A cemetery once existed off South Fairview Street between Faunce Street, Pancoast Boulevard and Stecher Avenue. The property was originally owed by Matthew Allen in 1695 and it changed hands several time before J. Percy Brinton of West Chester, Pennsylvania purchased approximately 13 acres of land from William W. and John Murphy of Fairview on October 23, 1911. The “New Riverside Cemetery” Association was incorporated in Burlington County on November 22, 1911. The three original trustees were George E. Oberer, Carl Paulus and Daniel Jud. J. Percy Brinton sold 8 of the 13 acres to the newly incorporated cemetery on January 22, 1912.
By 1936, the cemetery was considered abandoned. Several families had removed the remains of their loved ones and had them reinterred in other cemeteries. The map prepared by the Veteran’s Graves Registration in 1936, showed that there were woods surrounding the grounds and that the original plot layouts had been planned and trees planted to screen the cemetery from the street. A single Civil War Veteran’s grave was noted at that time. J. Percy Brinton died in 1948. On December 8, 1948 Abraham Abromowitz bought a tax sale certificate for the 5 acre lot owned by the Estate of J. Percy Brinton. Eventually in 1968 Delran Township purchased the 5 acre lot now identified as Block 80 Lot 22 (Faunce playground). Delran Township adopted ordinance 1968-11 authorizing the payment of $2,500 to Abraham Abromowitz to obtain the land.
The Delran Township Board of Health determined by a resolution dated January 22, 1968 that the New Riverside Cemetery had become a detriment to public health and morals and a public nuisance due to the lack of maintenance. It requested that Delran Township Committee move the remaining remains to a more suitable location. On May 25, 1971, Delran Township adopted a resolution authorizing Delran Township to initiate action in the Superior Court of New Jersey to move the remains and convert the burial grounds to a park. On June 28, 1971 Delran Township appeared before Judge Martino. On July 13, 1971, Delran Township adopted 1971-50 authorizing emergency funding of $10,000 to remove the remains and legal costs. Coles Funeral Home was paid to transfer the remains to Monument Cemetery in Beverly. The remains and the existing markers were reinterred at Monument Cemetery in lots purchased by Mr. Sweeney.
Today, the land that was a cemetery is now a wooded lot adjacent to Faunce Street Playground.
