Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-18

CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY.
The silent City Of the Dead BY the
Eastern Branch.
DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE BOTH OF TIE ARMY
AND NAVY AND or THU CIVIL Service
WHOSE REMAINS ARE BURIED THERE-A
SKETCH OF THE ORIGIN AND oRowFh OF THE
CEMETERY.
A stranger hearing the name Of the Congress
sionai cemetery would naturally think that the
place was owned by the government, ana 1t
| cannot be doubted that large number OF the
residents of the District entertain similar be-
hef Such is not the fact. This beautiful city
of the dead is owned by the parish of Christ
church, on the Navy Yard, ana Is controlled
and managed by a committee of the vestry. In
| fact the cemetery has no legal right to the
name by which 1t is generally known. 1t was
at first managed by company Vi gentlemen
and was called Tingey's cemetery nom the fact
that the first was 'h' b H dhe sh 1Say , 2,
until these gentlemen presented the cemetery
to Christ church on March 3Oth, 1872. when
the following resolution was passed oy the Ves-
:Reso.rea, That the burial ground presented
to the vestry this day be designated by the
name and title Of the
WASHINGTON PARISH BURIAL GROUND"
quired the title of Congressional cemetery from
the fac: that Senators and Representatives who
died while In the performance OF their duties in
this city were buried ct this new graveyard.
The first who was SO buried there was Hon.
Trial Tracy, Senator from Connecticut, who
died in April, 1907. He had been q major gem
erai IN the revolutionary army, and when he
died Congress appropriated money to place q
cenotaph over his remains. This precedent
once established was continued, ind from that
time until 1861 cenotaph was placed in this
grn
Representative who died whether he was buried
there or not. These were first made OF white
sandstone. as that was the only material easily
obai nablc I'm this locality, and. in fact the CEN
trail portion of the Capitol is OF this white sand
stone.
The next distinguished burial was that of Ed
ward Darby. n representative from New Jersey.
who died Jniy 2Sth. 1903. Near by his resting
place is the lot Of the Lear family, who were
friends Of Waslington. Then there is the tomb
OF Eldridgc Gerry, Vice President Of the United
States, who died on his way to the Capitol to
aged 10 years. "thus fulfilling according to the
Inscription, Ibis own memorable Injunction:
1T is the duty of every citizen, though he may
the good Of his country" The monument was
erected by Congress.
Not far or rs the grave Of Maj. Gen. George
Clinton, who was also vice president, sur
mounted by q monument, which contains a
3as relief portrait OF the deceased, which h said
to be an excellent likeness.
PUsH-MA-TA-HA's MONUMENT.
that erected to the celebrated Indian Push-ma-
ta-ha, who was a chief OF the Choctaw tribe.
The inscription says the deceased was ''grcat
friend OF Jackson" and that the monument was
"erected by his brother chiefs. who were assp-
ciated with him in a delegation from their Ha-
ton In 1924 to the general government Of the
United states" The dead chiefs virtues are de-
scribed as follows: "Pusli-m;,-t;l-ha was q war
rior OF great distinction. He wise in coun-
ell eloquent i'll an extraordinary degree and
on all occasions and under All circumstances
ton on the oath of December, 1924, Of the Group,
in the siNtieth year Of his age; Among his last
the big guns be fired over me-"
There are quite number Of Indians buried
In this cemetery, but none are marked In SO
chief Samuel A. Otis, who died April %, 1914,
was representative of tine celebrated Otis
were one Of the oldest families In the District,
and whose male members were known espe-
cfally for
THEIR FIGHTING QUALITIES.
There is a handsome monument which was
erected by order of Frederick William, King
of Prussia, to the memory OF the resident min
lister to the United States. Chevalier Frederick
Greuhm," who died December LIST, 1925. The
grave OF Cilley, who killed In q duel by
Graves, OF kentucky, on the historical duei:ng
ground at Bladensburg Is not far from where
the German minister lies.
Hon. Buckner Thurston. Associate Justice OF
the District Circuit Court; Judge Bealc Bordley
Crawford. Philip Pendeton Barbor, an associ-
ate justice Of the U. $. Supreme Court, Richard
Coke, an eminent lawyer at the District bar.
and the father OF the present Judge Coke; WIN.
Bassmachan, member Of the Turkish Lcga-
ton; Samuel Nicholas 4stnaiiwood, one OF The
early mayors OF this city. are not far from each
other in the older portion OF the cemetery.
One of the most imposing monuments IN the
whole cemetery is that erected over the family
vault OF VIM. Writ 1t is of Italian marble, and
in.
scriptioD states that Mr.. Writ was Attorney
General from 1917 to 1929, and 1t was during
| his term OF office that he conducted the prose
cution against Aaron Burr for high treason.
His eloquent address on that occasion, in which
by which Burr gained complete ascendency
over the simpie-minded Blenerhassett, ranks
among the classics of forensic literature.
AMONG THE CONGRESSIONAL cENoTAPHs
are those to Henry Clay and John Z. Calhoun,
and it may not be generally known that both
these distinguished statesmen owned lots in
the cemetery and have children buried there
There one hundred and seventy-five of
these cenotaphs The last congressional burial
here was Senator Lemuel Bowdcn, of West Viz.
SInia. Congress, however, has reserved for its
use space on both sides Of Prout avenue twelve
burial sites deep five ranges on Congress and
three Oh Henderson avenues.
OLD FAMILY LOTS
Nowhere can the old families Of the District
be traced more intelligently than in this ceme-
father of Mayor Lenox; John Stettinus; of
Moses Poor, who was the father OF Admiral
Poor. story is told that when Mr. Poor kept
u store on the avenue some boys one night
| sawed his sign In the center and then changed
the position Of the two pieces, SO that 1t read
Poor Moses. Then there are the family lots of
the Handys, the Becks, DIR. Lowery, T. B. Cross,
the Coyles, Robert Campbell, Henry Lee, ST.,
Edmund d. Earle, the Barrys, c. b. Church,
james Gait, the father OF the present jewelers.,
Peter Brady, John A. Smith, Meelan, William
Young, Rev. John G. Smith, Evan Evans, Peter
G. Washington. john Sargent, Andrew j. Du-
vail, the Pendletons, the Griffiths David A.
Hall, Walter Jones, VIM. Benning, for whom
Benning's bridge was named; Geo. Parker J. c.
Gramnler. Chas. L. and r. Coltman, JAS Green.
| leaf, Neuhan, W. +. Gardner, Thos 3. Cross,
| jr., NJ. II. stevens, Col ]. G. Berret F. J. Hell
berger, Jos. Hall, Geo. c. Hcnning, Jacob Gid
con, the Prouts, Col. Bowie, DIR. ". E. Poulton,
the Clarkes. John Maury, John T. Towers ex.
mayor Of Washington; Joshua Gibson, the
Mckims, Marks, Bishop Johns, Samuel Cross,
Zurhorst, VIM. 7. Jones, Imbie, James Adams,
| James Y. Davis, Anthony Buchly, John HtZ,
John Bayne, L. A. Wood, Whittford Scaggs
San1 Little, the Duncansons, the Zantz1ngers,
| w. H. Campbell, the Rives, the Beails SLAMS
Gilman, Jacob s. Acker, Philip Otterback, Jas.
| S. Farnum, Francis Mohun, Edward Inglc Dr.
VIM. Gunton, VIM. Biciford Kibbey, and many
others. All tt csc lots are occupied by some de-
ceased members OF the family, and to their
memory headstones monuments have been
place i. il many instances Of great value aud
| beauty.
| AMONG THE GRAVES OF FOREIGNERS
owl, fnnv, 1,n to- of