Historic Mount Olive Cemetery -
Wilmington, Delaware
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The
burial location indicated in the Delaware Death records is usually
clearly listed as 'Mount Olive'. In the earliest records - some locations are
indicated as rough street addresses. |
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Notes from The Churches of
Delaware' by Frank R. Zebley. Mother A. U. M. P. Church is located at 819 French
St. Peter Spencer originally was a member of Asbury Church. The church was
built in 1813, rebuilt in 1827 and enlarged in 1842. There is a small
graveyard to the rear of the church. Union American M. E. Church, colored, is
located at 1206 French St. There is a graveyard to the rear of the church.
St. Peter's U. M. P. Church, colored. The first services of this church were
held in the colored cemetery on Union St., near Front St. They purchased a
lot at 2nd and Union Sts. |
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There was a caretakers house on the
property from 1914 until after 1939. Undoubtedly both burial records and plot
maps were kept at that time. If anyone knows of the existence of these
records and would like to help reconstruct the cemetery records, please
contact me. |
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Undertakers who served families at St.
Peters and Mount Olive include: |
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Pre-1850 Extracts of the earliest
state-wide Delaware death records which mention African-Americans (including
enslaved persons) has been included to assist in family history research.
These earliest records do not reference cemeteries by name. Several persons
mentioned in this file do have relatives buried in St. Peters. The burials
marked 'unrecorded' in these pages may refer to the 'Affr Cem' found on the
1868 county map - the marked site would be close to the Front and Union St
location of the later St. Peters and Union cemeteries. The unrecorded burials
may also be on King Street. By 1861, further burials at the site of Peter
Spencer's grave were banned by city ordinance. |
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The earliest recorded
burials in Wilmington (1847ff) are found on film 005190436 (accessible
through www.familysearch.org). Although no place of burial is recorded, these
entries are included with the note 'early burial'. |
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Prior to the building of
the new Almshouse at Farnhurst in 1884, there was a “Poor Ground”
or Potter’s Field for the New Castle County Poorhouse/Almshouse when it
was located in downtown Wilmington on Broome Street, between Front and Fourth
Streets. https://www.farnhurst.com/timeline-of-potters-fields.html |
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Active known
African-American burial grounds at that time were the churches downtown,
including Peter Spencer plaza (African Union); a small cemetery at 2nd and
Tatnall and the African cemetery indicated at the edge of Wilmington in the
1868 Beers New Castle County map. |
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Newspapers.com
was used to identify obituaries referring to the cemeteries. The online
Delaware death records (www.familysearch.org)
were the primary source for much of this information. There are at least 3
different sets – Wilmington City records, Delaware state records and
Tatnall Tombstone extracts. The death
records may contain mention of a cemetery – but an exact location is
not usually included. https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/786107 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/784075 |
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1853 - The earliest mention of a cemetery name in
a death record (most early death records do not mention a cemetery) 17 Jul 1853 – Catherine
Anderson, aged 36yr – Union Cemetery |
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1861 - Several
African-American cemeteries, close to churches, are active in Wilmington prior
to 1861, when this ordinance was enacted. Despite the ordinance, burials
continued at several sites, most notably at 12th and French. An
‘Affr Cem’ is indicated outside the Wilmington city limits. Mt.
Zion and St. Peters were both outside the city limits at the time of their
establishment. Together with the Acts of the Legislature Relating to the City, January
1, A.D. 1863 https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Charter_and_Ordinances_of_the_City_o/FsJHAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |
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1868 |
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View and Enlarge this map
to see the church locations (12th and French, 10th and King) |
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1870 - St. Peters - an historic moment |
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Death
Records in the period 1870 - 1890 mention burial locations: St. Peters
(included in this site); Front and Union (included in this site); Union / Old
Union at 12th and French (included in this site); Ezion (2nd and Union -
included in this site); Mt. Zion; Baptist Cemetery (10th and King) |
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1870
Wilmington City Directory - No specific African-American cemeteries are
mentioned. Churches include: African Union, French above 8th; Union American,
French above 12th; E. Zion, 9th and French; Wesleyan Union, Poplar above 5th
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1872 - 1885 burials
appear at the cemetery identified as '12th and French', 'Old Union' and 'Old
AUMP'. The Lockman
family, for example, has members buried in Union Cemetery, St. Peters
Cemetery and Mount Olive. Other early cemeteries of interest for
African-American genealogy include the Baptist cemetery at 10th and King St;
Delaware City, Pigeon Run, Old Cathedral, Wilmington and Brandywine, Mt.
