The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-05-21
For the Register.
"Among the Tombs."
PHILADELPHIA, May llth, 1872.

towns were few, and when the inha bit.
ants of the earth were scattered here and
there, and nowhere collected in large
numbers, no difficulty was experienced
in attending to both sanitary and social
requirements. Caves, natural or artif-
cial, were first used as we find, by fre.
quent references in the bible. With the
increase of population, the growth of cit.
les and the spread of civilization, other
and different means of disposing of the
dead were supposed to be necessary ;
and hence it is that intcrmural inter.
mcnts became one of the features of city
life in modern times. First, the grave
yards "within walls" were confined to
the enclosures around churches, originat-
ing, no doubt, in the belief that the
ground was consecrated, and for that
reason best adapted for the repose of the
loved and lost ones. In Philadelphia
this idea seems to have been carried out
In a number of instances. The march of
improvements has drawn these from with
in the city limits, and added largely to
the success Of cemeteries, supposed at
one time to be beyond the reach of the
progress of the age, and safe from the
ruthless and utilitarian demands of the
surveyor, in his greed for new avenues
for the living, regardless Of the claims Of
the dead.
The first place appropriated for the
purpose of interment in this city, was the
"Weccaco Burial Ground" now famil.
iarly known as the "Swedes Churchyard.
This burial ground which is attached to
the old Swedes' church on Swanton St.
below Christian, is the oldest place Of
interment in Philadelphia. The church
stands on the site of the old "Bock
House" which was first used for worship
in the year 1871. The burial place must
be now nearly two hundred years old.
The grave Of Andrew Darn, marked by
a head-tone, is yet shown to visitors, the
inscription on the stone being in the
Swedish language, the only one thus in-
scrbed, it is naturally an object of Curl
osity. So little is the language now spo.
ken among the Oldest descendants of the
first settlers, that it has been found diff.
cult within the last few years to find
any ono that could render into English
the words on the tombstone. Among the
earliest recorded burials is that of Mary,
wife of Andrew Robson. Her tomb
stone, which is yet in remarkably good
state Of preservation, bears upon it dis.
tlnctly visible, Deaths head and hour
glass. The inscription is in these words :
"Herc lyeth the body of Mary, wife of
Andrew Robson, who dyed November
18th, ZIG, aged fifty years"
Upon stone erected at the grave Of
Henry Barry, native of Sweden. is cut
representation of old Swede church and
burial ground, very well executed. The
tombstone of Mrs. Margaret Boon is
pointed out to visitors who find pleasure
in reading curious cpitaphs. She died
in the year 1888, and her friends who
laid her remains in the ground evidently
thought that the fact of her having been
a long time a widow, was worthy of be
ing recorded. The epitaph reads thus
"She lived a widow three and twerty years,
Three children had by one husband dear,
Two of ye same in yc ground lieth here"
The remains Of Alexander Wilson, the
celebrated ornithologist, lie in tho Swedos
ground, and are covered with tomb.
For many years after the landing Of
Penn, the Swedish portion Of Philadcl.
phia was considered, and spoken of, as
being 'out of town." and one of the ear
liest missionaries to the settlement it is
said, describes it as the "Nearest to
Philadelphia During the Revolution.
AIRY war, when Swedes church was used
as Barracks BY British troops, the burial
ground was also used as a place of in
terment for British officers, aud privates,
who died during the occupancy. The
church edifcc is the Oldest one in the
city, quaint in its general contour, but
apparently in a state Of perfect preserva-
tion; and yet unmarried by the tooth Of
time have had the pleasure of once
attending service within its ancient walls.
The service is the Episcopal form. One
more incident and we will take leave of
old Swedes church and its burial ground.
One OF the burial records informs us that
the patient being in great pain from hav.
ing taken too much mercury, he (the
minister) forbid the further use of it.
Christ Church burial ground at Fifth
and Arch SITS, appears to be the next that
was laid out. Here are the ashes OF
Benjamin Franklin, as | have heretofore
written, likewise those of Peyton Ran
dolph, President of the first Congress
Francis Iiopkinson, whose palsied hand
is recognized in the wavering letters that
constitute his name, attached to the dec.
laraIiou of Independence, Doct. John
kearsley, vino prepared the Ian of Iu-
dependence Hall, Major Gen'l Charles
Lee, Gcn'l Jaoo Morgan, as were those
of Gen'l Hugh Mercer, before their re.
moval to Laurel Hill, also those of Bish.
op White, whose memory the Episcopal
ians 50 greatly aud justly venerate.
st. Peters burial ground surrounds a
large brick church, built before the Revo-
lutionary war. In it are large number
of tombstones, covering the remains OF
persons that died prior to that period.
Many can scarcely be read. Among the
most notable of monuments is that of that
gallant and intrepid naval hero, Com
modore Stephen Decatur, who, it will be
remembered, performed the daring feat
of recapturing the Philadelphia in the
harbor of Tripoli. in 1904, without the
loss of single man. The frigate ground
ed in the harbor, while under the COM
mand of Captain Bainbridge, and be-
longed to the fleet of Commodore Preble.
The Tripolitans Immediately seizing it,
Decatur soon sailed in the Intrepid, from
Syracuse, entered the harbor, ran up to
the frigate, sprang aboard, his crew fol-
lowing, killed and drove them into the
sea, fired the ship and retreated in good
order. All this was done within gunshot