Two-month-old Joseph Thompson died this date, May 6th, in 1851 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on May 6, 2015
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J. Thompson (1)

 

Two-month-old Joseph Thompson died this date, May 6th, in 1851 of convulsions and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. The 1850 Federal Census, 1847 African American Census and the relevant city directories do not reveal any information on Joseph’s family. Educator, historian and author Charles L. Blockson claims that the African American neighborhood of Paschall’s Alley “aided and sheltered more fugitive slaves than any other section of the city until the Civil War.”* 

Local historian, Harry Kyriakodis** asserts that numerous residents of Paschall Alley were Underground Railroad “agents” and that “. . . . the alley became reputed along the Underground railroad up and down the East Coast.” However, neither Blockson or Kyriakodis cite evidence of their claims.

Could the Thompson family had been fugitive slaves passing through Philadelphia to New England or Canada?

Paschall's Alley

The 400 block of Wallace Street (formerly Paschall’s Alley) in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of the city. The street is near 5th and Coates Streets.

 

 

*The Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania, p. 17.

**http://hiddencityphila.org/2014/05/of-safe-houses-and-cod-liver-oil-sad-ol-wallace-street-in-northern-liberties/

Four-year-old Margaret States died this date, May 3rd, in 1850 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on May 3, 2015
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STATES

Four-year-old Margaret States died this date, May 3rd, in 1850 “from the effects of a burn.” She lived with her parents, Owen and Margaret, and her siblings on Carpenter Street between 13th Street and Broad Street and Christian Street and Washington Avenue. This street no longer exists. Owen was a laborer, a “jobber,” who was occasionally employed as a basketmaker. Margaret worked as a washerwoman who also did sewing according to the 1847 African American Census. The States were a family of 5 who all lived in a 10′ by 10′ room for which they paid $2.25 a month in rent. There are 16 other individuals buried at Bethel Burying Ground that we know about that succumbed  to the “effects of a burn.” 

 

The Neighborhood – Fire and Murder of a Policeman – May 2, 1850

Posted by Terry Buckalew on May 2, 2015
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About noon yesterday, three frame dwellings on Carberry Court, Catherine St. below Fifth were greatly damaged by fire, which originated in the sparks from a foul chimney which had been allowed to burn out. Owing to the high wind, the fire extended along the roofs with great rapidity, and most of the furniture and clothing of the tenants, were destroyed or greatly injured. James Barker and Mrs. McDevitt occupied one house, and Mrs. Ann Sharpley and Mrs. Graves occupied the other two. These females were widows, who lose their all by this calamity, and the destitute situation of Mrs. Graves is one of peculiar hardship. She has five children depending upon her for subsistence, who escaped from their home with no closing but what they had on – and of her furniture only a single bed was saved. The property formerly belonged to the Carberry estate. (Public Ledger, May 2, 1850)

Carberry Court

Carberry Court* was a narrow dark alleyway that terminated at the northern boundary of Bethel Burying Ground. For decades leading up to 1850 the “back houses” that lined the passageway were home to white working class, mostly Irish, single men and occasionally single women and whole families. The lane saw its share of violent troubles with gang wars between the “Skinners” and the “Buffers” culminating in a pitched battle that lasted an hour on the evening November of 1847 at the head of Carberry Court. Pistols, bats, knives and stones were all used culminating in the death of a young man named Roger Kelley who was murdered. He was a member of the “Buffer” gang. (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/8/1847)

Ten years later in June of 1857 a 21-year-old policeman (constable) was stabbed while breaking up a fight in Carberry Court and died of his wounds at Pennsylvania Hospital. The suspected assailant (James Diamond) “escaped over a grave-yard fence” and through Bethel Burying Ground onto Queen Street.(Philadelphia Inquirer, June 22, 1857) Diamond was caught and tried and acquitted of all charges due to numerous discrepancies in witness testimony. (Press, December 19, 1857)

*Also called Carberry’s Court and Carbery.

Born in 1729, Manuel Till died this date, April 30th, in 1819 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 30, 2015
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TILL 1

Ninety-year-old Manuel Till died this date, April 30th, in 1919 of complication due to Asthma and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground on May 1st. Born in 1729 he surely was enslaved at one point in his life. Research has not been able to uncover any other information on Mr. Till. There are five other individuals with the last name of “Till” buried on Queen Street. Hopefully, continued research will be able to add to this gentleman’s life story. 

The city directory of 1818 reports that Mr. Till’s physician, Edward Haycock, had his practice at no. 50 South 2nd St. near to what is now known as Head House Square.

On this date, April 28th, in 1810 Reverend Richard Allen and the trustees of Bethel Church purchased land for the Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 28, 2015
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1810 document

This is the legal document that was signed by the attorneys for Richard Allen and the original trustees of Mother Bethel when they purchased the property for the burying ground in April of 1810. Somewhere along the line the document was stolen and eventually resurfaced in a North Carolina flea market where it was purchased! It was donated to the Smithsonian several years ago by the daughter of the woman who acquired it. (Personal communications between myself, the Smithsonian and the donor.)

