The Potters' Field in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey

This is my Easter blog post. The photo doesn’t look very festive, does it? Bear with me and you’ll see the connection. 

One of my coworkers asked me last week if I’d ever seen the Potter’s Field near Mount Laurel, New Jersey, where he lives. He stopped to take photos and showed them to me. No, as a matter of fact, I had no idea this existed. My network of cemetery-tolerant friends has expanded over the years, so I do appreciate when they go to the trouble of visiting and snapping photos of cemeteries when on vacation, or just see something they think might interest me. How else would I have seen writer Douglas Adams’ grave in London’s Highgate Cemetery, or the magnificent cemeteries of San Juan and Barcelona? With the help of my friend, Charlie, my reach has extended to Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

The photos you see are mine, which I made when I visited the site a week later. Strangely, it does not show up on Google Maps or on the Find a Grave app. Search for cemetery, graveyard, or Potters Field, and it does not appear. But there it is, on the west side of the road, clear as day. An acre of sandy high ground, bordered by trees. A bit of scrappy foliage behind it, separating the graveyard ghosts from the homes nearby. The edges of the property are marked with two four-foot-tall white wooden posts with the words “Potters Field” engraved on them. The small, engraved monument you see here sits in the center of the one-acre plot.

This Potter’s Field is on Union Mill Road in Evesboro, about a half mile north of Church Road. Its location coordinates are 39° 55.182′ N, 74° 55.428′ W, according to one of the only mentions I could find on the internet, the Historical Marker Data Base. I walked around the plot of ground, Schumann's haunting Cello Concerto in A Minor playing in my head. 

The inscription on the monument states:

In 1743, John Penn deeded to Evesham Twp. this one acre of land for "strangers deceased, therein, Negro slaves, and poor...for evermore." 

I have no idea when this was installed, or what its predecessor may have looked like (if there was one). I assume the townspeople got together and had the monument made (since it looks like it was probably made sometime within the past few decades), with perhaps the original words inscribed on it. What little I could find on the internet is that an elderly resident of Mount Laurel volunteers to cut the grass on the plot. I assume John Penn was a descendant of William Penn. Oddly, there appears to be nothing about this Potter’s Field that I can find on the internet, other than the citation I mentioned above. When might the last burial have occurred? And did anyone know the person's identity?

So, what is a “potter’s field, anyway?” (We're getting close to the Easter connection here....) Potters’ Fields are so named for the Bible story in which Judas, after betraying Jesus, hung himself. The priests who had paid him to betray Jesus used the money to buy a plot of ground for his burial in a field where potters extracted red clay to make ceramic pottery. Judas would not have been allowed burial in any established ground. This potter’s field was to be used for criminals, strangers, and the poor who could not afford burial elsewhere. Hence the connection to Easter. Judas betrayed Jesus, Jesus was put to death on Good Friday. Here we are with Easter just around the corner. 

And so the tradition of the Potters’ Field continues through the years. People who were not allowed to be buried in sanctified, consecrated ground, people who couldn’t afford to be buried elsewhere, were, and still are - buried in potters fields. While I am fascinated by abandoned cemeteries, Potters’ Fields intrigue me, perhaps because they are often the final resting place of abandoned people.

In my book, Abandoned and Forgotten Cemeteries of Philadelphia and its Environs (publication date June 30, 2025), I mention that in many areas of the country, if you died a pauper, a warehoused resident of an insane asylum, or simply died when you were passing through town, you were likely buried in a Potters’ Field. Sometimes records are kept of Potters’ Field burials, e.g. is done by the Delaware State Hospital, in its Potters' Field in New Castle, Delaware. Philadelphia has no burial records for its most famous Potters’ Field, Washington Square Park. The Potters’ Field at ChesLen Preserve in West Chester, PA, while having a lovely flower garden and signage, has no record of its burials.

Washington Square Park (Seventh and Walnut Streets) in Philadelphia's historic district was originally used as a mass grave for thousands of British and American soldiers during the American Revolution, but it continued to be a strangers’ burial ground, a home for the poor and unclaimed dead, up until 1815. Established as a Potters Field by William Penn in 1706, it is unlikely that any of its thousands of burials were recorded. I doubt any records exist for those buried here in Mount Laurel. I wonder how many are interred?

