The small circle of land looks odd and out of place from any angle.

Its just inside the entrance of a residential neighborhood in Northfield. Its the hub of a traffic circle, Oxford Circle to be exact. It rises head high and has makeshift stairs fashioned by cinder blocks driven into the dirt.

The small patch of Earth is actually a mini graveyard, the final resting place of Jeremiah Leeds, the first resident of present-day Atlantic City, on Absecon Island across the bay.

But are there really bodies buried there?

The gravesite of Jeremiah Leeds on Oxford Circle in Northfield, NJ.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

I found Leeds burial site like many do, residents there say by pure happenstance.

I was driving to a family vacation home via Tilton Road in Northfield and had just merged onto East Mill Road to head out onto the island via Margate Boulevard when I received a text on my phone. I quickly glanced at it and decided to pull over.

I saw the entrance to a neighborhood, turned right on Oxford Circle. I pulled to the side, answered the text, but could not pull my eyes from the center of the circle with what appeared to be four gravestones.

My daughter was with me, and in seconds she was on her phone, where a simple Google search led her to a quick answer. Thats the grave site of a Jeremiah Leeds, she said.

Whos that? I said aloud. Something to do with Atlantic City, I recall her saying.

We got back on the road, and I filed that away for later. I had more questions in my head, like who exactly was Leeds and how did he end up buried in a residential neighborhood?

The basic answers are in many websites on local history sites, like here and here, and others that document oddities, like this one.

The neighborhood used to be a farm a long time ago. Leeds was a Revolutionary War veteran. Makes sense.

But as a reporter, I wanted to go deeper. Heres what we found.

First, Leeds was a tall man.

A historic marker in Atlantic City, at Atlantic and Michigan avenues, starts off:

A Revolutionary War veteran standing six feet tall. Leeds came to Absecon Island with his ten children in 1785 from Leeds Point, N.J. and built the first permanent structure of cedar logs. He cleared the nearby land to create his farm known as Leeds Plantation.

It goes on to say his second wife, Millicent, started the first business, a tavern and boarding house called, Aunt Millies Boarding House.

The Jeremiah Leeds historical marker in Atlantic City, N.J. (Photo by Kevin Shea | NJ Advance Media)

When Leeds died in 1838, he owned more than 1,000 acres of land and most of the homes prior to the citys 1854 incorporation were built and owned by his descendants. A son was the citys first postmaster, and another relative was the first mayor, the sign concludes.

Historical sites agree that the Leeds family cabin once stood at Arctic and Arkansas avenues in the city. Several others are chock full of tidbits about Jeremiah.

He served in the Gloucester County Militia (Capt. Conovers 3rd Battalion, his grave says), was born a Quaker (and may have been disowned by them) and fathered 10 children by two wives.

His family was from the aptly named, Leeds Point, which is still around, in a marshy, remote area of Galloway Township on the Great Bay outside the Mullica River. (And yes, if the name sounds familiar, this is the same Leeds family that, according to legend and folklore, spawned the Jersey Devil.)

It is also believed Jeremiah Leeds was originally buried in Atlantic City, then moved to the current site.

Both of Leeds wives had the last name of Steelman, they were cousins, historical sites say, and the Northfield neighborhood is on the former Steelman family property.

Roy Clark, curator of the Northfield Historical Museum, says his research shows that original Atlantic City graves had issues due to the water table on the island, and bodies often floated to the surface.

Its the reason there are no cemeteries on Absecon Island, which is home also to Ventnor, Margate City and Longport. For example, Atlantic Cemetery is in Pleasantville.

Leeds grave was later moved to the Steelman property, Clark said. Also there are the graves of Frederick Steelman, his daughter Rachel and her husband Peter.

The gravesite of Jeremiah Leeds in Northfield, NJ.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Bob Leeds lives a few doors away from the traffic circle. He must be a descendant, right?

Its just a coincidence, really, Leeds said. Hes lived in Northfield his entire life, and in the neighborhood for over 50 years, and is likely some sort of descendant but hes not aware of a direct link.

Either way, he finds the circle interesting. He said it used to have shrubs on the edge, and kids sled on it when it snows. He also power washes the stone from time to time.

Bob Leeds said people often have the reaction I did when they see it, especially when they climb the stone stairs. Oh, what the crap is that, he said with a laugh.

And most interesting are the neighborhood stories and doubt if there really are bodies in there. And the way the land is raised – grave deep, actually – leads some to believe they are indeed buried in that land.

Its amazing, really, Bob Leeds said.

The gravesite of Jeremiah Leeds on Oxford Circle in Northfield, NJ.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Clark said he believes they are genuine graves. In his research, I have talked to many people and theyve given me no reason to believe they are not there.

However, one historical text says the original Steelman burial plot was demolished to make way for the neighborhood, and residents enlisted the Daughters of the American Revolution, who arranged four memorial stones in the location.

Yet another, by a librarian who published a lengthy biography of Jeremiah Leeds says a little of both:

After struggling with lip cancer for 40 years, Jeremiah died on October 10, 1838 at the 251 acre Leeds Plantation in present day Leeds Point and was buried in the Steelman family burial ground in Northfield. His remains and headstone were later moved in the 1950 to Oxford Circle in Northfield in order to make room for a housing development.

Bob Leeds said the story will likely endure the way it has for years, with a tinge of mystery. It makes the neighborhood unique, he said.

Its an interesting place, he said.

The Jeremiah Leeds gravesite on Oxford Circle in Northfield.(Photo by Lori Nichols | NJ Advance Media)

This article is part of Unknown New Jersey, an ongoing series that highlights interesting and little-known stories about our past, present, and future all the unusual things that make our great state what it is. Got a story to pitch? Email it to local@njadvancemedia.com.

Read More Unknown New Jersey stories like this:Single grave on the Parkway might be one of loneliest, oldest cemeteries in N.J. Titanic victim and other notables from N.J. are buried in this 350-year-old cemetery Circular house in N.J. neighborhood is unique. So was the flying daredevil who built it.

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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.