Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-01


pears in the Philadelphia directories OF
and IA as General Ira
Allen" and as IRA Allen, gentleman"
residing at s George ST., 81 South Sixth
and 90 South Fifth street Various bio
graphical sketches state that he died on
the 7th Of January, 1874 There was no d.
rectory Issued, or preserved of 1915 and
his name does not appear In 1916 Note
below correct date of death:
The Orphans Court records do not men
ton his name from 1911 TO 1871
The Register OF Wills Record-Admln-
istration Book NJ, page 80, No. 2S9 reads
as follows:
Sept 20, 1917. Adm. of Ira Aliens es-
tate, William Hunt Admr. store keeper,
81 North Front street,. Sureties for $40
William Berrett, ornamental painter, g
Cherry street,, George f. Albert, physi-
clan GIG North Front street,. VIM. Ber-
rett swears that he does not believe the
whole exceeds 5000.
a truly pathetic account of the straits,
to which the misfortunes of an active
public life had reduced the hero, to whom
his State owes so great debt!
Having no knowledge of his religious
belief or association with any denomina-
ton, 1t was difficult TO know which chur- h
record to consult for facts of his burial.
Public cemeteries wero unknown here, at
that date. A few private ones existed.
but which of those, or the various church
yards, was difficult question.
The Board of Health of Philadelphia, in
latter years, compes "a monthly return of
all sections of cemeteries as to the inter-
nents during the month. 1t was suggested
by the trained clerk of the Pennsylvania
Genealogical society" that possibly such
returns were made in 1914. The registrar
of the board J. V. =. Turner Esq, a de-
scendant of Capt Turner of the celehrdt-
ed Turner Falls" entered heartily into
the search, to aid the State of Vermont
In its proposed plans.
: BY n chance, which the registrar con-
siders one of thousand, the package for
1914, of said returns from sections and
grave-diggers, was rescued from destruc-
ton, when the office was moved from 6th
and SAMSON street to the bubble buildings
and simply on account of his personal in
tcrcst in antiquarian research. Tons of
old records have been sold and burned
and destroyed. His certificate is herewith
attached:
| Office OF the
| BOARD OF HEALTH.
| City Hall.
Philadelphia, Nov. 5. 1898.
Cory Of the certificate of the death Of
Gen. Ira Allen, as reported to the Board
of Health by the superintendent of the
Free Quakers' burial ground.
"Genl Ira Allen, aged &C years, died of
retrocedent govt, Jan'y 18th, 1914.
GEO. L. ALBERT.
other burials in this ground for the
died January 10, 1914; John Taylor died
January 20. 1914 ]. V. p. TURNER,
Registrar Board of Health.
The question now arises, which of the
great number of graye-yards Is the Free
Quaker" grounds? Reference to the Ills
tory of the Religious Society Of Friends
called by some the Free Quakers" In the
Ill. 1894 Appendix g. page 90. is found
iced of burial lot, viz:
THAT eight of the city lote belonging
10 the commonwealth, marked in the plan
or draft of the public city lots, Nos. "a, 80
SO. 81 IS, 49, 40, IL, situated contiguous &c
each other, on the wcst side of Fifth
street. from Delaware River, in the city
al Philadelphia, containing altogether in
breadth. north and south on the said
Fifth street, 176 feet q. c. to say % feet
for each lott and in length or depth east
and west l9S feet inches bounded north
by lot No. ~. sold to John Taylor, east
ward by Fifth street aforesaid. and
westward by the back ends of Sixth
street lots. In trust for the sole
purpose of burial ground for the use OF
the Religious Society of Friends. distm'
Euished and known by the name OF Free
Quakers' in the city of Philadelphia. - y
The question now arises. how coult
Gen. Allen, in all probability not 6
Quaker q. c. no evidence has come dowr
eral Assembly of Pennsylvania, 9th mo,
9Th. 17S2.
THE care of our burial ground In tho
city is committed to persons appointed al
our monthly meetings, to consider tn,
propriety of application and give permis
sion to the grave-diggers for intermen
within their respective limits.
One lot OF ground. which Is now oui
grave yard in Philadelphia, was a dona
ton of worthy member OF our religious
society, at the very early settlement o
the city for tho use Of the people called
Quakrs. who are, or should be, in unioI
and fellowship with the yearly meeting
of said people. for a burial place arC
granted to certain persons in trust fo
that purpose. Nevertheless 1t hath beef
the general practice not to refuse thos'
who have, near the close OF life, desired
TO be intered there. whether in profession
with as, or not, and the records of GU
burlals will sufficiently evidence that tn
number inferred of such, who were no
members, is nearly equal to, If not great
CT. than those in membership with us
Signed on behalf and by direction of
meeting of the representatives of the sal,
people called Quakers held at Phiadel
phia 18th, lst mo-, 1852.
JOHN DRINKER. Clerk.
The foregoing sufficiently explains HOY
. that our hero, Gen. Ira Aliens remain
, have lain for 81 years in the Free Quak
err" ground-but alas, how shall we identi
fy his remains, so as to be able To remov
: them to his native State and do them sue
, honor as is meet?
. The Society of Free Quakers" dwind
led Death and secession from varicu
causes, reduced them finally to four oil
gentlemen, who met every Sunday morn
, ing Three of them died, and only Nj
; Witherill was left to attend meeting-a
, alone! Meantime, no interment have bee
made in the ground since 1S73-26 year
, ago. Neglect and ruin have overtake
, the place. The police department doe
not maintain n special officer to guard /
and unruly boys have made 1t the mos
dismal wreck imaginable.
In lSSS the remaining members of the sc