In order to enter the cemetery, we had to walk down through these gates and into the tunnel under this building. Thankfully, the grounds keeper unlocked those gates for us.
The Cemetery: In 1793 the area behind the meetinghouse was designated as a cemetery for members of the congregation. This action was prompted by a yellow fever epidemic which struck Philadelphia that year. Over 1000 people are buried in the cemetery including several Brethren leaders, such as Alexander Mack, Sr. (1679-1735), Alexander Mack, Jr. (1712-1803), and his wife Elizabeth Nice (1726-1811), Peter Keyser (1766-1849) and his wife Catherine Clemens (1770-1854), Louis S. Bauman (1875-1950), and Jacob C. Cassel (1849-1919).
Many soldiers of the Revolutionary War are buried in the Brethren cemetery. In the immediate foreground is the grave of Harriet Livermore, the Pilgrim Stranger in Longfellow's "Snowbound"
This is some sort of tent placed over the old weathered stone for protection. I never seen this used before and I have been in about one hundred cemeteries, church grave yards.
In order to enter the cemetery, we had to walk down through these gates and into the tunnel under this building. Thankfully, the grounds keeper unlocked those gates for us.
The Cemetery: In 1793 the area behind the meetinghouse was designated as a cemetery for members of the congregation. This action was prompted by a yellow fever epidemic which struck Philadelphia that year. Over 1000 people are buried in the cemetery including several Brethren leaders, such as Alexander Mack, Sr. (1679-1735), Alexander Mack, Jr. (1712-1803), and his wife Elizabeth Nice (1726-1811), Peter Keyser (1766-1849) and his wife Catherine Clemens (1770-1854), Louis S. Bauman (1875-1950), and Jacob C. Cassel (1849-1919).
Many soldiers of the Revolutionary War are buried in the Brethren cemetery. In the immediate foreground is the grave of Harriet Livermore, the Pilgrim Stranger in Longfellow's "Snowbound"
This is some sort of tent placed over the old weathered stone for protection. I never seen this used before and I have been in about one hundred cemeteries, church grave yards.
Photography by me. For more information click the link.
3 comments:
Pat,
About 5 years ago my Mother and I went to Hood Cemetery on Germantown Ave. and found the grave of her GGGrandfather Gotwols dated 1754 the place was not well kept, but it was behind a large Iron gate and you had to get the keys from the Germantown historical Society have you ever visited that one. We had to call the historical society before we visited because the place is locked and by appointment only.
Ruth Ann,
There are several in Germantown I have not researched yet but I am glad you shared that piece of information about where to get the keys for some of those locked gates.There are many cemeteries/church yards that are behind locked gates and I will try the Historical Society for the keys. Thanks.
The cemetery is in very good shape. Very few of the rural church yards around here as maintained very well. Most of the old burial grounds are in the middle of nowhere and subject to vandalism. The plastic cover to protect the stone is something I've never seen either.
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