Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-01
The Search For Ira Aliens Grave.

Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania,
Those will interest all Vermonters, who
tako any interest In tho history of their
State, and all such will be grateful to
those gentlemen for the pains they have
taken in the search:
COL CoNvERsE's LETTER.
Philadelphia, Nov. IS, 1885,
NV Dear MIR. Benedict. started in the
search for Ira Aliens grave last summer,
by visiting all the old churchyards and
cemeteries, or writing inquiries TO the rec
tors, pastors and sections. From most of
them received replies, but they were all
in the negative-thcy had no record of the
burial of Ira Allen. l searched the news
papers of 1914 in the historical libraries
but there was no mention of Ira Aliens
death in them; in fact, death notices in
those days were very infrcquent.
l found his name in the city directories
as follows.
lSOa-Allen, Gen. l., George.
1SlO--Allen, Gen. Ira, 81 South 9Th.
lSll-Allen. Cen Ira, so South 9Th.
1Sl.-No directory.
lSl3-Allen. Ira, gentleman. 90 South 9Th.
1SA-Allen, Ira, gentleman, 80 South 5th.
lSl5-No directory.
In Poulson's American Daily Advertiser
and United States Gazette ofPhiadelphia
no mention of Ira Aliens death.
In the library of The Library Co., Of
Philadelphia ! found copy Of the "Olive
Branch, the gift OF tho Author" and
History of Vermont by Ira Allen"
My brother John hired one of the
scarchers of the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania to make search; but all she
found was the certificate of his death by
his administrator and the suretics of tho
latter. a copy of which | sent to Mr..
chittenden, and unfortunately / did not
keep n copy. The valuation OF his estate
was so. The doctors certificate was filed
with 1t, viz: Gen. Ira Allen. aged GO
years, died of retrocedent govt January
18th, 1914. 0Signed) Geo. f. Alberti." The
books all say he died January eth, which
must be wrong, as tho doctor is more re-
liable. Also. IL no was CO years old when
he died. that would make the date OF his
birth l7is, instead OF rs given In the his
tories or biographies, Dr. Albert was also
surety for Ira Allen's administrator
In September last succeeded in getting
Mr.. Francis Olcott Allen Interested in the
matter He is greatly interested In such
work-hc Is ag entleman of leisure, with
ample time. and has unusual facilities for
such a search, as he Us n member of the
genealogical and historical societies that
have facilities for such search. He Is also
collateral descendant of Ira and Ethan.
He took hold of the matter with great
enthusiasm and Intelligence and II Is to
him that we are indebted for ascertaining
that it was In the Free Quakers burial
ground that Ira Allen was buried. In the
oNi>c tfhe Board of Health, in Phla-
delphia, he found n record showing that
Ira Allen was buried In the Free Quakers'
burial ground, and he obtained Il certiii-
cate to that effect from the chief of that
department We found also that IN 1855
very exhaustive report was made by a
committee OF Che society of Free Quakcrs
in whose ground on Fifth street, between
| Locust and Spruce, west side, Gen. Ira
was buried. They carefully examined
each stone. They gave names and da ties
of 60. and reported IL illeSibe. Their
records show IS interments from the be-
ginning Nov. LIST, 1856, to January 9Th
1901 The stub book and record from 1901
TO 1919 are lost. (The treasurer, one Kim
ball, who had charge of the books and
records. failed heavily in business at tina,
time). From Dec. Is, 1919, to April I, 1850
there were 1874 burials. Ninety-eght and 49,
makes 1872 accounted for and only ca leSi-
Bile. We went over the legib.e ones, but
could find no Ira Allen, thus confirming
the committees report of 1855. The Free
Quahers Tor what Is left of thom), arc
willing that Gen. Ira's remains be remov
ed II found.
The Free Quakers are almost extinct
For some years there were only four oi
them left, and those four would sit ir
meeting until the spirit moved one OF
them to speak. Finally. there was only
one LETT, and he sat in meeting alone. A
week ago Mr.. Francis Olcott Allen and
went over the Free Quakers' buria
ground, and it proved to be tho worst
wreck of the kind ! had ever seeen. I'm
ruly boys had made playground of q
portion of ii, despite the efforts of III,
man in charge to keep them out by spik
inS the wall around it, The other por
nj nj
and had been dumping ground for ole
shoes, empty cans, and other rubbish
from the decayed habitations bordering
It, Some grave stones were illegible
many nearly so, some broker, and it wa
evident that many had gone entirely, en-!
the foot stones remaining on the wal
of the burial ground is a placard "Fo'
Sale" II II is sold. the law will compe
the Free Quakers society TO carefully re
move all the remains TO some other GENE
terry; but how soon that will be no on'
knows-it may be within u year, or /
may be ten years.
: We have found the daughter of tn,
) treasurer, Kimball who had charge %
the Free Quakers books IN 1871 and sh'
Is going to search her fathers effects Il
see II there are any books that contain
u record of Gen. Ira's burial.
II We do not succeed in finding further
record, the only thing to be done will b,
10 ulc up through tue buIlul HTpuuu III lu
hope of finding submerged grave stones
and among them lras iii he had one)
That will, however. unfortunately bo diff
hcult, because some years ago II wa
found that the surface of the ground wa
not level. and 1t was made level by Min.
; in several fest of earth. If we can fin,
. under the earth a head stone with In
. Aliens name on II. his remains must b.
under or near it. and might be idertiie,
by some metallic portion of his clothing
like buttons, or metallic part OF his uni
form, sword military buttons, etc, Still
he might not be likely to have his mill
tary accoutrements with him so far from
, home, and SO long after the revolution
AIRY war, and II Is not known even that
head stone was ever placed at his grave
Would his estate of so have paid for
headstonc in those days, in addition 4
the burial expenses? Whether he ha
friends in Philadelphia at the time of hi
death TO put up a head stone for him
have never heard.
> | have received from Mr.. Francis Olcot
/ Allen the following carefully prepared re
port giving all the dates discovered il
! his search. and the proofs, and all the de
t tails with eXactness, Yours sincerely.
CHAS A. CONVERSE.
, MIR. FRANCIS oLCoTT ALIENS RE
p PORT.
A Philadelphia, Nov -, 1898.
| tho ro,naSt Of Hon l. IL,