So as we near Easter, lets remember all these unremembered people. They may have had terrible lives, and deaths, but least they’re at peace now. Someone remembered them and dropped an old bible in front of the stone. There are a few yellow daffodils growing in the plot, trying desperately to remind us of rebirth in this rather plain, almost desolate field -  new life blooming in the springtime. Two deer watched me cautiously from the woods, thinking deer thoughts, as I roamed the site. Happy Easter everyone.

To pre-order a copy of Abandoned and Forgotten Cemeteries of Philadelphia and its Environs (publication date June 30, 2025), please visit any one of these sites:

https://www.amazon.com/Abandoned-Forgotten-Cemeteries-Philadelphia-Environs/dp/1634995236

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abandoned-and-forgotten-cemeteries-of-philadelphia-and-its-environs-ed-snyder/1146630922

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Abandoned-Forgotten-Cemeteries-Philadelphia-Its/Ed-Snyder/9781634995238

"Buried Philadelphia: The Cemeteries and Burial Grounds of the City of Brotherly Love" - Interview with the Author

My friend Jenn O’Donnell has a new book out, entitled, Buried Philadelphia: The Cemeteries and Burial Grounds of the City of Brotherly Love (Fonthill Media, 2025). After purchasing a copy of the book, I had some questions! Photographing and researching cemeteries in Philadelphia has been one of my passions, so I was surprised by how much I did not know! Jenn graciously agreed to an interview. Here’s a synopsis of her book, followed by my interview. All photos are Jenn's and can be found in her book. Enjoy!

Explores the city's cemeteries, blending history, art, and recreation in forgotten burial grounds transformed into urban green spaces.

Many of Philadelphia’s oldest graveyards have been lost to time in the name of progress and expansion. The cityscape changes, the remains of the dead are moved (or not) to new locations, and new buildings are erected. Modern Philadelphia still contains dozens of burial grounds, from the tiny Colonial-era churchyards of Old City to the sprawling acreage of the once rural cemeteries fashioned after Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, numerous remaining cemeteries in the city are simply running out of space and as lot sales and burials dwindle, so does the money for upkeep and maintenance.

1.        Welcome Jenn! Can you tell us why you wrote this book?

I’ve been interested in photography since high school when I took three years of classes learning to shoot and develop film and make prints in a darkroom. As an adult I developed an interest in cemetery photography after realizing these places are some of the most beautiful and peaceful spots around. When the publisher of the Buried America series approached me asking if I would be interested in doing a book about Philadelphia cemeteries, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!

2.        People likely think of cemeteries as stagnant, or at least staid, entities. You obviously know differently. Can you share some insight with us into what it takes to keep a cemetery from falling apart …and why it is that we should care.

I describe myself as a taphophile, someone who enjoys and appreciates cemeteries. I don’t consider myself morbid, just fascinated by the human desire to bury our loved ones in graveyards and erect varied monuments in their memory. Cemeteries are full of art and history, and are a reflection of the society in which they exist. That’s why I care, and why I think others should as well.

Mary Adele Hirst monument, Cathedral Cemetery, West Philadelphia

Many people think a cemetery is forever, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. All of them need fairly massive amounts of labor and money to keep their grounds looking nice and the gates open, so when normal revenue streams dry up and the space is filled, the cemetery needs to find alternatives to pay the bills.

Bald Cypress tree in West Oak Lane's Northwood Cemetery

3.        You talk about “recreational opportunities” offered by cemeteries. Does it bother people, in your experience, when cemeteries host concerts, tours, or craft markets?

There is certainly a small, but sometimes very vocal group of people who think any activity in a cemetery that isn’t directly related to a funeral or mourning should be barred from cemeteries and there are plenty of cemeteries that do not allow recreational activities on their grounds. However, Victorian-era rural cemeteries were intended to be places where people could enjoy the grounds and sculpture, have a picnic, or otherwise relax. I find more often than not, people are intrigued by the idea of spending leisure time at their local cemetery—even more so when they realize most modern cemeteries cannot survive without the interest and support of their neighbors.

4.        Your great experience volunteering in cemeteries provides us with many behind-the-scenes glimpses at these properties that most people have never thought about. For instance, you say it is a common misconception that all graves have a marker of some sort, and that Woodlands Cemetery has “grave gardeners.” Can you share with us any other behind-the-scenes cemetery stories not in your book?

