Laurel Hill Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Laurel Hill Cemetery, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, is the second major garden or rural cemetery
in the United States
. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1998, one of only a few cemeteries to receive the distinction.
The cemetery has spectacular vistas and thousands of 19th- and 20th-century marble and granite funerary monuments on 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) terraced above the Schuylkill River
in Philadelphia's East Falls
section. Obelisks dot the rolling terrain, which is highlighted by elaborately sculpted hillside tombs and mausoleums. Overall, Laurel Hill contains more than 33,000 monuments and more than 11,000 family lots.
Famous Revolutionary War figures were moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery to increase its cachet, including Continental Congress secretary Charles Thomson
; Declaration of Independence
signer Thomas McKean
; Philadelphia war veteran and shipbuilder Jehu Eyre
; Hugh Mercer
, hero of the Battle of Princeton; and David Rittenhouse
, first director of the U.S. Mint. During and after the American Civil War
, Laurel Hill became the final resting place of hundreds of military figures, including 42 Civil War era generals. Laurel Hill also became the favored burial place for many of Philadelphia's most prominent political and business figures, including Matthias W. Baldwin
, founder of the Baldwin Locomotive Works
; Henry Disston
, owner of the largest saw manufactory in the world (the Disston Saw Works
); and financier Peter A. B. Widener.
Designed by noted Scottish-American architect John Notman
, Laurel Hill introduced new landscape ideas and burial concepts and became a model for the rural cemetery movement. Laurel Hill Cemetery stands as a rich repository of both art and historical artifacts. Its monuments embody the rich design, craftsmanship and iconography of 19th and 20th century American funerary art
, from simple obelisks to elaborate mausoleums.
Much of the significance of Laurel Hill cemetery derives from its large number of mausoleums, built in a wide variety of styles by some of Philadelphia’s most distinguished families. Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Egyptian Revival and other exotic styles are rendered in a wide palette of materials, including marble, granite, cast-iron and sandstone. Notable artists and architects, including Notman, Alexander Milne Calder
and William Strickland
contributed their designs. These monuments tell many stories of the history and evolution of not only the cemetery’s growth, but also of social and economic changes, the legacy of wars and of the individuals who shaped our nation’s history.
From its inception, Laurel Hill was intended as a civic institution designed for public use. In an era before public parks and museums, it was a multi-purpose cultural attraction where the general public could experience the art and refinement previously known only to the wealthy. Laurel Hill became an immensely popular destination in its early years and required tickets for admission. The writer Andrew Jackson Downing
reported “nearly 30,000 persons…entered the gates between April and December, 1848.”
In 1978, the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded to support the cemetery. The mission of the Friends is to assist the Laurel Hill Cemetery Company in preserving and promoting the historical character of Laurel Hill. The Friends, in accordance with its by-laws, seek to achieve its mission by raising funds and seeking contributed services; by preparing educational and research materials emphasizing the historical, architectural and cultural importance of Laurel Hill Cemetery; and by providing tour guiding services so that the cemetery is available for educational use by the public.
In the 21st century, one notable burial used a modern Philadelphia icon as functional art. Two pairs of seats from Veterans Stadium
were installed at the grave of Harry Kalas
, Hall of Fame voice of the Philadelphia Phillies
, in such a way that they could be used by fans paying their respects.
Some of the notable persons buried here are:
Samuel Gibbs French
(1818–1910), Confederate General has a cenotaph in his family's plot in Laurel Hill.
The tombstone created for Adrian Balboa, the fictional wife of Rocky Balboa from the Rocky
movies, is just south of the main entrance. It was used during the filming of the 2006 motion picture Rocky Balboa
.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, is the second major garden or rural cemetery
Rural cemetery
The rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of burial ground that uses landscaping in a park-like setting.As early as 1711 the architect Sir Christopher Wren had advocated the creation of burial grounds on the outskirts of town, "inclosed with a strong Brick Wall, and having a walk round, and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1998, one of only a few cemeteries to receive the distinction.
