I have pamphlet apparently printed by the Philadelphia Bicentennial Commision. It has a large 1776 and 1976 printed on it - Subject THE BURYING GROUND In 1692, nine years after the founding of Germantown, the Upper and Lower Burying Grounds of Germantown were created by a deed from Paul Wulff. Each burying ground had is own Trustees and kept separate records. The Upper Burying Ground Trustees "opened" their record book in 1761. Christian Lehman, the noted surveyor and conveyancer copies into the book records from various loose documents covering earlier transactions. Among these papers were the contributors to the front wall which was completed in May 1724. In 1760, the rest of the burying ground was enclosed with a stone wall to correspond with the front wall. At various times these walls were renewed. The record book contains burials beginning in 1756, although there had been many burials previous to that time, probably kept on small pieces of paper, which were lost. A few of the persons buried in the early period had tombstones and the records from the inscriptions hace been added. But not everyone had a tompstone. There were over 1300 buriels in this ground. The oldest tombstone is that of Cornelius Teisen (Tyson), who arrived in 1684 and died in 1716, aged 63. others are those of William Dewees, Sheriff of Germantown's independant government 1705-6, members of the Engle, Knorr, Crout and other pioneer families, and also Zachariah Poulson, who died in 1844, after having published Philadelphia's principal daily newspaper for many years. Germantown's Methuselia is buried there - Adam Shisler, who died in 1777, and whose tombstone is inscribed - "Aged 969 years:, a stonecutter's error. Indians, who died while encamped near Germantown, were buried on this ground. (Noted by John F. watson, author of Watson's Annuals of Philadelphia) Though the record book, ( a facsimile of which is in the possession of the present Trustees) Makes no mention of the Battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777, it is know that three officers of the Contential Army and five privates, killed in the fighting nearby, were buried in the east corner. Watson erected a stone bearing the names of the three officers. They were: Lt. Col. Henry Irwin - 5th North Carolina Regiment Capt. Jacob Turner - 3rd North Carolina Regiment 1st Lt. Thomas Lucas - Adjutant of the 11th Penna. Regiment. In addition, 48 known soldiers of the Revolutionary War, of Germantown, who died in the years following the war, rest here, as well as 11 soldiers of the War of 1812, and one Mexican War soldier. Bronze tablets, honoring these soldiers, have been placed on the wall of the burying ground, by Germantown Chapter, Daughterss of the American revolution and the Stephen Decatur Chapter, Daughters of 1812. In the 18th and 19th centuries, owners of "burial rights", which was obtainable for a small payment, would meet annually and elect three overseers and a grave digger. The last burial in the Upper burying Ground was in 1907, the ground being full. As the overseers (Trustees) died, none were elected to fill the vacancies. The last surviving overseer of the Upper Burying Ground died in 1943, leaving the ground without supervision until 1945, when by authorization of the Court, these two historic landmarks of Germantown: THE CONCORD SCHOOL HOUSE, built 1775 and THE UPPER BURYING GROUND OF GERMANTOWN, established 1692, situated on Germantown Avenue, above Washington Lane, were placed under the jurisdiction of one Board of Trustees. The Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground of Germantown are part of the Coloniel Germantown Historic District, The United States Government of the Interior, National Park Service, has designated Germantown Avenue, between Apsley and Phil-Ellena Streets, as a Registered National Historic Landmark, the only street in America carrying this distinction.. My husbands ancestors, Isaac Deaves and his wife Martha Cock Deaves are buried in the Upper Burying Ground, both dying in 1750. Enjoy, Mary Deaves