In my experience, Jewish cemeteries are the most welcoming to researchers or photographers. Mikveh Israel required picking up gate keys to access the Spruce Street and Federal Street cemeteries, and they seemed excited that I was interested in including their historic properties in my book. Active cemeteries can sometimes be provincial places, but the greater-Philadelphia area’s Jewish cemeteries were so accommodating. I didn’t have time to visit the third Mikveh Israel cemetery on Market Street, but I hope to sometime soon.

5.        “About the Author” says that you’ve photographed over 150,000 headstones for findagrave.com. That is a staggering number! Tell us a bit about that.

Entrance to the 1692 Hood Cemetery, Germantown

I joined findagrave.com in 2008 because I was interested in genealogy and found the website a great way to search for new information. The website is collaborative, and users from all over the world add information and take photos of graves for other people. After having some photo requests fulfilled for my own ancestors, I thought, “I can do this for other people” so I started fulfilling requests at my local cemeteries. That led to me photographing as many graves as possible when visiting a cemetery, something findagrave.com members refer to as “mowing the rows”.

6.        Looking through “Buried Philadelphia,” one sees a great variety of gravemarker styles. Do you have a favorite?

My favorite marker styles are white bronze monuments (referred to as “zinkies”) or tree stump tombstones. Porcelain portraits are a close third. I find each of these styles a unique departure from a basic flat or slant marker that you see by the thousands in most cemeteries. White bronze monuments fascinate me because they are made of metal panels and are hollow. Not only have they stood the test of time, but it’s fun to knock on them and hear the reverb.

7.        Being a cemetery traveler myself, I was fascinated by your photo of the silver-painted cast-iron angel grave marker on page 64. That is quite unique. May I ask where you found her?

Cast iron marker, St. Dominic Cemetery

I came across that cast-iron angel at Saint Dominic Roman Catholic Church Cemetery https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1973644/saint-dominic-roman-catholic-cemetery in the Holmesburg section of Northeast Philly.  A lot of the monuments in this cemetery are what I would consider pretty standard looking, but there are some definite gems like this one.

8.        Related to my opening remarks, I am curious what you see as the future state of Philadelphia cemeteries. What do you think these wonderful memory gardens will look like in 20 years?

I think most cemeteries, especially those in Philadelphia, are reaching a point where they are quickly running out of space for new lot sales and interments. Some have pivoted to less space intensive options like columbaria or niches for cremains, but I think all of them will face challenges as income declines. In the next 20 years, I think we will see more cemeteries facing dereliction or abandonment if they don’t come up with new ways to bring in money. Some cemeteries that are planning ahead have looked for new ways to keep their properties relevant that have nothing to do with burials such as events and programming.

Obelisks in Cathedral Cemetery, West Philadelphia

9.        I’m sure there are many fascinating stories you can tell about your cemetery travels, your volunteer work, and so on. Do you have any speaking engagements scheduled, now that your book has been published? I am sure that people would like to ask you questions!

I do not have any speaking engagements scheduled that I can share, but I’m working on scheduling some with local organizations. I’ll be sure to share any confirmed dates on my Instagram account @cems_and_things.

10.   Are there any other books that you are working on?

I’m working on a second book for Fonthill Media/America Through Time’s Buried America series tentatively titled, “Philadelphia’s Mount Moriah Cemetery: The Ruin and Rebirth of the City’s Largest Cemetery”.  I’ve been volunteering at Mount Moriah for well over a decade and as the current board president it’s a subject I’m quite knowledgeable about. This book will hopefully hit stores sometime in 2026.

11.   Would you like to leave us with any parting comments about Philadelphia’s cemeteries?

Many of Philadelphia’s cemeteries have seen better days and there are some that don’t regularly have visitors anymore. My hope is that my book sheds a little light on why these places are important to the fabric of the city and that the photos are intriguing enough that more people will become cemetery explorers.

To purchase a copy of Jenn’s book, Buried Philadelphia: The Cemeteries and Burial Grounds of the City of Brotherly Love, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/Buried-Philadelphia-Cemeteries-Grounds-Brotherly/dp/1625451504

On behalf of the Cemetery Traveler readership, I would like to thank Jenn O’Donnell for spending some time wish us and with her great success with this and her next book!