Trinity Church Cemetery

	The Trinity Church Downtown Churchyards & Uptown Cemetery
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	Trinity Churchyard at Broadway and Wall Street
Location	Trinity Church (shown): ; 74 Trinity Place; Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum 770 Riverside Drive; St. Paul's Chapel: 209 Broadway; Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Coordinates	40°42′30″N 74°00′42″W / 40.70833°N 74.01167°W
Built	1697
NRHP reference No.	80002677

The parish of Trinity Church has three separate burial grounds associated with it in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The first, Trinity Churchyard, is located in Lower Manhattan at 74 Trinity Place, near Wall Street and Broadway. Alexander Hamilton and his wife Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, Albert Gallatin, and Robert Fulton are buried in the downtown Trinity Churchyard.^[1]

The second Trinity parish burial ground is the St. Paul's Chapel Churchyard, which is also located in lower Manhattan, six blocks (roughly 440 yards (400 m)) north of Trinity Church. It was established in 1766. Both of these churchyards are closed to new burials.

Trinity's third place of burial, Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum, located in Hamilton Heights in Upper Manhattan, is one of the few active burial sites in Manhattan.^[2] Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the burial place of notable people including John James Audubon, John Jacob Astor IV, Mayor Edward I. Koch, Governor John Adams Dix, Ralph Ellison, and Eliza Jumel.^[3] In 1823, all burials south of Canal Street became forbidden by New York City due to city crowding, yellow fever, and other public health fears.^[4]

After considering locations in the Bronx and portions of the then-new Green-Wood Cemetery, in 1842 Trinity Parish purchased the plot of land now bordered by 153rd Street, 155th Street, Amsterdam Avenue, and Riverside Drive to establish the Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum. The cemetery is located beside the Chapel of the Intercession that Audubon co-founded in 1846, but this chapel is no longer part of Trinity parish.^[4] James Renwick, Jr., is the architect of Trinity Church Cemetery and further updates were made by Calvert Vaux.^[5] The uptown cemetery is also the center of the Heritage Rose District of New York City.

A no-longer-extant Trinity Parish burial ground was the Old Saint John's Burying Ground for St. John's Chapel. This location is bounded by Hudson, Leroy and Clarkson streets near Hudson Square. It was in use from 1806 to 1852 with over 10,000 burials, mostly poor and young. In 1897, it was turned into St. John's Park, with most of the burials left in place. The park was later renamed Hudson Park, and is now James J. Walker Park.^[6] (This park is different from a separate St. John's Park, a former private park and residential block approximately one mile to the south that now serves as part of the Holland Tunnel access.)

Notable burials

Trinity Churchyard (Broadway and Wall Street)

William Alexander, Lord Stirling (1726–1783), Continental Army major general during the American Revolution
John Alsop (1724–1794), Continental Congress delegate
William Bayard Jr. (1761–1826), banker
William Berczy (1744–1813), Canadian painter and pioneer buried in unmarked grave and name recorded as William Burksay
William Bradford (1660–1752), colonial American printer
Richard Churcher (1676–1681), a child whose grave is marked with the oldest carved gravestone in New York City
Angelica Schuyler Church (1756–1814), daughter of Philip Schuyler, sister of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and Margarita Schuyler Van Rensselaer
Michael Cresap (1742–1775), frontiersman
James De Lancey (1703–1760), Colonial Governor of New York
John R. Fellows (1832–1896), U.S. representative
Robert Fulton (1765–1815), inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat
Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), U.S. congressman, Secretary of the Treasury, founder of New York University
Horatio Gates (1727–1806), Continental Army general during the American Revolution
James Gordon (1735–1783), 80th Regiment of Foot (Royal Edinburgh Volunteers) Lieutenant Colonel
Aaron Hackley, Jr. (1783–1868), U.S. representative
Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), American revolutionary patriot and Founding Father; first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and a signer of the United States Constitution, husband of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton
Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (1757–1854), co-founder and deputy director of New York's first private orphanage,^[7] now Graham Windham
Philip Hamilton (1782–1801), first son of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and Alexander Hamilton, grandson of U.S. General Philip Schuyler, nephew of Angelica Schuyler Church and Margarita Schuyler Van Rensselaer
John Sloss Hobart (1738–1805), U.S. senator
William Hogan (1792–1874), U.S. congressman
James Lawrence (1781–1813), naval hero during the War of 1812
Francis Lewis (1713–1802), signer of the Declaration of Independence
Walter Livingston (1740–1797), delegate to the Continental Congress
Luther Martin (1744–1826), delegate to the Continental Congress
Charles McKnight (1750–1791), Continental Army surgeon
John Jordan Morgan (1770–1849), U.S. representative
Hercules Mulligan (1740–1825), spy during the American Revolution, friend of Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Jackson Oakley (1783–1857), U.S. representative
John Morin Scott (1730–1784), Continental Congress delegate, Revolutionary War general, first secretary of state of New York
George Templeton Strong (1820–1875), diarist, abolitionist, lawyer
Robert Swartwout (1779–1848), brigadier general, Quartermaster general of the War of 1812
Silas Talbot (1750–1813), U.S. Navy commodore, second captain of the USS Constitution
John Watts (1749–1836), U.S. representative
Franklin Wharton (1767–1818), Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1804–1818
Hugh Williamson (1735–1802), American politician, signer of the Constitution of the United States
John Peter Zenger (1697–1746), newspaper publisher whose libel trial helped establish the right to a free press

