Hi, folks: Don't be misled by the title "Friends Burial Ground." It was common for this, the oldest and for a long time the only, cemetery in Darby to be the site for non-Quaker interments as well as those of members of the Religious Society of Friends. It is on the "heights of Darby," also the location where Rochambeau's troops camped while marching from Providence, RI to Yorktown, VA at the end of the Revolution. By 1862, however, the nearby Mount Moriah and Mt. Zion were also popular. FYI, there is a WPA (1936) typescript listing of tombstones for Del. Co. cemeteries which were still readable in the 1930s, and very helpful now that acid rain has done so much damage recently. It was done by cemetery and is in the Del. Co. Hst. Soc. Good luck! Thy friend, Nancy Webster Curator, Friends Historical Society ********************************************** "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~~Benjamin Franklin~~
Thank you, Nancy, for a wonderful reply! Now I have to find the records for the Friends cemetery since that may be it. You mentioned the WPA records held by the DCHS. They were a treasure trove for me! The New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) cemetery was formerly located where Marshall and Plumstead come together in Upper Darby. The remains were removed to Mt. Zion in Darby/Collingdale quite some time ago. All of the lovely tombstones are gone and the remains are in a mass burial plot. When I inquired about records I was told they do not have them. I ran out of ideas for tracking them down because the WPA records are only tombstone readings. I am very grateful for them. Mary McCanney Finley ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 5:08 PM Subject: Darby Cemetery > Hi, folks: > > Don't be misled by the title "Friends Burial Ground." It was common for > this, the oldest and for a long time the only, cemetery in Darby to be the site > for non-Quaker interments as well as those of members of the Religious > Society of Friends. It is on the "heights of Darby," also the location where > Rochambeau's troops camped while marching from Providence, RI to Yorktown, VA at the > end of the Revolution. > > By 1862, however, the nearby Mount Moriah and Mt. Zion were also popular. > FYI, there is a WPA (1936) typescript listing of tombstones for Del. Co. > cemeteries which were still readable in the 1930s, and very helpful now that acid > rain has done so much damage recently. It was done by cemetery and is in the > Del. Co. Hst. Soc. > > Good luck! > > Thy friend, Nancy Webster > Curator, Friends > Historical Society > > > > ********************************************** > > "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety > deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~~Benjamin Franklin~~ >