The pamphlet is incorrect. I am in temporary possession of the original record book. Prior to the union of the Germantown Historical Society and the Hood Cemetery, the trustees of the cemetery had the original. Not a facsimile. I am on the board of trustees. The original record book dates from 1835. I have no idea where the idea of the "small pieces of paper" came from. There are no references to any previous records. ----- Original Message ----- From: "R Wayne & Mary L Deaves" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 11:02 AM Subject: [ORIGINAL-13] Upper and Lower Burying Grounds > I have pamphlet apparently printed by the Philadelphia Bicentennial > Commision. It has a large 1776 and 1976 printed on it - Subject > > THE BURYING GROUND > > In 1692, nine years after the founding of Germantown, the Upper and > Lower Burying Grounds of Germantown were created by a deed from Paul > Wulff. Each burying ground had is own Trustees and kept separate > records. > > The Upper Burying Ground Trustees "opened" their record book in 1761. > Christian Lehman, the noted surveyor and conveyancer copies into the > book records from various loose documents covering earlier > transactions. Among these papers were the contributors to the front > wall which was completed in May 1724. In 1760, the rest of the burying > ground was enclosed with a stone wall to correspond with the front > wall. At various times these walls were renewed. The record book > contains burials beginning in 1756, although there had been many burials > previous to that time, probably kept on small pieces of paper, which > were lost. A few of the persons buried in the early period had > tombstones and the records from the inscriptions hace been added. But > not everyone had a tompstone. There were over 1300 buriels in this > ground. > > The oldest tombstone is that of Cornelius Teisen (Tyson), who arrived in > 1684 and died in 1716, aged 63. others are those of William Dewees, > Sheriff of Germantown's independant government 1705-6, members of the > Engle, Knorr, Crout and other pioneer families, and also Zachariah > Poulson, who died in 1844, after having published Philadelphia's > principal daily newspaper for many years. > > Germantown's Methuselia is buried there - Adam Shisler, who died in > 1777, and whose tombstone is inscribed - "Aged 969 years:, a > stonecutter's error. > > Indians, who died while encamped near Germantown, were buried on this > ground. (Noted by John F. watson, author of Watson's Annuals of > Philadelphia) > > Though the record book, ( a facsimile of which is in the possession of > the present Trustees) Makes no mention of the Battle of Germantown, > October 4, 1777, it is know that three officers of the Contential Army > and five privates, killed in the fighting nearby, were buried in the > east corner. Watson erected a stone bearing the names of the three > officers. They were: > > Lt. Col. Henry Irwin - 5th North Carolina Regiment > Capt. Jacob Turner - 3rd North Carolina Regiment 1st Lt. Thomas Lucas > - Adjutant of the 11th Penna. Regiment. > > In addition, 48 known soldiers of the Revolutionary War, of Germantown, > who died in the years following the war, rest here, as well as 11 > soldiers of the War of 1812, and one Mexican War soldier. Bronze > tablets, honoring these soldiers, have been placed on the wall of the > burying ground, by Germantown Chapter, Daughterss of the American > revolution and the Stephen Decatur Chapter, Daughters of 1812. > > In the 18th and 19th centuries, owners of "burial rights", which was > obtainable for a small payment, would meet annually and elect three > overseers and a grave digger. The last burial in the Upper burying > Ground was in 1907, the ground being full. As the overseers (Trustees) > died, none were elected to fill the vacancies. The last surviving > overseer of the Upper Burying Ground died in 1943, leaving the ground > without supervision until 1945, when by authorization of the Court, > these two historic landmarks of Germantown: > THE CONCORD SCHOOL HOUSE, built 1775 > and > THE UPPER BURYING GROUND OF GERMANTOWN, established 1692, situated > on Germantown Avenue, above Washington Lane, were placed under the > jurisdiction of one Board of Trustees. > > The Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground of Germantown are > part of the Coloniel Germantown Historic District, The United States > Government of the Interior, National Park Service, has designated > Germantown Avenue, between Apsley and Phil-Ellena Streets, as a > Registered National Historic Landmark, the only street in America > carrying this distinction.. > > My husbands ancestors, Isaac Deaves and his wife Martha Cock Deaves > are buried in the Upper Burying Ground, both dying in 1750. > > Enjoy, > Mary Deaves > > > ==== ORIGINAL-13 Mailing List ==== > Please write simple Thank You's to anyone who helps you. It's not > even bad to say You're Welcome, either! > Also, from me to you, THANK YOU for being such a great group! -- VES. > > ============================== > Visit ROOTS-L, the Internet's oldest and largest genealogical > mailing list: > http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/ >