The cemetery has spectacular vistas and thousands of 19th- and 20th-century marble and granite funerary monuments on 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) terraced above the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
in Philadelphia's East Falls
East Falls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
East Falls is a neighborhood in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. East Falls is located adjacent to Roxborough, Manayunk, and Germantown, and Fairmount Park. The neighborhood runs along a stretch of Ridge Avenue that is only a few miles long, along the banks of the...
section. Obelisks dot the rolling terrain, which is highlighted by elaborately sculpted hillside tombs and mausoleums. Overall, Laurel Hill contains more than 33,000 monuments and more than 11,000 family lots.
History
The cemetery was founded in 1836 by John Jay Smith, a librarian and editor with interests in horticulture and real estate who was distressed at the way his deceased daughter was interred in a Philadelphia churchyard. He and other prominent citizens decided to create a rural garden cemetery five miles north of Philadelphia, a location that was viewed as a haven from urban expansion and a respite from the increasingly industrialized city center. The city later grew past Laurel Hill, but the cemetery retained its rural character.Famous Revolutionary War figures were moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery to increase its cachet, including Continental Congress secretary Charles Thomson
Charles Thomson
Charles Thomson was a Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the Continental Congress throughout its existence.-Biography:...
; Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
signer Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress where he signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of...
; Philadelphia war veteran and shipbuilder Jehu Eyre
Jehu Eyre
Jehu Eyre or Ayer was an American businessman, veteran of the French and Indian War and American Revolutionary War, and member of the influential Eyre family, which played a major role in the American Revolution and the early Republic...
; Hugh Mercer
Hugh Mercer
Hugh Mercer was a soldier and physician. He initially served with British forces during the Seven Years War but later became a brigadier general in the Continental Army and a close friend to George Washington...
, hero of the Battle of Princeton; and David Rittenhouse
David Rittenhouse
David Rittenhouse was a renowned American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, mathematician, surveyor, scientific instrument craftsman and public official...
, first director of the U.S. Mint. During and after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Laurel Hill became the final resting place of hundreds of military figures, including 42 Civil War era generals. Laurel Hill also became the favored burial place for many of Philadelphia's most prominent political and business figures, including Matthias W. Baldwin
Matthias W. Baldwin
Matthias William Baldwin was an American manufacturer of steam locomotives. He opened his machine shop in 1825...
, founder of the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
; Henry Disston
Henry Disston
Henry Disston was an English American industrialist who founded the Keystone Saw Works in 1840 and developed the surrounding neighborhood of Tacony in Philadelphia, beginning in 1872. He was the father of industrialist Hamilton Disston.-Early life and rise to prominence:Disston was born in...
, owner of the largest saw manufactory in the world (the Disston Saw Works
Disston Saw Works
Disston Saw Works was one of the better known and highly regarded manufacturers of handsaws in the United States. A much evolved version of this company is currently active in Philadelphia and known as Disston Precision.-History:...
); and financier Peter A. B. Widener.
John Notman
John Notman was a Scottish-born American architect, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is remembered for his churches, and for popularizing the Italianate style and the use of brownstone.-Career:...
, Laurel Hill introduced new landscape ideas and burial concepts and became a model for the rural cemetery movement. Laurel Hill Cemetery stands as a rich repository of both art and historical artifacts. Its monuments embody the rich design, craftsmanship and iconography of 19th and 20th century American funerary art
Funerary art
Funerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the dead. Tomb is a general term for the repository, while grave goods are objects—other than the primary human remains—which have been placed inside...
, from simple obelisks to elaborate mausoleums.
Much of the significance of Laurel Hill cemetery derives from its large number of mausoleums, built in a wide variety of styles by some of Philadelphia’s most distinguished families. Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Egyptian Revival and other exotic styles are rendered in a wide palette of materials, including marble, granite, cast-iron and sandstone. Notable artists and architects, including Notman, Alexander Milne Calder
Alexander Milne Calder
Alexander Milne Calder was an American sculptor best known for the architectural sculpture of Philadelphia City Hall. Both his son, Alexander Stirling Calder, and grandson, Alexander "Sandy" Calder, were to become significant sculptors in the 20th century.-Biography:Alexander Milne Calder was...
and William Strickland
William Strickland (architect)
William Strickland , was a noted architect in nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Nashville, Tennessee.-Life and career:...
contributed their designs. These monuments tell many stories of the history and evolution of not only the cemetery’s growth, but also of social and economic changes, the legacy of wars and of the individuals who shaped our nation’s history.
