Three-year-old Francis Tate died this date, October 16th, in 1852 from a fever of unknown origin. He was the son of Arthur and Margareta Tate who lived with their four other children in a room located in a 3-story brick building in the 900 block of Lombard Street near Bethel Church (now Mother Bethel). Their rent was $1.75 a month. Arthur was employed as a porter and Margareta was a day worker according to the 1847 African American Census. It appears from the Census that Francis attended the nearby Lombard Infant School. One of the parents was formerly enslaved and gained their freedom through manumission.

A Black man, approximately 40 years old, accidentally drowned and was buried this date, October 12th, in 1847 at Bethel Burying Ground. The process by which a stranger to everyone can evidently be buried at Bethel is unknown. The majority of those with no given name buried at BBG are for the most part infants or babies born dead and have not yet been given a name. The circumstances around this man’s dead suggest suicide in my experience. Yet I have not been able to locate any newspaper account of such an event. Did one of the Church’s beneficial societies learn of his death and agree to bury him? Normally in a case like this he would have been buried in Potter’s Field. Hopefully, his story will not end here and further evidence will surface in the future. 

The Reverend David Ware, 43, died this date, September 21st in 1848 and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground on the 27th. He was stricken with Tuberculosis six months before his death and bore his illness with “Christian fortitude” according to his obituary.* Rev. Ware was a school teacher, principal, Bethel Church deacon, steward, secretary, trustee and considered “one of the ablest men of his day,” according to African Methodist Episcopal history.** 

Rev. Ware was a teacher and principal of his own private school. In 1847 enrollment at the school was reported to be 56 students from 4 different districts in the County and City of Philadelphia. For many years he was the superintendent of  Bethel’s Sunday School with an enrollment of 300 students and a staff of 24 teachers.*** Before his death he was tasked with creating a high school for Black students. His illness prevented him from fulfilling that assignment. **** 

The Ware family lived in the 600 block of Lombard Street only yards away from Bethel Church. The Philadelphia African-American Census of 1847 reported 6 total members of the family (2 males; 4 females; Under 5 Yrs., 1; Under 15 Years, 1; Under 50 years, 4). A total of five family members could read and write with all the children being educated at Rev. Ware’s school. The four females in the family were employed as a teacher, dressmaker and two were engaged as domestics.  

Sadly, the Ware family suffered the loss of their son and brother, William J. Ware on November 21, 1847. He was nineteen at the time of his death from tuberculosis. The same disease that took his father. It is very likely they are buried next to each other at Bethel Burying Ground.

*Public Ledger, September 23, 1848, p.2. 

** Bethel Gleanings, Rev. Joseph S. Thompson (1881), p. 40. Available at  http://stillfamily.library.temple.edu/bethel-gleanings-page-1; in the same reference (p. vii), Bishop Payne makes note of Rev. Ware “beauty of penmanship” and substantial “detailed entries” as Secretary of Bethel Church for many years. As a layman, Rev. Ware was not considered a minister and Payne points this out as he laments the total lack of literacy among A.M.E. itinerant ministers. It is apparent that Rev. Ware was responsible for the recording and documenting numerous aspects of the Church’s organization during his adult lifetime.  

*** A statistical inquiry into the conditions of the people of colour of the city and districts of Philadelphia, p. 21. Available at http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510023192154;view=1up;seq=3.

**** History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop David Alexander Payne, pp. 142 and 177. Available                                                  at http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/payne/payne.html

Forty-year-old George White died this date, September 19th, in 1840 from a “Sudden Visitation of God” and was buried at Bethel Burying Ground. Five days later the Public Ledger newspaper would report that Mr. White collapsed on Shippen Street (now Bainbridge) and died from Consumption (Tuberculosis). *

From Federal Census Records and Philadelphia city directories it appears that Mr. White and his family lived at 160 S. 5th Street in the block north of Independence Hall. He was employed as a porter earning approximately $5 a week if he was able to find full-time employment. There is no additional information on his family members at this time.

This perspective map shoulds the location of the White’s home (circle) in relationship to Independence Hall (arrow) on Chestnut Street. In the early 1950s the homes on the White’s block were torn down to create the Independence Square Mall. 

Below is a photo from the Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia) dated November 1, 1951. It shows the complete demolition of the three blocks directly north of Independence Hall (in the background) which included the White’s address. 

*Public Ledger, September 21, 1840