Jacob’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery (1859) Mt. Laurel, NJ

JACOB’S CHAPEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Jacob’s Chapel A.M.E. Church started as the Coleman Meeting House in what was then Evesham Township in Burlington County.  The Church consists of the meeting house which can tb tracted back to 1813 and Jacob’s Chapel which was built in 1859.  the Colemantown Meeting House and Jacob’s Chapel are located on Elbo Lane in Mt. laurel, New Jersey.  In the early 19th century that was part of Evesham Township.  Elbo lane was formerly known as Colemantown Road and was located in the village of Colemantown.  Colemantown ws named for John Coleman a well respected man of color.  

Mr. Coleman was known to be a conductor on the Underground Railraod.  Colemanown was very near the Quaker family population and many of he Black people worked on those farms.  The Federal Census of 1830 shows that Evesham had the largest free black population in Burlington City and Mt. Holly, both which were major commerce areas.

Jacob’s chapel also has a cemetery directly behind it.  This was known for many years a the Colemantown Negro Cemetery.  It is the final resting place for several veterans of the Civil War.  It is also the final resting place for James Still, the renown Black Doctor of the Pines.  Accounts of Dr. Still’s remarkable healing powers are still told today.  He was a long time member of Jacob’s Chapel and the older brother of Abolitionist William Still.

SOURCE: HELENA E. ROBINSON, VP HISTORICAL COMMETTE,

JACOB’S CHAPEL AME CHURCH, 2004 (c. Lawrence E. Walker Foundation Collection)