From its inception, Laurel Hill was intended as a civic institution designed for public use. In an era before public parks and museums, it was a multi-purpose cultural attraction where the general public could experience the art and refinement previously known only to the wealthy. Laurel Hill became an immensely popular destination in its early years and required tickets for admission. The writer Andrew Jackson Downing
Andrew Jackson Downing
Andrew Jackson Downing was an American landscape designer, horticulturalist, and writer, a prominent advocate of the Gothic Revival style in the United States, and editor of The Horticulturist magazine...
reported “nearly 30,000 persons…entered the gates between April and December, 1848.”
In 1978, the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded to support the cemetery. The mission of the Friends is to assist the Laurel Hill Cemetery Company in preserving and promoting the historical character of Laurel Hill. The Friends, in accordance with its by-laws, seek to achieve its mission by raising funds and seeking contributed services; by preparing educational and research materials emphasizing the historical, architectural and cultural importance of Laurel Hill Cemetery; and by providing tour guiding services so that the cemetery is available for educational use by the public.
In the 21st century, one notable burial used a modern Philadelphia icon as functional art. Two pairs of seats from Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
were installed at the grave of Harry Kalas
Harry Kalas
Harry Norbert Kalas was an American sportscaster, best known for his Ford C. Frick Award-winning role as lead play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies...
, Hall of Fame voice of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, in such a way that they could be used by fans paying their respects.
Notable burials
- Robert Adams, Jr.Robert Adams, Jr. (Pennsylvania)Robert Adams, Jr. was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Robert Adams, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Doctor Fairies Physical Institute in Philadelphia and was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1869,...
(1849–1906), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Matthias W. BaldwinMatthias W. BaldwinMatthias William Baldwin was an American manufacturer of steam locomotives. He opened his machine shop in 1825...
(1795–1866), businessman, Baldwin Locomotive WorksBaldwin Locomotive WorksThe Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of... - Alexander BiddleAlexander BiddleAlexander Biddle was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Life:His father was Thomas A. Biddle , the son of American Revolutionary War soldier Clement Biddle ....
(1819–1899), U.S. army officer - Robert Montgomery BirdRobert Montgomery BirdRobert Montgomery Bird was an American novelist, playwright, and physician.-Background:Bird was born in New Castle, Delaware on February 5, 1806. After attending the New Castle Academy and Germantown Academy, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1824...
(1803–1854), American novelist, playwright, and physician - David BisphamDavid BisphamDavid Scull Bispham was the first American–born operatic baritone to win an international reputation.- Early life and family:...
(1857–1921), opera singer - Charles E. BohlenCharles E. BohlenCharles Eustis “Chip” Bohlen was a United States diplomat from 1929 to 1969 and Soviet expert, serving in Moscow before and during World War II, succeeding George F. Kennan as United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union , then ambassador to the Philippines , and to France...
(1904–1974), U.S. diplomat - Henry BohlenHenry BohlenHenry Bohlen was an American Civil War Union Brigadier General. Before becoming the first foreign-born Union general in the Civil War, he fought in the Mexican-American War Henry Bohlen (October 22, 1810 – August 22, 1862) was an American Civil War Union Brigadier General. Before becoming...
(1810–1862), Civil War Union Brigadier General - Joseph BonnellJoseph BonnellJoseph Bonnell was a formally recognized hero of the Texas Revolution. He was a West Point graduate and a member of The Long Gray Line .-Formal recognition by Texas Legislature:His heroism in support of the War for...
(1802–1840), West Point graduate, hero of the Texas Revolution - Adolph E. BorieAdolph E. BorieAdolph Edward Borie was a United States merchant and politician who briefly served as Secretary of the Navy in the Ulysses S. Grant administration.-Biography:...
(1809–1880), Secretary of the Navy - Charles BrownCharles Brown (congressman)Charles Brown was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
(1797–1883), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Walter ColtonWalter ColtonRev. Walter Colton was a Chaplain for the United States Navy, the Alcalde of Monterey, and the author of Three Years in California and Deck and Port. He was also co-publisher of California's first newspaper, The Californian....
