Workers were doing construction in Washington Square Park and they came across the grave marker of James Jackson who died on Sept. 22, 1799!!! As you can see it was very well preserved!
The stone reads, "Here lies the body of James Jackson who departed this life 22 day of September 1799 aged 28 years native of the county of Kildare Ireland."
The area in which it was found was know to be a burial plot/potters field for the poor and indigent, long before it was developed. There is claim that 20,000 people are buried below the park in that area. While construction has been going on workers have found full skeletal remains and bones of all sorts!!
I know from reading some history of NYC and watching the movie "The Gangs of New York" the lower end of NYC use to be quite a place not to live!!
It is at least rewarding to know that mystery of who James Jackson was is being unravel by the historical society, they found his address and his death records from 1799, city records list his as a watchman.
ONLY IN NEW YORK!!!
6 comments:
I saw this somewhere...do you now where they unearthed this?
e wonders about the other 19,999 thou...!
It is amazing! And as you said, Only In New York. But, then again, maybe not! (lol)
That should read...ONE WONDERS...Don't know what happened to the "O" and the "N"....?
Way cool. They should dig some more and preserve the history.
Wow this is amazing Mauve.. I have goosebumps from reading this.. But from what I understand many people landed in New York at that time in history.. I could be wrong but that is what I remember..
That is very interesting!!! I love anything to do with graveyards etc.
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