St Paul’s Abbey cemetery. (Photos by Myrna Snook)
This column is by guest historian Jennie E. Sweetman.
Recent reports released rather ambitious building plans for the former St. Paul’s Abbey on Route 206 in Andover Township.
The plans reportedly include transforming the century-old stone abbey into a hotel and wedding venue and building about 134 townhouses and two commercial warehouses on adjacent land. Also included in the plans are converting a former seminary into a 62-bed rehabilitation center - all depending on whether the developer, Sigma Abbey, obtains the needed approvals.
Having taken out a long-term lease on a portion of the tract, the new Abbey and Christmas Tree Farm will remain under the jurisdiction of the monks.
One portion of the property that has not been mentioned is the century-old cemetery, Christ the King, where former monks and employees were laid to rest.
Of all those laid to rest there, the most prominent would in all probability be Brother Marinus, known to the world as Capt. Leonard LaRue, master of the Meredith Victory, a 7,737-ton vessel that was on the Military Sea Transportation Service ferrying between Japan and Korea. He was ordered from Pusan to evacuate refugees from Hungnam as the North Koreans and Chinese Reds swept from the north and began to besiege the city.
Bill Gilbert described the situation in his book, ‘’Ship of Miracles - 14,000 Lives and One Miraculous Voyage’’: In bone-chilling temperatures and howling winds, with the imminent threat of enemy gunfire aimed at his ship from the beach and return fire from the USS Missouri, four destroyers, two heavy cruisers and with four rocket ships sailing over him back toward the shore, destiny was summoning the 37-year-old Merchant Marine captain from Philadelphia.
‘’Captain Leonard LaRue stood on the deck of his five-year-old 10,000-ton freighter, the SS Meredith Victory, in the harbor of Hungnam, North Korea, 135 miles into enemy territory, in the sixth month of the Korean War, Christmastime 1950. I trained my binoculars on the shore and saw a pitiable scene.’’
‘’Surrounded by mine detection equipment and submarines in bitter cold, snowy weather, a ship that contained 47 officers and crew members, and was not designed for passengers, left Hungnam with 14,000 Koreans aboard. To add to the problem, just prior to leaving, the captain was handed a note advising that it had been learned that Communists were aboard, disguised as refugees. Incidentally, despite those terrifying conditions, the only weapon on board was a pistol in Capt. LaRue’s pocket.
‘’The refugees were packed for three days without food, water or sanitary facilities. With 300 tons of jet fuel located below the decks, one can only imagine the horror LaRue felt when he learned that the refugees had lit fires on top of the drums to keep warm.
‘’The ship landed at Pusan on Christmas Eve only to be told there was no room for them as the city was overcrowded with refugees. LaRue, however, insisted that the injured ones, plus the five women. together with the five babies born on the ship, must be allowed to disembark.”
LaRue also obtained food, water and blankets for those aboard, together with interpreters and military police, then the ship was compelled to travel to Kojo-Do, an island about 50 miles southwest of Pusan. Arriving on Christmas Day, it required 24 hours to unload all the passengers.
Incidentally, one spy was found. He was stripped of his uniform and shackled to a post for the rest of the voyage.
As for LaRue, the New Jersey Herald reported in 1955 that he continued in service until he became ill in Korea in May 1954. He was hospitalized there and in Japan and returned home on a leave of absence in July 1954. The following November, he entered the Benedictine monastery as a brother candidate, and on Christmas Day 1954 became a brother postulant. In 1955, he was elevated to brother novice.
Brother Marinus spent the rest of his life at St. Paul’s Abbey. In 2001, his brief obituary said, ‘’LaRue, Leonard, Brother Marinus, 87, of Andover Township, died Oct. 14, 2001. Survived by his confreres in the monastery, many friends, grandnephews and grandnieces. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wed., Oct. 17, 2001, at St. Paul’s Abbey in Andover Township. Int. will follow in the Christ the King Cemetery at the Abbey. Friends are welcome to call at the Abbey on Tues., Oct. 16, 2001, from 2 to 7:30 p.m. There will be a Vigil Service in the Abbey Church at 7:30 pm. Arr. under dir. of the Smith-McCracken Funeral Home.’’
Once again, rather ambitious plans are under consideration for the former St. Paul’s Abbey property, but hopefully, whether construction proceeds or not, the Christ the King Cemetery and those laid to rest in the peaceful location will not be disturbed or forgotten.
Bill Truran, Sussex County’s historian, may be contacted at billt1425@gmail.com