Old Bergen Church Cemetery
Reverend John Cornelison
1769–1828 · Pastor, teacher, and the church’s link to the Underground Railroad
The Cornelison family monument in the cemetery
The Reverend John Cornelison (1769–1828) succeeded William Jackson as pastor of the Old Bergen Church.
From 1793 to 1806 Rev. Cornelison served part time — two-thirds of his time at Old Bergen and one-third at the English Neighborhood Reformed Church of Ridgefield, in what is now Leonia. He then became full-time pastor at Old Bergen from 1806 to 1828.
During his long tenure, Cornelison held services and reading instruction for enslaved people in his own home. Some later became members of the congregation.
Old Bergen Church was part of the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people find their way to freedom. They would hide in the cellar of the church and pass through a tunnel to the cemetery under the dark of night, then travel by Mill Creek to the Hudson River and board paddle boats on their way to Canada.