Zion, Silverbrook and the public burials grounds (these include New Castle
County Cemetery, Poor House, Alms House and Potters Field). |
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1879/80 Wilmington City Directory No specific mention of African-American cemeteries appears.
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1879
Wilmington City Directory St. Peter's Chapel. 2nd
above Union. St.
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Between 1885 and 1895, the most active cemeteries in the Wilmington
area include St. Peters, Union, Ezion, old Baptist and Mount Zion. After
1895, Mount Zion becomes the most active cemetery; followed by St. Peters. No
further mention in the records appears for Union, old Union or Ezion.
Although other cemeteries (Old Swedes, Wilmington and Brandywine, old
Cathedral, Cathedral) are shown in Wilmington-area maps (city directories or
local play maps) - none of the African-American cemeteries are shown on any
historic map located so far. The 1868 map of Christiana district shows 3
small dots labeled as 'Aff Cem' on the city line. |
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1884
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1884
Wilmington City Directory St. Peter's Cemetery - located between Front and Second;
and Union and Pyle |
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1887 -
Memorial Day events Delaware Gazette and State
Journal 2 Jun 1887 pg 2 Sumner Post sent details to
decorate the graves in Ezion and the Old Union cemeteries and this afternoon
they proceeded in a parade to the Union cemetery on West Front street. They
were accompanied by Harding's Band, and were followed by several wagons loaded
with flowers. The request for flowers with
which to decorate the graves of the country's dead brought a hearty response
from old and young, men and women. The flower display was larger and more
varied than in previous years, and the deft fingers of the ladies soon wove
the pretty blossoms into wreaths, bouquets and various other beautiful
designs. Women and children were busily engaged yesterday in plucking daisies
which were contributed in large quantities as were also roses. |
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Ezion
Cemetery - Burial ground of Ezion M.E. Church, located between 2nd and 3rd
and Union and Pyle's Lane |
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1895
Wilmington City Directory Ezion Cemetery - Burial ground of Ezion M.E. Church,
located between 2nd and 3rd and Union and Pyle's Lane |
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1895 map of Wilmington - although several African-American cemeteries were active,
they are not noted on this historic map. Approximate locations are shown: French above 12th, King above 10th |
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Front, Union, 2nd, 3rd UNION (colored) - West of Union on Pyles lane from
Lancaster to Second St. (no reference to St. Peters) |
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EZION cemetery - Burial Ground of Ezion M.E. Church;
located between Second and Third; and Union and Pyle's Lane. |
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1899 - 1914 Early burials Hamilton, Daniel – May 1900 - both Mt. Olive and St.
Peters are listed as burial in different newspapers and death records. Watson, James T. (a soldier killed in the Philippines) d 12 Sep 1900; buried 20 Apr 1901 |
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Both Mount Olive and St. Peters are active, although it
appears St. Peters was used for infants. In burial records between 1899 and
1914, both St. Peters and Mount Olive are named as active cemeteries.
References to 'old Union' cemetery (12th and French) are not found. 1905 Wilmington City Directory
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Wilmington
Star, 26 Apr 1906 ‘Conditions at Saint Peters Cemetery’ 1909 – Unidentified Cemetery discovered on W. Second
St. |
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News-Journal,
Wilmington DE 08 Jan 1909 pg 5 - Had struck a colored Cemetery,
the existence of which many had forgotten. |
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1910 Wilmington City Directory Ezion Cemetery - located between 2nd and 3rd and Union and
Pyles' Lane. |
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The
Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) 20 Sep 1910, Pg 12 |
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The
Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) The lines of the two blocks show, according to records at
the City Registry Bureau, an area of 158,259 square feet, divided as follows:
93,833 square feet in the block bounded by Second Street, Third Street, Union
Street and Grant Avenue. Of this tract, 48,729 square feet is owned by the
Zion cemetery, whose lands run north of Second street in the land of William
Boyd, which contains 50,105 sq feet. The deed of the land owned by the Zion
cemetery calls for a strip along Union Street, which is owned by the Old
Company Road. This strip, which is very small, lays but a few feet back from
the building line. The Mon Company also owns part of the bed of Grant Avenue
and some land on the west side of Grant Avenue which totals to about 15,300
square feet. The St. Peters cemetery owns, according to the records, about
63,000 square feet in the block running along Lancaster Avenue, Grant Avenue,
Second Street and in the rear of Anderson’s Row. This row, which is
