf"&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&Signature=H5TvRcmfTsJuFHKyZNJV8dW1Nps%3D link: "Click%20here%20for%20Reton%20Cemetery%20Survey.pdf"&res https://ppwebassets.s3.amazonaws.com/release/42981/0430821d-c2b3-46dc-910f-f175a9611f54.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ5CJ5FUKH3PRGTNA&Expires=1727735808&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3D"Click%20here%20for%20Reton%20Cemetery%20Survey.pdf"&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&Signature=H5TvRcmfTsJuFHKyZNJV8dW1Nps%3D retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  2. ^ Bergen County
  3. ^ Recorder: Nancy A. Shunfenthal, Block and Lot: 4458/11
  4. ^ Bergen County, Department of Parks, Inventory 0219-C2
  5. ^ "Retan Historic Cemetery in Fort Lee, New Jersey - Find a Grave Cemetery". Find a Grave.
  6. ^ For example, Sara Retan 1824-1865 https://www.njgsbc.org/files/familyfiles/g0/p628.htm et seq.
  7. ^ For example, Rachel Retan m. Daniel Retan, dates unknown https://www.njgsbc.org/files/familyfiles/p1284.htm#i42391 et seq. retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  8. ^ See also The Zabriskie Family, by Goerge Olin Zabriskie, Three Hundred and One Year History of the Descendants of Albrecht Zabrowski, Volume I, 1963, page 88https://archive.org/stream/zabriskiefamilyt01zabr_0/zabriskiefamilyt01zabr_0_djvu.txt retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  9. ^ The Old Dutch Church at Totowa Paterson New Jersey by William Nelson, Copyright 1892, Baptismal Register 1756-1808, page 71 retrieved: https://www.erikvanblaricum.nl/download/historyofolddutc01nels.pdf retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  10. ^ Bergen County, New Jersey GIS Survey Parcel Viewer, PAMS_PIN 0219_4458_11, Owner Name: Borough of Fort Lee, 309 Main Street, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 https://bchapeweb.co.bergen.nj.us/parcelviewer/ retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  11. ^ www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1635454/retan-historic-cemetery
  12. ^ George H, Budke Collection Data. Collection consists of manuscripts and transcripts of materials on Rockland County, N.Y., and Bergen County, N.J.Includes original manuscripts, photostats, typewritten manuscripts of land papers consisting mainly of 18th century Indian deeds, patents, unrecorded deeds, leases, surveys, and maps. Also, correspondence, family histories, copies of tombstone inscriptions, extracts from early newspapers, and other materials. Budke, George H. (George Henry), 1868-1948 (Collector) Date Created: 1798 - 1948. Library locations: Manuscripts and Archives Division. Shelf locator: MssCol 423. URL: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/george-h-budke-collection#/?tab=about retrieved October 6, 2024
  13. ^ Bergen County, New Jersey, GIS Survey updated May 2022
  14. ^ "Cemeteries and Graveyards" means real property solely devoted to or held for use as a cemetery, graveyard, or burial ground." https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-18-12-2-2 retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  15. ^ https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-18-12-2-2# retrieved: Sept. 30, 2024
  16. ^
    1992 Entrance to the Cemetery
    1992 Entrance to the Retan Cemetery, Fort Lee NJ
  17. ^ See photo from August 2024: showing stairway blocked on the right. In 2024 the entrance is through the rocky area.