Two-day-old Baby Gilbert (no first name given) died this date, December 5th, in 1844 of a hemorrhage and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground on December 7th. The infant’s parents, Henry H. (29) and Elizabeth (24) lived in a room at 9 Green Street a small thoroughfare between Pine and Spruce Streets and 4th and 5th Streets in center city Philadelphia. The 1847 African American Census and city directories report Henry worked as a waiter and Elizabeth as a laundress. It appears that there were no other children in the family at this time. However, three years later Elizabeth did give birth to a daughter and named her “Anna.”
Henry was born in Maryland according to the Federal Census. He tragically died ten years later (10/29/54) and was also buried at Bethel Burying Ground; hopefully near his son.
“Black Family” (artist unknown)
Bethel Burying Ground Project 