(1797–1851), Chaplain, Alcalde of Monterey, author, publisher of California's first newspaper - David ConnerDavid ConnerDavid Conner may refer to:* David Conner , Dean of Windsor and Bishop to the Armed Forces* David Conner , officer of the United States Navy* David Philbrick Conner, CEO of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation...
(1792–1856), U.S. naval officer - Joel CookJoel CookJoel Cook was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:Joel Cook was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied law at the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia....
(1842–1910), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Samuel W. CrawfordSamuel W. CrawfordSamuel Wylie Crawford was a United States Army surgeon and a Union general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
(1829–1892), Union armyUnion ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
general. - John A. DahlgrenJohn A. DahlgrenJohn Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren was a United States Navy leader. He headed the Union Navy's ordnance department during the American Civil War and designed several different kinds of guns and cannons that were considered part of the reason the Union won the war...
(1809–1870), U.S. naval officer - Richard DaleRichard DaleRichard Dale fought in the Continental Navy under John Barry and was first lieutenant for John Paul Jones during the naval battle off of Flamborough Head, England against the HMS Serapis in the celebrated engagement of...
(1756–1826), Revolutionary naval officer - Henry DeringerHenry DeringerHenry Deringer was an American gunsmith. He invented, and gave his name to the Deringer pistol. Further development and copying of his design resulted in the derringer pistol that was generically manufactured widely by other companies.He was born in Easton, Pennsylvania on Oct...
(1786–1868), gunsmith - Henry DisstonHenry DisstonHenry Disston was an English American industrialist who founded the Keystone Saw Works in 1840 and developed the surrounding neighborhood of Tacony in Philadelphia, beginning in 1872. He was the father of industrialist Hamilton Disston.-Early life and rise to prominence:Disston was born in...
(1819–1878), businessman, Disston Saw WorksDisston Saw WorksDisston Saw Works was one of the better known and highly regarded manufacturers of handsaws in the United States. A much evolved version of this company is currently active in Philadelphia and known as Disston Precision.-History:... - George Nicholas EckertGeorge Nicholas EckertGeorge Nicholas Eckert was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:George N. Eckert was born in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1824 and commenced practice in Reading,...
(1802–1865), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Robert H. FoerdererRobert H. FoerdererRobert Hermann Foerderer was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Robert H. Foerderer was born in Frankenhausen, Germany, while his parents were sojourning in Europe. He attended public and private schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
(1860–1903), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Adam ForepaughAdam ForepaughAdam John Forepaugh was an American entrepreneur, businessman, and circus owner. He owned and operated a circus from 1865 through 1890 under various names including Forepaugh's Circus, The Great Forepaugh Show, The Adam Forepaugh Circus, and Forepaugh & The Wild West.-Biography:Forepaugh was born...
(1831–1890), an entrepreneur, businessman, and circus owner - Frank FurnessFrank FurnessFrank Heyling Furness was an acclaimed American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his eclectic, muscular, often idiosyncratically scaled buildings, and for his influence on the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan...
(1839–1912), Medal of Honor recipient, architect - Henry D. GilpinHenry D. GilpinHenry Dilworth Gilpin was an American lawyer and statesman of Quaker extraction who served as Attorney General of the United States....
(1801–1860), U.S. Attorney General - Louis Antoine GodeyLouis Antoine GodeyLouis Antoine Godey was an American editor and publisher, known as the founder of Godey's Lady's Book, the first successful American women's fashion magazine.-Biography:...
(1804–1878) American editor and publisher - Thomas GodfreyThomas Godfrey (inventor)Thomas Godfrey was an optician and inventor in the American colonies, who around 1730 invented the octant. At approximately the same time an Englishman, John Hadley, also invented the octant independently....
(1704–1749), optician and inventor - Henry Schell HagertHenry Schell HagertHenry Schell Hagert was a lawyer, writer, and poet.Hagert was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated at Central High School in 1842. He was admitted to the bar, May 8, 1847, and soon became solicitor for the board of guardians of the poor...
