Atlantic Citys First White Resident Buried in Northfield Traffic Circle

Among the houses that once made-up the Northfield estates neighborhood is situated a unique and almost downright strange sight. When motorists, usually the “shoobies” cut through the neighborhood trying to not get caught at the traffic light, they can’t help but have to pass the unofficial grave site of Jeremiah Leeds.

There is a smallish sign erected at the site to let the passersby and history buffs know the significance of its existence. Jeremiah Leeds Grave Site is the final resting place of the first known Caucasian settler and subsequent resident of Atlantic City, NJ. Mr. Leeds is buried in a small traffic circle smack dab in the entrance to the neighborhood. His grave site tends to resemble a small hump of land appointed with a small set of steps to ease access to any on-lookers to check out the graves and headstone markers with names and dates etched upon them. In fact, during the winter months a few of the youth use this very same site “but on the opposite side of course” to sled and snowboard when the snowfall allows them to. Buried beside Mr. Leeds are the remains of several other much less famous people, to which only their headstones are there to tell their story.

   

Jeremiah Leeds was born in 1754 in Leeds Point, NJ the same home town as The Jersey Devil, a supposed mythical creature of the New Jersey Pinelands, who has haunted New Jersey and the surrounding areas for over 260 years. The Jersey Devil has been reportedly seen by over 2,000 witnesses during this period. He or she has terrorized towns, caused factories and schools to close down and still as of yet many people believe that the Jersey Devil is a legend, a mythical beast that originated from folklore of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. There are many other versions of the legend however so I leave it to you to believe whichever version you wish. Most all the legends say it was the 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, or 13th child, It was born normal or deformed and the mother confined it to the cellar or the attic. Although there are many discrepancies in all of these stories there are 3 pieces of evidence that tie all of the legends of the Jersey Devil's origin together.

During the life of Jeremiah Leeds he went on to become a revolutionary war veteran, who stood approximately six feet or so tall. Mr. Leeds, his wife and 10 children reportedly moved from their native home in Leeds Point, NJ and settled on Absecon Island in 1785, to where he reportedly built the first known permanent structure on the island made of cedar logs located at the intersection of Arctic and Arkansas Aves. Prior to this it is said that the island was regularly visited Native Americans, hunters and some of the early mainland settlers during the intense heat of the New Jersey Summer season.

After Mr. Leeds built his cabin for himself and his family, he went on to undertake the clearing and cultivation of the nearby lands to which were known as “The Leeds Plantation”. That land once provided space for the family to cultivate crops of Rye, Corn and help them also raise cattle. Not to be outdone but, Leeds’ Grandfather also built a cabin in 1783 at the once NJ transit bus station on Baltic Ave which is now a part of the Tanger Outlets in Atlantic City. A year or so after Jeremiahs death in 1838, his then second wife Millicent, acquired a license that would allow her to operate a tavern called Aunt Millie's’s Boarding House that was located at the intersection of Baltic and Massachusetts Ave in Atlantic City.. Thus, the family has also been the proud owners of the first business to be located and operating in Atlantic City, NJ. 

Several of Jeremiah and Millicent’s children were also important in their own right. Robert Leeds was born in Atlantic City on May 2, 1828 and was the city’s first postmaster. Not to be outdone Chalkey Leeds who was born in Atlantic City in 1824 went on to become the city’s first mayor in 1854.
By the year 1850, seven permanent dwellings had been erected on Absecon Island all but one was owned by descendants of Jeremiah Leeds. July 5, 1854, marked the first train arriving from Camden after a grueling 2.5 hour trip thus, the “shoobie” invasion had begun.