Sandyston Township
DePue Family outside their house located on the Old Mine Road
The Sandyston Township Historical Society has been organized to discover and preserve the history, environment and architecture of Sandyston Township and to educate the public and foster an appreciation of our unique local heritage. Our society welcomes donations of all types relating to the past history of Sandyston Township. Photos, ledgers, deeds, diaries, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, bibles, school memorbilia are just a few things that will tell the story of Sandyston's past.
Sandyston is a beautiful old town with a lot of history. Listed below are just some of the family names that are connected to Sandyston Township: Ayers, Bell, Hursh, Hotalen, Cortright, Myers, Aber, Heater, Raser, Kyte, DePue, Smith, Bevans, Layton, Shay, Stivers, Skellenger, Ellett, VanSickle, VanAuken, Lantz, Cole, Snable, Stoll, Mettler, Gumaer, Jager, Vanness, Snook, Lawson, DeGroat, Perry, Kent, Decker, Rutan, Grau, Young, Everitt, Carmer, Bugsbee, Rosenkrans, Lundy, Warner, Major, Clark, Angle, Bell, Drake, Conklin, Compton, McKeeby, Utter, Coursen, Gunn, Black, Howell, Westbrook, Armstrong, Hartrim, Morris, Owen, Sigler, Newell, Rundle, Shafer, Ogden, Merring, VanEtten, Westbrook, Armstrong, Emery, Loder, Ennis to name a few!
Cemeteries in Sandyston Township
Hainesville Cemetery (Shaytown Burial Ground)
Layton Cemetery
Bevans Cemetery
Mettler Cemetery
Ancient Minisink Burial Ground/Old Gumaer Cemetery
If you need information on the location of any of the above
cemeteries or help finding people buried there, please contact:
The next time you are in the neighborhood of the Sandyston Township Municipal Building, stop in and visit the meeting room. There on display behind the meeting room desks is a magnificent framed American Flag. The 5' x 9' flag was a gift to the Sandyston Township Historical Society by Nan and Tom Horsfield of Hardwick, NJ, in memory of her uncle, Jason Spangenberg of Layton, NJ. This flag was presented to the Horsfield Family on behalf of the Veterans Administration, and it was Nan and Tom’s thought to have the flag framed and presented to Sandyston Township in Jason’s memory. The Sandyston Township Historical Society felt that the most fitting site for this beautiful framed flag would be in the meeting room of the municipal building for the residents of Sandyston Township to enjoy. Jason G. Spangenberg, a life long resident of Sandyston Township, lived his entire life in Layton, NJ. Jason’s family has roots deep in Sussex and Warren Counties. A plaque that has been placed in the meeting hall reads as follows:
“The United States Flag proudly displayed in this meeting hall was generously framed and donated by Nan and Tom Horsfield, niece of Jason G. Spangenberg. This flag was presented in honor of Jason’s service in the U.S. Air Force where he served as a top mechanic working on disabled aircraft. A life-long resident of Layton, Jason was a member of the Sandyston Township Committee from 1964-1986 and served as Mayor eight times. This flag is dedicated to the memory of Jason G. Spangenberg.”
On April 13, 2010, the Township Committee (George Harper, William Leppert and Fred MacDonald) dedicated the flag, along with Nan and Tom Horsfield and Patte Haggerty Frato.
A framed photo of Jason in his military uniform, as well as framed collage of his service medals were also donated to the Sandyston Township Historical Society and will hang proudly with the plaque in the meeting room.
Flag Dedication
