Historical society to unveil historic marker

VERNON — The Vernon Township Historical Society will have a dedication of the brand new historic marker for the DeKay Cemetery off DeKay Road. Three generations of DeKay family members will attend this event at 2 p.m., which will be followed by a reception for them at our museum at 293 Route 94, Vernon.

Thomas DeKay was the first European to settle in Vernon Township (1724). Born on Long Island in 1698, the DeKays came from Holland to New York and later settled in Vernon after they purchased a vast parcel of land. Thomas DeKay was a "well-to-do New York merchant and farmer." The DeKay Cemetery is his family's burial ground.

The society, with the assistance of DeKay family members in the United States, is erecting a historic marker to identify this historic cemetery site. The unveiling and erecting of the historic marker will be held on July 12 at 2 p.m. at the railroad track on DeKay Road. The public is invited to attend, as well as to join the DeKay family members at our museum, where there will be a whole new exhibit on Vernon's historic cemeteries.

DeKay family members will speak at the unveiling ceremony, along with the historical society's own Lisaann Permunian, the genealogist, historian, and cemetery expert for the society. Permunian is a DeKay family descendant. She is a descendant of Thomas DeKay's sister Hillegonde, who married Richard Edsall. She also is the historian for the Chinkchewunska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Steeped in history, Permunian is well qualified to speak about the DeKays in Vernon Township.

After the unveiling and dedication, there will be refreshments at the society's museum at 293 Route 94 in Vernon, just two doors away from the Dunkin' Donuts. Attendees will be able to meet the descendants of Vernon Township's pioneer family!

The Historical Society, with the effort of the Sussex County Sheriff's Department, last month restored and cleaned the DeKay Cemetery in anticipation of the unveiling.