Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-08-14

bIdnCl,
Distinguished People Both ofthc Army
and Navy and of the Civil Service
Whose Remains are Buried
There---A Sketch of the
Origin and Growth Of
the Cemetery.
\ stranger hearing the name OF
the Congressional cemetery would
naturally think that the place was
owned by the government, and 1t
cannot be doubted that a large
number of the residents Of the Dis
trict entertain similar belief.
Snch is not the fact. This beauh-
full CITY of the dead is owned by
the parish of Christ church, on the
Navy Yard, and is controlled ana
managed 10y a committee Of the
vestry. In fact, the cemetery has
no legal right to the name by winch
it is generally known. 1t was at
first managed by company OF
gentlemen and was called Tlngeys
cemetery from the fact that the
first interment was that of the
bodv of Commodore TinGey in
1907. 1t held that title until these
gentlemen presented the cemetery
to Christ church on March 10th,
1872. when the following resolution
was passed by the vestry;
"REsoLvED, That the burial
ground presented to the vestry this
day be designated by the name and
title of the
WASHINGTON PARISH BURIAL
GEOUND.'
Even teforc this date, however,
it had acquired the title of Con
eressional cemetery from the fact
that Senators ard Representatives
who died while in the performance
of their duties in this city were
buried at this new graveyard.
The first who was so buried there
was Hon. Trial Tracy, Senator
from Connecticut, who died IN
April, 1907. lie had been n major
general in the revolutionary army
and when he died Congress ap
prOpriated money to place Il ceho'
taph over his remains. THIS pre-
cedent once established was con
tinued, and from that time until
1861 a cenotaph was placed IN tins
burial ground in memory OF every
| Senator or Representative who
died whether he was buried there
or not. These were first made oi
white sandstone, as that was the
only material easily obtainaOle il
this locality, and, in fact, the cen
tral portion of the Capitol is OF
this white sandstone.
The next distinguished buria
was that Of Edward Darby, a rep
resentative from New Jersey, who
died July 2Sth, 1905. Near by hl'
resting place is the lot of the Lea
family, who were friends Of Wash
ington. Then there ia the tomb 0
Eldridge Gerry, Vice President o
the United States, who died on hi
way to the Capitol to preside Owe
the Senate on November 23d, 1914
aged 20 years, "thus fulfilling
according to the inscription. "hl
own memorable injunction; 'lt IL
the duty of every citizen, thougI
he NAV have but one day to live
to devote that day to the good @
his country" The monumen
was erected by Congress.
Not far off is the grave OF Ma
Gen. George Clinton, who was ais
a vice president, surmounted by
monument, which contains Oa
relief portrait of the deceased
which is said to be an excellen
likeness.
PUsH-MA-TA-HA's MONUMENT.
One of the most intcrestln
monuments is that erected to til
celebrated Indian Pushma-ta'h'
who was % chief of the Chocta
It tribe. Tho inscription says IL
,, deceased was a "great friend
m Jackson" and that the monumel
was "erected by his brother Chief
who were associated with him in
delegation from their nation
1924 to the general government
the United Statcs.r The dca
,s chiefs virtues are described as tC
lows: Push.ma.ta-ha was a wa
riOr of great distinction. He WI
wise in council, eloquent il an c
traOrdinary degree, and Oh
occasions and under all clrcuI
stances the white mans friend
lie died in Washington on the u
gs of December, 1924, of the Group,
the sixtieth year Ofhis age. Amor
his last words were the following
"When / am gone let the blg guI
be fred over me-
There ore quite a number OF
dams br.ried in this cemetery, b
ur mono o re marked in so pretentlo
a sty le as the celebrat ed Choct'
n chief, Samuel A. Otis, who di
., A.pril 9th, 1914, was represen
!. tive of the celebrated Otis fami
v Of Massachusetts, of revolutiona
fame. Near him is the family
''' of the Mays, who were one OF
/, oldest families in the Distri
and whose male members W.