A journey through time: Descendant traces family roots to early Picatinny Arsenal

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - For years, one man followed a trail that stretched across generations, piecing together records, names and family connections in an effort to understand where his family came from.

That journey eventually led him to an unexpected and deeply personal destination: the Walton Burial Ground at Picatinny Arsenal, where his ancestor, Pvt. Jonathan Wiggins, has rested for generations.

The discovery was the culmination of years of genealogy research — a painstaking process that required patience, persistence and a willingness to follow even the smallest clues.

What began as an effort to learn more about his family's past gradually became a journey connecting him directly to a man who lived generations before him.

Through genealogical records and historical research beginning in 2014, Shane Young was able to trace his family line back to Wiggins and establish a connection to the historic burial ground at what is now Picatinny Arsenal.

Then, after initiating contact with the https://picatinny-arsenal-historical-society.square.site/ (PAHS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, documenting, and sharing the cultural and military history of the U.S. Army's Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, New Jersey, Young and his family were able to visit the burial ground during a visit to the Arsenal, Oct. 5.

For many people researching their family history, finding a name on an old document is exciting. But in this case, the research ultimately identified a physical place where an ancestor's story could be experienced firsthand.

Young discovered an article published by the Picatinny Arsenal Public Affairs Office following a Wreaths Across America ceremony that took place in December 2024.

“This really was the final breakthrough for me because it tied the right name to the right place and the right point in time,” Young said. “It also gave me a way to reach out and make the contact that made the visit possible.”

At that ceremony in 2024, three wreaths were laid at the graves marked for John Burwell, Peter Doland, and Jonathan Wiggins, and one to honor all others buried at the Walton Burial Grounds located at the edge of what was the Walton Farm and the Faesch Iron Works. It was a communal burial ground from the mid/late 1700’s, until the last burial estimated to be 1884.

The Walton name is derived from the family name of the only grave markers that remained legible into the 20th Century, when Picatinny acquired the property during World War II. While bearing the Walton name, the burial ground is believed to also hold remains from other local family members, including from the Doland, Wiggins, and Burwell families.

After years of researching his family's history, Young made the trip to Picatinny Arsenal with his sister Monica, and parents Jeffrey and Jeanne.

Standing at the Walton Burial Ground, the Young family was no longer simply reading about Jonathan Wiggins in historical records. They were now visiting the immediate area in which he lived, worked, and died.

The visit provided an opportunity for the family to pause and reflect on the generations that came before them and the connection that brought them to Picatinny.

“It is very meaningful to see this in-person,” Young said as he stood in the burial ground. “I grew up ten and a half miles from here. From the early 1700’s to present day our family has been in northern New Jersey.” Jonathan Wiggins was born August 29, 1763, and would die December 6, 1815, and is Shane’s fifth-great-grandfather.

John Jacob Faesch was a Swiss-born ironmaster who operated the Mount Hope iron works during the Revolutionary period. His works produced iron and ammunition for the American cause. Wiggins was one of Faesch's foremen and drove a four-mule team for him.

Faesch supported the American war effort by producing material for George Washington's army. Historical records indicate that large quantities of cannon balls for the American Army were cast at his furnace.

Pvt. Wiggins was a skilled horseman who served as a wagon master in the New Jersey Militia and was wounded and lost an arm at the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey on June 28, 1778. According to historical family records from Morris County, Wiggins' company had advanced far ahead of the rest of the army during the battle. General George Washington personally rode up to their position to order a retreat to safety, a moment Wiggins frequently recalled to counter British claims that Washington never led from the front.

A book titled Denville Days: A History of Denville Township, County of Morris, State of New Jersey (1600-1955) chronicled the early roots of the town, mentioning even following his injury, Wiggins remained highly skilled at his trade and even earned a place in command on Faesch’s favorite team, and described it as a “position of honor, especially when that team knew their driver and learned that his word was law, and his whip was gospel.”

While at Picatinny, the Young family also visited the home of Uel Wiggins, Jonathan’s grandson. Today, the home operates as a guest house under U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal’s Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation Directorate.

In 1880 and 1881, the United States government bought land tracts from Uel, George E. Righter, Edward C. Fiedler, Henry and Michael Doland, and John E. Kindred. Together, these initial acquisitions covered a combined total of 1,866.13 acres for $62,750.00.

Part of the land purchased from Uel is what is today known as Phipps Road extending towards the Arsenal's truck gate.

Unlike Jonathan, Uel was not buried at the Walton Burial Ground. Instead, he was laid to rest at the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockaway after his death on Oct. 29, 1902.

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