New-York tribune., 1903-04-12

The other burying ground in the northern end
Of Manhattan. has far different history Accord
ing tradition it was for the bodies OF negro
slaves which were laid here century and half
ago with only one rudey chiselled stone among
the other blank faced slabs 10 offer a clew to the
historian The names OF these dead are unknown
and the stone which does bear inscription has only
these letters and figures:
March 81, HI
The dead Of this unhonored place uncovered
by werkren who were cutting through a green
knoll about six hundred feet north Of Isham-st,
in the northwaTd extension of Tenth-ave AS soon
as the contractors began to find skeleton after
skeleton they notified the American Scenic ana
Historic Preservation Society, and as the result
of rbe investigations Of experts sent out BY this
organization the city has been petitioned to set
aside a suitable plot where these bones may have
Z decent burial
The effort TO properly recognize and protect
the dead OF these oldtime burying grounds.
whether they contain the bones of slave or master,
CT Jew or Gentle throws somewhat sombre light
on a certain part Of New-1orks early history.
The dedication Of the memorial in the Old jewish
cemetery calls TO mind the early struggles OF 1he
lev in this city In 1855 the Hebrew merchants or
Nevv-Arnsterdam appealed 10 Peter Stuyvesant for
Z grant Of land where they might bury ihelr teao'
The Dutch Governor. as If thinking that the Jews
would never ole. hrst replied rather terseiy fha1
there was reed for L.
The request however was repeated the next
year when several Jews died. and in 1856 plot OF
ground on the east side OF the old Bowery Road
was granted to re used exclusively for Jews me
cemetery stood short distance back from the
,,an5sl,,7e and well shaded Bowery' so that when
the city grew and more streets were laid out the
r,a--ezard fronted cn the New Bowery. near OH
ver-st.
A. The time the first body was buried there the
,o,,e-e-,- was well beyond the northern boundary
of the city and in the mind OF Governor otuyFe-
SAINT and his advisers it was also oeyohd 'he lu'1ie
confines of the community. But years oeiore teiie-
slfS lie 4
vas the centre Of action In the heVolulioha
Var Il was fortified according TO plans by Eeherai
Lee and approved by Washington as a ueiehce
"a -he city from an attack OF the BRUSH from the
north.
The congregation then under the leadership Oh
ared Rabbi oiershom Mendes Seixas, was loyal TO
the cause Of the colonists. When the brush oc-
c,n5ed the city they closed their synagogue aho
many left the city rather than stay uhoei lillo
patronage The congregation was originally organ
- - tsrzs degree by Jewish immigrants or1Fen
hi-ber from Bahia. Brazil. in 1654. py the foitu-
,,ese settlers shearith Israel is si known as the
sranlsh and Portuguese congregation anu II pc
sazsos early records written in both these IAN
guages. 49, r,
The rresent pastor Of the congregation Is 'he e'-
II p Mendes. a descendant OF the faooi ol He'O-
lutionary times.
-rro-e are some rare old tombstones TO be found
"a 1;,,le burial ground. The Oldest now
,.nafnz bears the date Of 1852. For a long time
,ba old cemetery has been shamefuiiy useu pS
tenants of the high tenement houses that nav
r,,-r Az, sround it. Cans rubbish ano refuse OF
a, - 80 teen thrown into IL. and il is said
r. has been desecrated in other ways
The cemetery has always been the properly .,
the Congregation shearith Israel when occupied
the first synagogue in TINS ci,y' iiI - . - .
South wiiiiam-st) and which no" mas ioI M
boroe the marble structure in Central Park west
and Seventieth-st. .,.
II is in this, house Of worship that the tapiei
will be dedicated on April 30 Win an iihi ~
ceremony in which Mayor Low Bishop rot'ei'
- 9 c.rs,,s ~ the American Jewish Histori-
cal Society; Andrew II. Green. OF Inc A"er,eaa
scenic and Historic Preservation Society Aipe's
Ilmann. chairman OF The tablet commute a-.4
Rabbi II p. Mendes are eHpec'e 70 - go
T-z "a. ,,n,,cs Guardianship Of the two SO
c,s,ies v,b.cb have thus planned TO reoonseeis'e