The story behind a colonial-era Woodcrest cemetery | Inquirer Cherry Hill

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Did you know one of South Jersey’s first colonial families is laid to rest in Woodcrest? Learn more about the cemetery tucked into a residential part of town. Also this week, a new Inquirer analysis shows how Cherry Hill voters shifted toward Democrats in the last election, plus work is still underway to update H Mart.

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The story behind a colonial-era gravesite in Woodcrest

The residential street of Balsam Road in Woodcrest is an unlikely spot for a gravesite, but tucked among the houses and sassafras trees, there’s a small cemetery that dates back nearly 300 years.

The site is the final resting place for the Matlacks, one of South Jersey’s first colonial families, as well as an unknown number of servants and enslaved people.

A township resident, curious about how the gravesite came to be, posed his question to Curious Cherry Hill. The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner set out to learn more about the family and its patriarch, who moved to New Jersey in 1677 from England as an indentured servant and ultimately began one of the largest colonial-era families in the region.

Here’s what she uncovered.

Have a question about town you want answered? Submit it to Curious Cherry Hill here.

💡 Community News

• There was a 3.9% shift among Cherry Hill voters to Democrats in 2024-25, with about 68% voting for Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in November’s election. The Inquirer recently analyzed Sherrill’s path to victory, finding that the largest shift within Cherry Hill took place in District 10, encompassing Brookfield, where there was a 10.3% shift, followed by District 8 (9.4%), which includes Kenilworth, and District 2 (8.2%), which spans Cooper Park Village, Kingsway Village, and Waterford Park. See a map of how districts shifted.
• Cherry Hill Township Council held its reorganization meeting on Monday night, where William Carter was reelected council president and Michele Golkow was elected vice president.
• The new season of King of Collectibles began streaming late last month on Netflix, where Cherry Hill native Ken Goldin takes viewers inside his South Jersey auction house. One of the highlights of Season 3 is a jersey used by soccer legend Lionel Messi when he was a child. In a video by The Inquirer, Goldin gives viewers a glimpse. He also shows off some of the Philly sports gems in his possession.
• The Eagles are heading into the NFC Wild Card playoffs as the No. 3 seed, taking on the 49ers at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. As the team gears up for the postseason, the Road to Victory Bus Tour is stopping in town Thursday, where you can shop for gear and enter for a chance to score playoff game tickets. It’ll be at the P.J. Whelihan’s on Marlton Pike from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Work is still underway to overhaul the H Mart on Route 70. The popular chain Asian grocery store closed in July for renovations, including an expansion of the second floor and the addition of an open-concept food court. The Cherry Hill location, which was expected to reopen in October, remains closed as work on the entire complex continues. (42 Freeway)
• Some retail shakeups are happening around town. The New Balance at Tuscany Marketplace closed its doors indefinitely on Dec. 27. At the mall, plus-size women’s apparel brand Torrid is closing on Jan. 19, athleisure brand Lululemon Athletica is relocating to a larger space, and jeweler Pandora is expanding next door. And on Route 70, Appliances Outlet will be taking over the space occupied by Whole Hog Cafe and part of Wine Legend. (A View From Evesham)
• Fox29’s Bob Kelly recently dropped by D&Q Skate, Snow, and Surf shop in Cherry Hill to chat about trending gear for those heading to the slopes. Catch the segment here starting around the 5-minute mark.

🏫 Schools Briefing

• There’s a board of education meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
• Teachers in Cherry Hill Public Schools made a median salary of $102,148 last school year, according to an NJ.com analysis. It is one of 30 districts statewide with a median salary greater than $100,000. The district’s median salary last year marked a 4.1% increase over the previous year and was nearly $20,000 higher than the statewide median.

🍽️ On our Plate

• In case you missed it, The Inquirer’s Michael Klein reflected on the most notable restaurant openings of 2025. In Cherry Hill, that includes the return of iconic fast food chain Roy Rogers and the debut of Heng Seng Noodles. See the full list here.
• Speaking of new openings, pizza joints proliferated across the region last year. One of the best to open last year according to Klein? Barclay Pies. The Marlton Pike shop at the former Seasons Pizza specializes in gluten-free offerings and conventional pies.

🎳 Things to Do

😂 All Laughs, No Hate: Latin comedy and culture take center stage during this comedy night. ⏰ Friday, Jan. 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 💵 $36.09 📍Vera

🌱 Winter Sowing: This workshop will teach you how to get a jump on your spring gardening. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-noon 💵 $15 📍Camden County Environmental Center

💡 Panoply: Test your knowledge of pop culture, sports, music, history, and more in this out-of-the-box game night. The event is 21 and older. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 10, 7-9:45 p.m. 💵 $36 📍Katz JCC

🍷 January Wine Down Wednesday: Sip five, two-ounce pours and enjoy appetizers at this event. ⏰ Wednesday, Jan. 14, reservations available from 6 to 8 p.m. 💵 $25 📍Randall’s Restaurant

🏡 On the Market

An updated five-bedroom Woodcrest ranch

This Woodcrest ranch was recently remodeled to give its interior and exterior a modern makeover. It features an open-concept dining and living room, a sunroom, and an eat-in kitchen with quartz countertops and a gray-and-white herringbone backsplash. It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a primary suite with a walk-in closet and its own bathroom. There’s also a finished basement.

See more photos of the property here.

Price: $759,900 | Size: 2,592 SF | Acreage: 0.29

🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:

• Philadelphia reacts to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and Trump’s plan to take control of Venezuela
• In memoriam: Notable Philadelphians we lost in 2025
• Behind the scenes at world-renowned Martin Guitars

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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.