By Jaimie Julia Winters
About seven years ago, Doreen Bloomer, the president of the Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society, received a call from a young man in the northwest. He was researching his family history and seeking information about his ancestor, Alfred Watson, who is buried at Soldiers’ Circle in Arlington Memorial Park in Kearny. The call initiated a seven-year project to honor 754 soldiers – spanning from the Civil War to the Vietnam War – buried in Kearny.
“I went out to take a photo of the grave stone for Daniel [Dixon] and discovered I could barely read it,” she says. “Most were hard, if not impossible, to read.”
A place of honor
Known as the “Arlington of the East,” the Soldiers’ Circle is located in Arlington Memorial Park in Kearny. This small cemetery, situated on Schuyler Avenue, features a section called the Soldiers’ Circle, which contains over 750 graves. Among these are approximately 500 graves from the Civil War, as well as those of service members from later conflicts, including the Spanish-American War and the Vietnam War. Notable interments include Drummer Boy Willie McGee, who at 16 is credited with capturing Confederate guns and prisoners in the Civil War, leading to his receiving a Medal of Honor, and Medal of Honor recipient Union Navy Sailor James McIntosh. Asher Grant, a Union soldier, was the first internment in 1864, Bloomer says.
Kearny was once home to the Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors on Belgrove Drive. Operating from 1887 to 1932, today the only reminders of the home for old soldiers are the American Legion and VFW, both of which have posts located on the site. The site is now Veterans’ Field. Many of those soldiers found their final resting place in Kearny as well, Bloomer says.
“I wanted to honor each and every one of those men and to preserve the history of the Hudson County soldiers who served their country through many wars,” Bloomer says.
The long road
She reached out to Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, which owns that slice of the property, and the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (DMAVA), to begin renovation of the grounds.
“I remember the first meeting I had with the staff that consisted of approximately 12 members of DMAVA of all different ranks to explain what my vision was and how we could make this happen together,” she said. “ Respect was shown to every member of the team at all times by all, which reinforced why these veterans should be respected for giving their lives for all.”
Initially, the American flagpole and flag were replaced, and additional flagpoles and flags representing all branches of the military were installed. Bloomer collaborated with Troop 305 of the Boy Scouts and Scout Eli Jablonski, whose Eagle Scout project focused on cleaning the headstone so that the inscriptions could be read once more.
“About 100 people came out to help clean up the stones over three days. We used D2 on the stone, which was safe for the stones and the environment,” Bloomer says. “It was important. Most of the stones were so dirty, you could not read them. It was a disrespect to the veterans. It was the least we could give to the soldiers who gave so much to America.”
After discovering that 91 gravestones were crumbling and beyond repair or buried, Bloomer filed applications for replacement with the Department of Military Affairs.
“It took some time. You can only apply for 12 at a time, and each application needs information that requires research,” Bloomer says.
Some were from the Civil War, so it was difficult to find information even for a seasoned genioolgist like Bloomer. But as of today, all 91 of the broken grave stones have been replaced. Bloomer also created a database on each soldier, which she submitted to the DMAVA and will be used by the genealogy society in the future.
“We create databases because once the records are gone, the information is lost forever,” Bloomer says. “That is why we encourage people to tell their stories and pass the information down through the generations.”
What’s next
The next and last phases of the project will include raising the stones that have sunk over time, leveling the grounds, and sodding. Bloomer is also hoping to plant some trees on the property. Creator Vault Construction has been retained for this phase.
“This project showed how different organizations can work together as a team. It provided an opportunity for everyone to be a part of making a difference in this world of such unrest. More importantly, it showed respect and honor for our veterans,” Bloomer wrote on a Facebook post update on the project.
Bloomer said she hopes to hold a ceremony next summer when the project is complete, inviting family and friends of the soldiers. “This project is a labor of love and respect, and it is humbling to have so many people work on it.”
Photos courtesy the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs by Mark C. Olsen
