Bethel Burying Ground Project

Six-year-old Margaret L. Gillam died this date, September 26th, in 1849 of “Congestion of the Lungs” and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Her mother, Sarah (29) was employed as a laundress and her father, Wesley (47) as a waiter. Margaret had two sisters and one brother – Martha F. (10), Angelina E. (5) and Samuel (1). They lived in a room behind no. 11 Eutaw Alley in a very impoverished situation. The Gillams paid $5 a month rent. Mr. Gillam only brought home $6 a month from his job. The home was near the intersection of 8th and Race Streets in Philadelphia near where the Philadelphia Police Administration Building (“The Roundhouse”) has sat since 1963. 

Both Sarah and Wesley Gillam were born in Virginia. The 1847 African American Census reports that one of the adults was formerly enslaved. According to the Census, there is an older woman in the household, possibly Sarah or Wesley’s mother. 

Nineteenth Century African American family  

Twenty-five-year-old Mary Ann Dutertre died this date, September 11th, in 1843 of “exhaustion.” It is rare to see this cause of death in the death records. When it is mentioned it usually means death due to heat stroke. The weather records indicate a heat wave had locked the city in ninety-degree weather since the beginning of September. However, there possibly existed an underlying medical condition that made Ms. Dutertre more susceptible to the heat. She and her family lived in the tightly packed rows of Washington Court where the rooms were like ovens in the heat. This dead end alley was located only a block away from Mother Bethel Church.  

Ms. Dutertre came from a large family and appears to have been the daughter-in-law of the head of the household Francis A. Dutertre. There were eight in the family. The adult men were employed as carpenters (“builders”) and one worked as a typesetter. The women were employed as dressmakers and tailoresses. According to the 1847 African American Census most could read and write and attended church services.

Census and city directories also spelled the family name “Duteer” and “Dutert.” The name “Dutertre” would become well-known decades later with Harriett  Dutertre who was the proprietress of a very successful undertaking business. 

Five-year-old Justin Cole died this date, September 5th, in 1852 of an “Inflammation of the Brain” and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. The cause of death is not specific and could be from any illness that caused a high fever including Meningitis. Justin’s parents, Elizabeth (“Eliza”) and Charles Cole lived on south 8th Street between South Street and Bainbridge Street. He worked as a waiter making only $10 a month and she was occupied as a laundress. On average you could expect Mr. Cole to be making approximately $16 a month unless there was a disability or illness involved. They paid $3 a month for an 8’x 8′ room. In addition to Justin, it appears the Coles had at least one other child and another adult female living with the family that was possibly the mother of either Charles or Elizabeth according to census records.

“The Laundress,” Robert Henri (1916)

The five-day-old son of Maria and Peter Wise died this date, August 31st, in 1845 of “Inanition” and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. The child was a “preemie” born two months early. The cause of death is what is known as “failure to thrive.” There could be many reasons for this including the poor health of Ms. Wise while pregnant. 

The Wise family lived in Currant Alley in the southern part of center city Philadelphia. It appears the family had no other children and lived in a 12’x 12′ room for which they paid $25 a year. Mr. Wise worked as a stevedore but appears to have been only able to work sporadically. Ms. Wise worked as a wash woman.   

Currant Alley (now S. Warnock St.) as it looks today.