(1826–1885), writer, poet, Philadelphia district attorney - Sarah Josepha HaleSarah Josepha HaleSarah Josepha Buell Hale was an American writer and an influential editor. She is the author of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb"...
(1788–1879), writer, poet - Frederick HaltermanFrederick HaltermanFrederick Halterman was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Frederick Halterman was born in Vegesack on the Weser, part of the old Hanse town of Bremen, Germany. He immigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia in September 1849. He engaged in...
(1831–1907), U.S. Congressman - James HarperJames Harper (congressman)James Harper was a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.James Harper was born of Scots-Irish stock in Castlederg, County Tyrone, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States as a youth, and settled in Philadelphia. He married Charlotte Sloan Alford, a member of...
(1780–1873), U.S. Congressman - Ferdinand Rudolph HasslerFerdinand Rudolph HasslerFerdinand Rudolph Hassler was a surveyor who worked mostly in the United States and also in Switzerland. He headed the United States Coast Survey and the Bureau of Weights and Measures.-Biography:...
(1770–1843), first superintendent of the United States Coast Survey - Joseph HemphillJoseph HemphillJoseph Hemphill was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Hemphill was born in Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1791. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1793 and commenced practice in West...
(1770–1842), U.S. Congressman - Isaac HullIsaac Hull-External links:* *...
(1773–1843), Commodore, USN, captained Constitution to victory over HMS Guerriere - Owen JonesOwen Jones (congressman)Owen Jones was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
(1819–1878), U.S. Congressman - Harry KalasHarry KalasHarry Norbert Kalas was an American sportscaster, best known for his Ford C. Frick Award-winning role as lead play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies...
(1936–2009), Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
Hall of Fame broadcaster - Elisha KaneElisha KaneElisha Kent Kane was a medical officer in the United States Navy during the first half of the 19th century. He was a member of two Arctic expeditions to rescue the explorer Sir John Franklin...
(1820–1857), Explorer. - William D. KelleyWilliam D. KelleyWilliam D. Kelley was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Kelley was a lifelong advocate of civil rights, social reform, and labor protection.-Early life:...
(1814–1890), U.S. Congressman - William J. KirkpatrickWilliam J. KirkpatrickWilliam J. Kirkpatrick was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania to a schoolteacher and musician, Thomas Kirkpatrick. He was exposed to and given formal training in music at a very young age. In 1854, he moved to Philadelphia to study music and carpentry. It was here that he studied vocal music under...
(1838–1921), composer - Henry Charles LeaHenry Charles LeaHenry Charles Lea was an American historian, civic reformer, and political activist. Lea was born and lived in Philadelphia.-Parents:...
(1825–1909), historian - Michael LeibMichael LeibMichael Leib was an American physician, politician, scientist, inventor, statesman, and philosopher born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served Pennsylvania in both houses of the state legislature and represented Pennsylvania in both the U.S...
(1760–1822), U.S. Congressman - Lewis Charles LevinLewis Charles LevinLewis Charles Levin was a Philadelphia politician, prominent Know Nothing, and anti-Catholic social activist of the 1840s and 1850s. He served three terms in Congress , representing the Pennsylvania 1st District...
(1808–1860), U.S. Congressman - George Horace LorimerGeorge Horace LorimerGeorge Horace Lorimer was an American journalist and author. He is best known as the editor of The Saturday Evening Post....
(1868–1937), journalist - Thomas McKeanThomas McKeanThomas McKean was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress where he signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of...
(1734–1817), lawyer and politician, Signer of the Declaration of IndependenceUnited States Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a... - George Gordon MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
(1815–1872), Union General, victor at the Battle of GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac... - George Meade Easby (1918–2005), great-grandson of George Meade and a celebrity
- Hugh MercerHugh MercerHugh Mercer was a soldier and physician. He initially served with British forces during the Seven Years War but later became a brigadier general in the Continental Army and a close friend to George Washington...
(1726–1777), military officer - Helen Abbott MichaelHelen Abbott MichaelHelen Cecilia De Silver Abbott Michael, M.D. was an American scientist who was among the first to "in a systematic way study the relation of chemical composition to species of plants and to plant growth." Michael theorized that the chemical composition of plants over the course of their...
