Elizabeth Ann Shire, 8 years of age, died this date, May 26th, of Tuberculosis and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Elizabeth attended school at 6th and Lombard and could read and write and had a brother and sister, according to the 1847 African American Census. Her father, Joseph, was a porter and her mother worked as a washwoman to meet the needs of their growing family. They rented a single room for $64 a year at 45 Quince Street which was located from Walnut to Locust Streets between 11th and 12th streets.
The year after Elizabeth Ann died the family had to move because the city was demolishing their home to make way for the new Ramsey School for Colored Children. This probably was a blessing considering their immediate neighborhood had a startling number of fires accidentally and purposely set according to newspaper reports.
Bethel Burying Ground Project 