Bethel Burying Ground Project

The eleven-month-old unnamed son of Julia Thomas died this date, June 11th, in 1845 of Inanition (starvation) and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Inanition may arise from diabetes or thyroid hormone disease. Two years after the death of her son, the 1847 Philadelphia African American Census shows Ms. Thomas the head of a small family that consisted of another woman and a female child. Ms. Thomas was employed as a “day worker” while the other adult was employed as a  washerwoman. The child attended the St. Mary Street School.

The red pin illustrates the location of Currant Alley in 1845. The alley no longer exists.

City directories and the 1847 Census report Ms. Thomas’ address as #39 Currant Alley in center city Philadelphia. Currant Alley was a two-city-block long narrow thoroughfare. Ms. Thomas paid $3.25 a month for one room where the three family members resided. With the two women working, they would be lucky to bring that amount home in a week.

The star indicates the two city block long Currant Alley.

Ninety-six Black families lived in the densely packed alley with a staggering total of three hundred twenty-one Black family members, according to the 1847 Census. The Census also showed that the Currant Alley adults were solidly working class, having a wide range of laboring and domestic jobs to which African American men and women were restricted. The Thomas family attended church services regularly and contributed to a beneficial society, as did many of their neighbors. 

Julia Thomas’ son was one of thirty-five Philadelphia children that died in 1845 with the diagnosis of Inanition. The child was buried at Bethel Burying Ground on a cloudy June day on which the temperature rose to 84 degrees.

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Murray died this date, June 3rd, in 1850 of Tuberculosis and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. She was born in Philadephia and was unmarried at the time of her death. She resided in Coombe’s Alley, according to her death certificate. The 1847 Philadelphia African American Census shows a ‘James Murray’ as the head of a family in Coombe’s Alley. He was employed as a waiter earning $3 a week. His spouse, Margaret Murray, worked as a wash woman earning $3.50 a week. They paid $4 a month for the rent of rooms at #5 Coombe’s Alley.

James and Margaret Murray reported to the census taker the following information for the 1850 U.S. Census.

Name                                    Age                        Born in

James Murray                   33y                         PA

Margaret Murray             26y                         PA

Louisa Murray                   9y                          PA

Thomas Murray                5y                          PA

Angeline Murray              3y                          PA

Robert Murray                  <1y                        PA

Racy Ann Murray             16y                         PA 

The red pin illustrates the location of Coombe’s Alley near the Delaware River wharves. The red arrow illustrates Penn Square the future home of the current city hall.

In the 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia, Coombe’s Alley is known for the tragic loss of thirty-two citizens in the narrow alley over a very short period of time. In a lighter vein, the alley is also known for a colonial tavern, Enock Story’s, where one night Quaker William Penn, Jr. became inebriated and engaged in a brawl. It is recorded that he painfully lost the encounter. 

Grace Ann Murray was one of the 896 Philadelphians that succumbed to Tuberculosis in 1850.  She died on a cloudless windy day in early June and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground by her family.

Twenty-two-year-old Nathan Black died this date, May 27th, in 1851 of Tuberculosis and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. There is not a great deal of information on this young man. He was born in Maryland, according to the 1850 U.S. Census, and was living with Mary Jane Winter who was seventeen-years-old and born in Pennsylvania. Neither one reported an occupation. Although at this point, Mr. Black may have been too ill to work.

The 1850 Census shows the couple living in the South Mulberry Ward of the pre-consolidated city. Neither Mr. Black or Ms. Winter are listed in the 1847 Philadelphia African American Census or city directories. Census data places the young couple living near the intersection of 12th and Mulberry Streets. Mulberry is now named Arch Street and is located near what is now City Hall. 

The black arrow shows the approximate location of Mr. Black’s residence. The red arrow is the location of Penn Square, now City Hall.

Nathan Black died on a clear and fair day in late spring with the temperature rising to 81 degrees. He was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. 

*The census taker interviewed Mr. Black on 9 August 1850. Mr. Black’s skin color was reported as “mulatto.”

Forty-five-year-old Mary Polk died this date, May 25th, in 1850 of “Congestion of the Brain”* and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Ms. Polk was the head of her family and was able to participate in the 1850 U.S. Census before she died. In this census, she did not report an occupation, probably because she was so ill. In the 1847 Philadelphia African American Census, she listed her occupation as wash woman earning $75 a year.

At the time of her death, her children were as follows: Caroline (18 years old) who worked as a wash woman, William (16) who worked as a barber’s apprentice and Richard (13) who attended the 6th and Lombard School. All the children were born in Pennsylvania. Ms. Polk was born enslaved in Virginia. I could find no reference to a spouse.

The Polk family resided in the rear of #11 Prune Street now, 411 Locust Street (Red pin above).  The address is a block from Washington Square and two blocks from Independence Hall. Their home was likely a shed or converted stable for which they paid $3 a month. The breadwinners in the family were bringing home approximately $1.50 each a week, according to the 1847 Census.

Ms. Polk escaped slavery in Virginia and sought refuge in Philadelphia. In her time in the city, she had to survive six major riots and the endless threat of street assaults by white thugs. Ms. Polk was one of the Black Philadelphians who historian Gary B. Nash observed that while they could not “hold back the storm of racial hatred,” they could fight back “by strengthening their own neighborhoods and community.” Ms. Polk was a long time member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and a contributing member of African American beneficial societies, according to the 1847 Census.

The Polk children buried their mother at Bethel Buying Ground on a rainy day in May where the temperature rose to 54 degrees.

*”Congestion of the Brain” is a meaningless term. Ms. Polk may have died from anything from a stroke or meningitis to head trauma.

Three-month-old Mary E. Gibbons died this date, May 16th, in 1843 of Tuberculosis and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. James Gibbons is likely the father of the baby girl. Not only was he a successful carpenter, he was also a joiner. A joiner is a skilled craftsman who constructs the wooden components of a building, such as stairs, doors, and windows. The 1847 Philadelphia African American Census shows the Gibbons family at this time consisting of four adults – two men and two women. Three out of the four were formerly enslaved. They collectively paid for their freedom a total of $1,250 or $38,955 in modern currency. Both men were carpenters and the women were employed as a domestic and a dressmaker. They all regularly attended church services. The child’s mother is not identified by name.

The red pin indicates the location of the Gibbons residence at 163 Pine Street, located between 5th and 6th Streets. The orange arrow indicates the location of Bethel AME Church.

Philadelphia Inquirer, June 14, 1849.

The Gibbons family rented the three-story brick building at 163 Pine Street for $5 a month or $155 in modern day currency. The above newspaper announcement shows that Mr. Gibbons had moved his carpenter shop to his home in 1846.  Tragically, Mr. Gibbons would pass away three years later in June of 1849 at 53 years old.

Three-month-old Mary E. Gibbons died on an unusually warm day in May where the temperature rose to over 80 degrees. She was buried at Bethel Burying Ground most likely the following day that saw a change in the weather to “raw and rainy.”