(1857–1904), plant chemist - William MillwardWilliam MillwardWilliam Millward was an Opposition Party and Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.William Millward was born in the old district of Northern Liberties in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
(1822–1871), U.S. Congressman - John Moffet (1831–1884), U.S. Congressman
- Edward Joy MorrisEdward Joy MorrisEdward Joy Morris was a Whig and Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Morris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the common schools and the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia...
(1815–1881), U.S. Congressman - Charles NaylorCharles NaylorCharles Naylor was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:Charles Naylor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828 and commenced practice in Philadelphia...
(1806–1872), U.S. Congressman - John NotmanJohn NotmanJohn Notman was a Scottish-born American architect, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is remembered for his churches, and for popularizing the Italianate style and the use of brownstone.-Career:...
(1810–1865), architect and designer of Laurel Hill - Titian PealeTitian PealeTitian Ramsay Peale was a noted American artist, naturalist, entomologist and photographer. He was the sixteenth child and youngest son of noted American naturalist Charles Willson Peale.-Biography:...
(1799–1885), artist - John C. PembertonJohn C. PembertonJohn Clifford Pemberton , was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his defeat and surrender in the critical Siege of Vicksburg in...
(1814–1881), Confederate Civil War General - Garrett J. PendergrastGarrett J. PendergrastGarrett Jesse Pendergrast was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:A native of Kentucky, Pendergrast was married to Virginia Barron, the daughter of James Barron...
(1802–1862), U.S. Civil War naval officer - Boies PenroseBoies PenroseBoies Penrose was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1897 until his death in 1921.-Biography:...
(1860–1921), U.S. Senator - Samuel J. RandallSamuel J. RandallSamuel Jackson Randall was a Pennsylvania politician, attorney, soldier, and a prominent Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives during the late 19th century. He served as the 33rd Speaker of the House and a contender for his party's nomination for the President of the...
(1828–1890), U.S. Congressman - Thomas Buchanan ReadThomas Buchanan ReadThomas Buchanan Read , was an American poet and portrait painter.-Biography:Read was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania on March 12, 1822....
(1822–1872), American poet, sculptor, portrait-painter - Joseph ReedJoseph Reed (jurist)Joseph Reed was a Pennsylvania lawyer, military officer, and statesman of the Revolutionary Era. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and, while in Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation...
(1741–1785), Continental Congressman - John E. ReyburnJohn E. ReyburnJohn Edgar Reyburn was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, and Mayor of Philadelphia....
(1845–1914), U.S. Congressman, mayor of Philadelphia - William S. ReyburnWilliam S. ReyburnWilliam Stuart Reyburn was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Reyburn was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John E. Reyburn and Margretta . He married Georgie Fontaine Maury, of Washington, June 10, 1911. He graduated from Yale University in 1904,...
(1882–1946), U.S. Congressman - David RittenhouseDavid RittenhouseDavid Rittenhouse was a renowned American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, mathematician, surveyor, scientific instrument craftsman and public official...
(1732–1796), astronomer, inventor, mathematician, surveyor - John RobbinsJohn Robbins (congressman)John Robbins was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.John Robbins was born in Bustleton, Pennsylvania, , near Lower Dublin Township, Pennsylvania. He was a student at the Gunmere Academy in Burlington, New Jersey. He moved to Philadelphia in 1836 and...
(1808–1880), U.S. Congressman - Richard RushRichard RushRichard Rush was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the second son of Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and Julia Rush. He entered the College of New Jersey at the age of 14, and graduated in 1797 as the youngest member of his class...
(1780–1859), U.S. Attorney General - Lawrence SaintLawrence SaintLawrence Bradford Saint was an American stained glass artist. His work is most notably featured in the Washington National Cathedral where he served as the head of the stained glass department.-Early life:...
(1885–1961), stained glass artist - Jonathan SergeantJonathan SergeantJonathan Dickinson Sergeant was an American lawyer from Princeton, New Jersey. He represented New Jersey in the Second Continental Congress in 1776 and 1777. He later served as Attorney General for the state of Pennsylvania....
