For the past year and a half, Millburn High School student Aleksia (Leksi) Kulp juggled the demands of schoolwork, the MHS fencing team, and a great many other claims on her time, while also researching and creating for the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society a comprehensive report on the White Oak Ridge/Parsil family cemetery at Parsonage Hill and White Oak Ridge Roads. Leksi’s many, many hours of meticulous research on the history of the people interred in the cemetery were committed to her Girl Scout Troop 20491 Gold Award Project, and to finally compiling for the historical society — and cemetery visitors — a detailed history of the final resting place of members of Millburn’s Parsil family pioneer settlers on The Ridge. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, earned by only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts.
About 46 people are interred in the cemetery, but some grave markers are missing, making it difficult to get an exact number of burials. Leksi’s research identifies the graves and information about two Revolutionary War veterans in the cemetery, Civil War vets, a teacher, farmers, a shoemaker, etc., to paint a picture of life in the early White Oak Ridge region of Millburn Township. This material is supported by census records, wills, photographs, newspaper articles, and more, many of which are also reprinted in the report.
In addition to the history of the family, the project includes a brief history of the area, photographs and explanations of tombstone symbols, and advice about cemetery protocol. From all of this research Leksi extracted highlights for a tri-fold brochure for visitors to the cemetery and Parsil house, and an activity booklet for younger visitors.
To see and/or download Leksi’s research on the Parsil family cemetery, click this link:
PARSIL FAMILY CEMETERY HISTORY
You can also download and print Leksi’s brochure about the cemetery:
PARSIL FAMILY CEMETERY BROCHURE
And you can download and print Leksi’s activity booklet for younger family members:
PARSIL FAMILY CEMETERY ACTIVITY BOOKLET
Leksi’s resource will be the foundation for a comprehensive introduction to the Parsil family, the Parsil house, and the cemetery, when the renovation of the Parsil house is complete and the doors can be thrown open to welcome visitors. It will introduce the family as they lived in town through such events as the Revolutionary War battles in this area, fierce far-away Civil War battles, the difficulties of survival in an area somewhat distant from convenient sources of supplies, through New Jersey winters, and health crises from threats such as smallpox, or the potential hazards of childbirth. For this invaluable resource, the historical society is deeply indebted to Leksi and enthusiastically congratulates her on her remarkable Gold Award project.