On April 28, 1810 the Reverend Richard Allen and the trustees purchased a plot of land for $1,600 to be used as a cemetery not only for congregants, but for any Black man, woman or child that wanted a respectable Christian burial; as opposed to an unmarked grave in a potter’s field.

Bolivar

October 10, 1914 “Pencil Pusher Points” column of Black journalist William Carl Bolivar in the Philadelphia Tribune.

In 1823 Rev. Richard Allen wrote that Bethel Church had spent between $1,200 and $1,500 in charitable relief for those who could not afford to pay for a burial on Queen Street.* 

*Richard S. Newman, Freedom’s Prophet, p.150.

Thirty-year-old William Bacon died this date, April 27th, in 1853 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 27, 2015
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BACON

William Bacon, 30 years old, died this date, April 27th, in 1853 of Tuberculosis and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. He lived with his spouse and children at 10 Acorn Alley and made his living at different occupation over the years, including waiter, seaman and trader. The Bacons paid $12.50 a quarter for their rent which was probably one large room or two smaller rooms.* Mr. Bacon was born in Cecil County, Maryland as it appears was his wife. Acorn Alley (now North Darien Street) ran from Spruce to Locust Streets in the 800 blocks.

The week that Mr. Brown was buried, there were three other individuals interred at Bethel Burying Ground that succumbed to Tuberculosis.

Scan (1)

The red star indicates the location of Acorn Alley (now N. Darien Street).

 

 *1847 African American Census

The Habren triplets died this date, April 22nd, in 1835 and were buried at Bethel Burying Ground.

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 22, 2015
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Habren

One-day-old triplets died this date, April 22nd, in 1835 of unknown causes and were buried at Bethel Burying Ground. They were the daughters of “L. Hebrens.” I was unable to uncover any information on this family. There is documentation of 40 infants between the ages of 1 to 7 days being buried at Bethel Burying Ground.

Fifty-year-old Nancy Moses died this date, April 18th, in 1849 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 18, 2015
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NANCY MOSES

Nancy Moses, 50 years old, died this date, April 18th, in 1849 of “disease of the Lungs” and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Ms. Moses lived with her husband, Ezekiel, next to Bethel Burying Ground on Cobb Street (now Lawrence Street). She took in washing and ironing while Ezekiel earned a living working as a seaman for $20 per month according to the 1847 African American Census. The rent for their rooms was $90 a year. City directories reveal that as early as 1841 the family lived on the little alley street that abutted the graveyard. In addition to her spouse, Nancy also left behind two daughters Anna (18 y/o) and Mary (17 y/o). 

Scan (1)

The Moses family home is represented in this 1862 map by the red striated rectangle and Bethel Burying Ground by the red circle. Black families living on the surrounding streets of the graveyard were very rare until after the American Civil War. Could Ezekiel and Nancy Moses been some sort of caretakers for graveyard? Hopefully, further research will determine that one way or the other. 

The stillborn child of Jane Vanorkey was delivered this date, April 16th, in 1848 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 16, 2015
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vanorkey

The stillborn male child of Jane Vanorkey was delivered this date, April 16th, in 1848 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Ms. Vanorkey was a dressmaker with two other young children who attended the Shiloh Baptist Infant School at Clifton and Cedar Streets according to the 1847 African American Census. Simon, her spouse, worked as a bottler in one of the many distilleries and beer breweries in the city and surrounding districts.

 One of the most famous dressmakers/seamstresses in American History is civil rights activist Rosa Parkers.

ROSA_PARKS 

The seven-month-old infant son of Trim Corsey died this date, April 12th, in 1849 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground

Posted by Terry Buckalew on April 12, 2015
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coursey

I have chosen to accept the spelling of the last name as “Corsey” because that is how it is spelled in several city directories.”Coursey” is used in the 1847 African American Census and we see that the hurried physician spelled it “Cansey.” 

 Trim* Corsey lost his 7-month-old son to Pneumonia on this date, April 12th, in 1849 and had the infant buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Mr. Corsey supported his family as a coachman making $15 a month. Ms. Corsey was a washerwoman adding to the family’s income that paid their rent of $56 a year for a room at 15 Watson’s Alley in the Cedar Section of the City. The alley ran south from 104 Locust Street and no longer exists.

coachman

In the 1847 African American Census, there were 104 Black Philadelphians who listed their occupation as “coachman.”

 

 

*Ancestry.com reports that the name “Trim” is a nickname for someone who is known as “a well-turned out person.” The name was first reportedly used as far back as the 16th century. I have not been able to locate any documents that reveal another first name if there is one.