(1746–1793), Continental Congressman - Charles Ferguson SmithCharles Ferguson SmithCharles Ferguson Smith was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War and as a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
(1807–1862), U.S. Army General - Witmer StoneWitmer StoneWitmer Stone was an American ornithologist, botanist, and mammalogist, and was considered one of the last of the “great naturalists.” Stone is remembered principally as an ornithologist. He was president of the American Ornithologists’ Union 1920–23, and was editor of the AOU’s periodical The...
(1866–1939), ornithologist, botanist - Thomas SullyThomas SullyThomas Sully was an American painter, mostly of portraits.-Early life:Sully was born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, to the actors Matthew and Sarah Sully. In March 1792 the Sullys and their nine children immigrated to Richmond, Virginia, where Thomas’s uncle managed a theater...
(1783–1872), portrait painter - Charles ThomsonCharles ThomsonCharles Thomson was a Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the Continental Congress throughout its existence.-Biography:...
(1729–1824), secretary of the Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution.... - George Washington TolandGeorge Washington TolandGeorge Washington Toland was an American statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.George Washington Toland was born in Philadelphia. He attended the common schools, and graduated from Princeton College in 1816. He held several local offices.Toland was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth,...
(1796–1869), U.S. Congressman - Levi TwiggsLevi TwiggsLevi Twiggs was an officer in the United States Marine Corps during the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
(1793–1847), officer in the U. S. Marine Corps - Job Roberts TysonJob Roberts TysonJob Roberts Tyson was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Job R. Tyson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed preparatory studies and taught school in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1827 and commenced practice in...
(1803–1858), U.S. Congressman - Richard VauxRichard VauxRichard Vaux was an American politician. He was mayor of Philadelphia and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania....
(1816–1895), U.S. Congressman, mayor of Philadelphia - Thomas Ustick Walter (1804–1887), architect
- Peter A. B. Widener (1834–1915), business tycoon, philanthropist
- Isaac J. WistarIsaac J. WistarIsaac Jones Wistar was an American lawyer, miner, farmer, soldier, and author. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, in which he was wounded twice, and was noted for his criticized performance during the 1864 Bermuda Hundred Campaign...
(1827–1905), Union Army general and penologist - Owen WisterOwen WisterOwen Wister was an American writer and "father" of western fiction.-Early life:Owen Wister was born on July 14, 1860, in Germantown, a well-known neighborhood in the northwestern part of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Owen Jones Wister, was a wealthy physician, one of a long line of...
(1860–1938), novelist, author of The VirginianThe Virginian (novel)This page is about the novel, for other uses see The Virginian .The Virginian is a pioneering 1902 novel set in the Wild West by the American author Owen Wister...
Samuel Gibbs French
Samuel Gibbs French
History of Salem County by Joseph S. Sickler, pub 1937 pp-243, 276-277...
(1818–1910), Confederate General has a cenotaph in his family's plot in Laurel Hill.
The tombstone created for Adrian Balboa, the fictional wife of Rocky Balboa from the Rocky
Rocky (film series)
Rocky is a boxing saga of popular films all written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, who plays the character Rocky Balboa. The films are, by order of release date: Rocky , Rocky II , Rocky III , Rocky IV , Rocky V and Rocky Balboa...
movies, is just south of the main entrance. It was used during the filming of the 2006 motion picture Rocky Balboa
Rocky Balboa (film)
Rocky Balboa is the sixth and final film in the Rocky franchise, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film, which was also written by Stallone who plays underdog boxer Rocky Balboa, is the sixth film in the Rocky series that began with the Academy Award-winning Rocky thirty years...
.
Fictional references
- The young adult book Tombstone Tea by Joanne Dahme takes place in Laurel Hill Cemetery and some of the well-known people buried there appear as characters.
See also
- West Laurel Hill CemeteryWest Laurel Hill CemeteryWest Laurel Hill Cemetery is a cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the site of many notable burials, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1992...
, across the Schuylkill RiverSchuylkill RiverThe Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in... - List of United States cemeteries
External links
- Laurel Hill Cemetery, official web site
- Digital facsimile of 1876 Illustrated Philadelphia Directory with description of cemetery (Adobe .pdf format)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery at Find-A-Grave