Derringer Family History & Genealogy

Walter George Derringer Jr.
Born February 24, 1939

My mom, Lillian Wolf Derringer, had a still born baby son February 24, 1939, in Christ Hospital, Jersey City, New Jersey. She always told me about him. He passed away 5 hours before he was born strangled by the cord. My Mom told me when nurse came in to listen to heart beat of baby, she just turned around and walked out of room. My Mom knew then baby was gone. The nurse was a friend of my Mom.

Now, the baby is born 5 hours later, but the Hospital just takes the baby from them. She had no idea where he was buried except in Potters field. My grandpa wanted to bury him in their plot but hospital told him baby is gone. Hospital just takes the baby. Gives you no choice. They bury the still borns in little wooden cheese boxes. I don't know how my Mom knew that item, but she always spoke of it. She actually had no closure. I do think she actually got to see him though.

All these years she and my father did not know where he was. I tried in recent years to be able to find out what had happened to him. Could not get a birth certificate nor a death. He was not listed anywhere. I wrote to Christ Hospital which in turn gave me Vital Statistics, but also wrote Board of Health. Checked if there was a still born list. Had no luck.

One day I went into a site called graveinfo.com. A man sent me the listing of all buried in Feb, 1939. On the line of Feb 24, was a still born--my mom's child. It seems all the bodies had been dug up accidentally for a turnpike. No one actually knew there were bodies buried there.
So I contacted the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. If they could find the body, I wanted to claim it and bury it with my Mom. They told me still born bones would be really deteriorated long ago. They checked for me. They were correct.

Next best thing, I could have his name placed on a monument that was being erected.
Send proof, they asked. However, he was not a live birth so he could not be given a birth certificate.

He did not die as he was never alive, so they did not issue a death certificate. Catch 22 situation.

Man told me he would put it on review board, but he had final word. Lawyers and board turned me down, but this kind man John Keller, okayed it and my brother's name will be on the monument that is being erected in a cemetery in NJ. The cemetery is Maple Grove Park, Hackensack, New Jersey. It is located on Hudson off of Route 40.

A monument will be erected; a 70 foot wall by 6 foot with all names of Potter's field burials on this large plaque. They will be listed by years. It will be finished by May, 2004, or if work goes quickly, April, 2004.

I finally was able to do something for my MOM. I hope she looks down to see this monument with the name of Walter Derringer, Jr., February, 1939 on it. Maybe now, my parents will have closure they needed, also my grandpa George Wolf.

The Secaucus Potter's Field Cemetery
Secaucus, New Jersey



Walter George Derringer Jr.

February, 24, 1939



The remains of Walter George Derringer Jr. were buried in this cemetery by Christ Hospital. He is listed in an old roll book on page 372. Date on page is February 1939. Bill Hastings of www.graveinfo.com has all the info on line due to the construction of NJ Turnpike.


Walter Jr. was a still born born to Walter and Lillian Derringer on February 24.
He had passed 5 hours before he was born by strangulation of the cord. He lies in lot 6129 on the side. Scaturchio handled the arrangements without the parents knowledge. In fact, Lillian and Walter Derringer had no idea what had happened to their son. Lillian's Father George Wolf tried to get the body to no avail. Until today's date, November 7, 2003, no one knew where baby was buried.


I have been told there will be a statue erected on the site dedicated to all buried there. I am looking into this matter to have Walter Derringer Jr. name on the plaque. Also trying to be able to reclaim burial remains to be buried with my Mom, Lillian Wolf Derringer in the same plot with rest of her family in New York Bay View Cemetery in Jersey City. No remains were found.