owned by Helen Anderson, contains 22,800 square feet and on it are erected
the eleven buildings known as Anderson’s Row in Union Street, north of
Lancaster Avenue; along with a blacksmith shop on the corner, a small
one-story store on Lancaster Avenue besides the adjoining house. 1911 –
City Council |
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The
Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) 27 Jan 1911, Fri, Pages 1& 2 From a demand for $20,000 to a sum hardly more than
nominal is the drop taken by the trustees of the cemetery of the African
Union church at Front and Union Street in the negotiations that have been
going on for some time … of the city acquiring the cemetery land to be
converted into park purposes or to be sold in order to abate an alleged
nuisance. The following proposal was submitted to the trustees of the Mount
Ezion and St. Peter;s cemeteries for their consideration. That the trustees
make a proposaition of the sum for which they can secure a tract, say five
acres, for a new cemetery, including the question of removal of bodies; the
city to take the old cemetery and agree to turn over to the cemetery trustees
any equity acquired by the city by sale of same within a given period, say
five years from the date of the agreement. Wilmington Del Jan 10, 1911. As
counsel for Mount Zion Cemetery Association I submit their offer to sell the
city their land at Second and Union Street, now used as a cemetery. The city
to pay my clients $25,000, furnish them with five acres of land on the
Lancaster Turnpike outside of Wilmington adjoining a cemetery alongside of
the Peoples farm, and thereupon my clients will remove all bodies and convey
their land at Second and Union Streets, to the city. |
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George
Lodge Wilmington Del Jan 12 1911 Referring to the cemetery of the African Union Church,
situate on Lancaster Avenue, north of Union street in this city, I beg to
advise you that my clients have found it difficult to procure satisfactory
bis for the removal of the bodies buried in the said cemetery, and have found
that such removal will be much more expensive than anticipated. However they
authorize me to offer their entire cemetery to the city for the sum of
$20,000, for which price they will purchase a new cemetery outside the city
and will bear the cost of removing and reinterring the bodies now buried in
the present cemetery. On Jan 18, 1911 the committee held a meeting with
A.G.B. Anderson, who owns several properties at Lancaster Avenue and Union
Street ; who made the following proposition – to dispose of his entire
holds for the amount of $22,000. 1914 - Cemetery Move |
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The
Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware) · Thu, May 21, 1914 ·
Page 9
St. Peter’s colored cemetery at Second and Union
Streets, is to be abandoned and the bodies removed to another
cemetery….The cemetery is controlled by the trustees of the African
Union Church of this city, and they intend to remove the bodies in the
cemetery to the Mt. Olive cemetery, west of Silverbrook Cemetery and outside
the city limits. Zion cemetery, which is in the same vicinity, will not be
removed. Johnathan Chippy is chairman of the board of trustees. The cemetery
is about 60 years old. General Contractor |
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Gilpin Ave May
26 1914 Contracts dated Jun 1914 - work to be completed within
four months. Plain pine boxes were to be provided if original coffins not
intact; all headstones, footstones, markers and ornaments to be moved and
re-interred
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1919 Wilmington City Directory Ezion Cemetery - located
between 2nd and 3rd and Union and Pyles' Lane. |
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1919 - Removal of Ezion Cemetery The cemetery at 2nd and Union
(called Ezion, Union, and sometimes Zion in the early death records) was sold
and the burials transferred to the new Mount Zion cemetery. The Morning News
(Wilmington, DE) 26 Oct 1918 page 8. Bids have been advertized for by William
E Grinnage for the removal of several hundred bodies from the Negro Burying
ground at Second and Union St. The cemetery was established about 75 years
ago. Some of the stones in the cemetery bear dates as early as 1843. |
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New Mt Zion cemetery on the Lancaster Pike adjoining the P
& R Railway at Silverbrook, a burial ground exclusively for Negroes is
now finished. |
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The
Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware) 20 Sep 1919 Sat pg 8 Bids have been advertised for by William E Grinnage the
undertaker for the removal of several hundred bodies from the Negro buying
ground at Second and Union Streets. This cemetery contains over an acre, and
is so filled with bodies that no more can be accommodated. The cemetery was
established about 75 years ago. Some of the stones bear dates as early as
1843. There is no possible way of learning how many bodies have been buried
at the cemetery as no definite records have been kept and what records have
been preserved through the years are not available. The bodies are to be
removed from their present location to the Negro cemetery, on the west side
of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad tracks along the Lancaster turnpike.
