A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
=Friends.= When the graves are marked the stones are always small and
inconspicuous. FAIRHILL MEETING, Germantown Avenue and Cambria Street;
ground granted by William Penn; a large and beautiful old cemetery and
near “Fairhill,” the great Norris estate. THE MEETING HOUSE, Fourth and
Arch Streets, was built in 1804, but the ground was used for burials
many years before; it is one of the oldest cemeteries in Philadelphia.
Some of the most prominent citizens of very early days lie here with
nothing to mark their resting-place; it is computed that twenty thousand
persons are interred here.
=Jewish.= MIKVEH ISRAEL, on Spruce Street, near Ninth; ground was granted
to Nathan Levy by John Penn in 1738; here lies the beautiful Rebecca
Gratz, original of Rebecca in Scott’s “Ivanhoe.” In August, 1913, the
little burial ground was opened for the interment of her grandniece, the
first burial for thirty years. MOUNT SINAI, Frankford Avenue, near
Bridge Street, has imposing entrance, erected, 1854.
=Lutheran.= ST. MICHAEL’S, Germantown Avenue and Phil-Ellena Street, joins
the church built about 1730; a notable grave, with flat marble stone
resting on four columns, is that of Christopher Ludwig, “baker general”
to the American army during the Revolution.
=Methodist.= ST. PAUL’S, Catharine Street near Sixth. Church is now used
as an Italian mission; has a small graveyard.
=Presbyterian.= OF FIRST AND THIRD CHURCHES, Southwest corner of Fourth
and Pine Streets, First Church, Seventh and Locust Streets, has the
eastern section. When the First Church abandoned its old Market Street
site for the present locality, the bodies were moved whenever possible,
and many of the old headstones were inserted in the south wall of the
new graveyard. The Third Church, called “Old Pine,” divides the grounds,
using the west section; both are most interesting, with many people of
note interred, including David Rittenhouse; William Hurry, who is said
to have rung the Liberty Bell when proclaiming independence; Dr. William
Shippen, Director General of Hospitals during the war for Independence;
many Revolutionary soldiers; and Captain Charles Ross of the First City
Troop.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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