THE BETHESDA METHODIST CHURCH at Adelphia, once known as "The
Methodist Church of Monmouth," is said to be the oldest organized
congregation of that denomination in the county. It was formed
about 1780, and the cemetery must have been placed in use not
long after. The earliest dated burial still to be found is that
of Ellener Brewer, who died in December, 1785. (For additional
information on the history of this church, see Franklin Ellis,
Hist. of Monmouth Co. [1885], pp. 649-52.)
These records were copied Aug. 25, 1946, by a group of the Society's
"Tombstone Hounds"--namely Miss Tam D. Conover, Mr.
and Mrs. W. M. Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Pettie, Isaac M.
Philhower, Henry E. Pilch, Russell B. Rankin, and Donald A. Sinclair.
Checking was completed during the succeeding month by Mr. Rankin
and Miss Conover, and the entire work of carding, alphabetizing,
and final copying of these records has been done by Miss Conover.
* Originally published by The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey
in the following volumes,
Vol. 21, pages 84-89, October, 1946
Vol. 22, pages 19-22, January, 1947
Vol. 22, pages 43-46, April, 1947
Vol. 22, pages 63-68, July, 1947
Vol. 22, pages 93-96, October, 1947
Vol. 23, pages 15-18, January, 1948
Vol. 23, pages 36-40, April, 1948
Vol. 23, pages 61-64, July, 1948
Vol. 23, pages 88-90, October, 1948