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1921 – Completion of Mt. Zion The
Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware) 12 Sep 1921, Mon, Page 6 New Mt Zion Cemetery, on the Lancaster Pike adjoining the
the P&R Railway at Silverbrook, a burial ground exclusively for Negroes
is now finished and is a source of pride to those who projected it and to
colored residents in general. They found a place in 1914, bought it, secured
the deed and all necessary papers that year. They went to work to build the
cemetery. They cleared off the rubbish, pulled down some of the hills, filled
up gullies and low places, built fences, laid out driveways and walks;
planted trees and dug out a ditch. The next thing was to remove the dead from
the old to the new cemetery, which was attended with much difficulty. The old
graves were nearly filled with water and made it very tedious. |
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Records at
the Delaware Historical Society included burial permits (1925-1931) –
which often contained a stone number or site designation. A.U.M.P. Records. 1825-1969 https://7031.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/Portal/Default.aspx?lang=en-US |
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James T Chandler
and Son Funeral Records (Delaware Historical Society) https://7031.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/Portal/Default.aspx?lang=en-US |
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Inventory
of the Tombstone Inscriptions in Mt. Olive - Historical Records Survey, WPA
July 1939 https://7031.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/Portal/Default.aspx?lang=en-US |
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1938 The Motorists Green Book Several residents of Mount Olive ran Tourist Homes in
their houses, and were mentioned in the Green Book. (NYPL) |
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1939 WPA (Works
Progress Administration) Surveys are made of Mount Olive Cemetery (459 stones
and plots identified) and old Union Cemetery (5 stones identified) These are available at the Delaware Historical Society
library, Market St. |
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BAPTIST - An African-American burial ground was located on
King St. above 10th. It appears in records 1881 - 1890. It is referred to as
'Baptist Burying Ground' (col). |
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Mount Olive appears in death records
from about 1899 to 1984. Some burial records are unclear - two places of
burial appear on this death record |
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NOTES: According to local
neighbors, many coffins were found during the construction of Bancroft
Parkway. In 1972, a supermarket was renovated at 2nd and Union, and
additional burials were discovered during the renovation. In 1988-89, the old
Union Cemetery at 12th and French was moved during construction of the MBNA
complex downtown. |
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1965 is the last year a significant number of burials
occur at Mount Olive. Many family members are buried in Mount Zion and
Silverbrook Cemetery (close by) from 1969 onwards. Does anyone know the
history on this? Burials seem to resume ca. 1972. |
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Memories from Old
Wilmington |
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The Mother UAME Church Cemetery: A Late Nineteenth Century Black Urban Burial Population
During the Summer of 1996, MAAR Associates, Inc. (MAl), was asked to
undertake the excavation and removal of burials at a documented cemetery
located on French street in the downtown area of Wilmington, Delaware. The
cemetery property, associated with the AD. 1853 Mother UAME Church, was
scheduled to become the site of an eight to twelve story MBNA America office
tower, and the owners, working with the Church and the Delaware Historic
Preservation Office, contracted with MAl to determine the limits of, removal,
and analysis of the contents of the original cemetery tract. To assist in the
management of the project, representatives of the client (both MBNA and the
Mother UAME Church) and an Osteological Advisory Committee were established.
An MAl research team conducted excavations on a six day-a-week basis in order
to complete the burial removals within the allotted two months. During this
period MAl completed the identification, definition, recording, and removal
of more than 260 graves, including coffins, crypts, items of clothing, and
grave furniture. The next six months were spent in the osteological IS study
of the burial population, in artifact analysis, and in the interpretation of
funeral practices and the cemetery as a whole. Comprehensive project reports
have since been published. |
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Never scrub. scour, scrape or use any brushes or other
harsh tools on a lichen-darkened stone. These can be very damaging to a
stone’s surface. Enoch Jefferson, USCT. He
enlisted in the US Navy in NY Nov 1863 - 5'2", scar on chin. waterman.
He had originally enlisted under an alias, Samuel Jefferson (6th Regiment,
Delaware Infantry Co F), but then joined the Navy. He received a pension for his
service; as did his wife. The family appears on the 1880 census on DuPont St
in Wilmington (Florence is 9 in 1880, Enoch works in a brickyard). |
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6 month time lapse. I sprayed them with D/2.
Walked away. (I flinch when I see videos of well-meaning and poorly-informed
people scrubbing tombstones... they are destroying them). Before / after
Information on D/2 – it’s expensive,
but proper care is critical. |
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