Bethel Burying Ground Project

Sixty-year-old Alice Ricker died this date, September 7th, in 1849 of Fungus Haematodes* and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. As the matriarch of the family, she was employed at the time of her death as a laundress. She lived at #4 Barley Alley above 10th Street in the City with someone who appears to be a married son or daughter (waiter/laundress) and his or her young daughter. They paid a very high $8 a month rent for their home. A typical Black waiter at this time would bring home $4-$5 a week. None of the Ricker family members were native to the state of Pennsylvania, according to the 1847 Philadelphia African American Census.

Barley Street was considered a cartway at only 6’10” wide. The 1847 Census reports that, in addition to the Ricker family, there were 56 other African American families living along Barley with a total of 245 individuals. The 1847 Census lists their occupations: 

 Man’s greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his                                                           powers to things needed to be done.                                                                                                                                                              Frederick Douglass