Rosedale Cemetery

Established in 1840, Rosedale Cemetery whispers tales of prominent figures. Rosedale Cemetery sprawls across 92 acres at the intersection of Orange, West Orange, and Montclair, New Jersey. Cyrus Baldwin’s vision shaped the cemetery’s initial design. Rosedale Cemetery became the final resting place for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Olympic athlete Platt Adams, known for his athletic prowess, rests here alongside golfing legend Jim Barnes. Congressman John L. Blake, who represented New Jersey’s 6th district, found his final resting place within Rosedale’s grounds. The melodies of composer Dudley Buck may be gone, but his legacy resonates through Rosedale Cemetery. Samuel Colgate, the entrepreneur behind Colgate-Palmolive, rests here. So does drummer Lee Crystal, a celebrated member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rosedale Cemetery also honors Mary Fenn Robinson Davis, a spiritualist and feminist who championed women’s rights. Sarah Jane Corson Downs, a prominent figure in the temperance movement, found her final home here. Charles Edison, son of the renowned Thomas Edison, and a former governor of New Jersey, is also interred at Rosedale. Civil War hero Frank Emil Fesq, recipient of the Medal of Honor, rests among the honored. Lexicographer Wilfred J. Funk, whose work shaped the English language, lies here. Althea Gibson, a trailblazing tennis star and the first African American woman to compete on the world tennis tour, is also interred at Rosedale Cemetery. The cemetery also holds the grave of Henry Judd Gray, infamous for the murder of Albert Snyder. George Huntington Hartford, former mayor of Orange and owner of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, found his final resting place in Rosedale. Frances Cox Henderson, a philanthropist who dedicated her life to helping others, rests here. Missionary and physician James Curtis Hepburn, whose contributions extended far beyond medicine, is also buried at Rosedale. Renowned painters George Inness and his son, George Inness Jr., found their final canvas within the cemetery’s peaceful embrace. The cemetery remembers cyclist Frank Louis Kramer and Radium Girl Hazel May Kuser. Poet and hymnwriter Mary Artemisia Lathbury, whose words touched countless souls, is also honored. Radium Girls Amelia Maggia and Quinta Maggia McDonald found their final rest here. Lowell Mason, a celebrated hymn composer, and architect Charles Follen McKim, who shaped the landscape of American architecture, are interred within Rosedale Cemetery. George W. Merck, a prominent figure in the pharmaceutical industry, is also buried here. John Pingry, founder of the prestigious Pingry School, rests within Rosedale’s grounds, as does Radium Girl Ruth A. Saxer. Chemist George J. Seabury also rests in Rosedale Cemetery. Actress Michelle Thomas, known for her roles in beloved sitcoms, is remembered here. George C. Tichenor, a key figure in international trade, rests at Rosedale, along with Aaron B. Tompkins, another Civil War Medal of Honor recipient. William A. Wachenfeld, a respected Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and composer George James Webb also found their final rest within the cemetery’s walls. Lastly, baseball player Earl Williams and three British Commonwealth servicemen found their final resting place here at Rosedale Cemetery.