In the northeast corner stands the Soldiers' Monument, with a plaque reading: "At a meeting of Citizens held at the City Hall of the City of New York June 8, 1852: It was resolved That the Erection of a becoming Monument with appropriate inscriptions by Trinity Church to the Memory of those great and good Men who died whilst in Captivity in the old Sugar House and were interred in Trinity Church Yard in this City will be an act gratifying not only to the attendants of this Meeting but to Every American Citizen."^[8]

The claim those prisoners are buried in Trinity Churchyard is disputed by Charles I. Bushnell, who argued in 1863 that Trinity Church would not have accepted them because it supported Great Britain.^[9] Historian Edwin G. Burrows explains how the controversy related to a proposal to build a public street through the churchyard.^[10]

Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum (770 Riverside Drive)

The grave of Alfred Dickens in Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum

Amsale Aberra (1954–2018), Ethiopian-American fashion designer and entrepreneur
Mercedes de Acosta (1893–1968), writer, socialite
Rita de Acosta Lydig (1876–1929), socialite
Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor (1830–1908), socialite, doyenne of Gilded Age New York society
John Jacob Astor (1763–1848) business magnate, progenitor of the Astor family of New York
John Jacob Astor III (1822–1890), financier and philanthropist
John Jacob Astor IV (1864–1912), millionaire killed in the sinking of the Titanic
John Jacob Astor VI (1912–1992), shipping magnate
William Backhouse Astor, Sr. (1792–1875), real estate businessman
William Backhouse Astor, Jr. (1829–1892), businessman and race horse breeder/owner
John James Audubon (1785–1851), ornithologist and naturalist
Will Barnet (1911–2012), artist
Estelle Bennett (1941–2009), member of the 1960s girl group The Ronettes
John Romeyn Brodhead (1814–1873), historian of early colonial New York
John J. Cisco (1806–1884), Assistant Treasurer of the United States under presidents Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln
John Winthrop Chanler (1826–1877), United States Congressman
Robert Winthrop Chanler (1872–1930), muralist and designer
William Astor Chanler (1867–1934), United States Congressman
Cadwallader D. Colden (1769–1834), abolitionist (New York Manumission Society) (1806–1834); Mayor of New York City (1818–1821)
William Augustus Darling (1817–1895), United States Congressman
Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson Dickens (1845–1912), lecturer on the life of his father, Charles Dickens
John Adams Dix (1798–1879), soldier, United States Senator, Secretary of the Treasury, Governor of New York, statesman
Ralph Ellison, (1914–1994), novelist, critic, and educator, author of Invisible Man
Henry Erben (1832–1909), rear admiral of the United States Navy, serving in the American Civil War and Spanish-American War
Herman D. Farrell Jr. (1932–2018), New York State Assembly member
Madeleine Talmage Force (1893–1940), socialite, Titanic survivor, second wife of John Jacob Astor IV
Bertram Goodhue (1869–1924), American architect and typeface designer, designed the Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago
Cuba Gooding Sr. (1944–2017), singer and actor
Edward Haight (1817–1885), United States Congressman
Katherine Corri Harris (1890–1927), American silent film actor
Abraham Oakey Hall (1826–1898), Mayor of New York City
Anthony Philip Heinrich (1781–1861), American composer and founding chair of the New York Philharmonic Society
Geoffrey Lamont Holder (1930–2014), Trinidadian-American actor, dancer, and choreographer, principal actor for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York City, portrayed Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die
David Hosack (1769–1835), physician, botanist, educator, tended to Alexander Hamilton's mortal wound
Charles C. Ingham (1797–1863), Irish-American portraitist
Eliza Jumel (1775–1865), second wife of Aaron Burr
Dita Hopkins Kinney (1855–1921), first superintendent of United States Army Nurse Corps (1901–1909)
Edward I. Koch (1924–2013), Mayor of New York City (1978–1989)^[11]
John Lewis (1920–2001), American jazz pianist and founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet
Robert O. Lowery (1916–2001), first African-American New York City Fire Commissioner (1966–1973)
George Malloy (1920–2008), pianist, accompanied Camilla Williams singing "The Star-Spangled Banner", preceding Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech, during the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
Robert Bowne Minturn (1805–1866), prominent New York merchant, philanthropist; shipper owner of Flying Cloud
James Monroe (1799–1870), U.S. Congressman
Clement Clarke Moore (1779–1863), clergyman, attributed author of Christmas poem A Visit from St. Nicholas
Jerry Orbach (1935–2004), actor, singer^[12]
Samuel B. Ruggles (1799–1881), politician, member of the New York State Assembly, donated land used to create Gramercy Park in New York City
Francis Shubael Smith (1819–1887), co-founder of Street & Smith publishing
Thomas Fielding Scott (1807–1867), first missionary Episcopal Bishop of Washington and Oregon
Samuel Seabury (1873–1958), New York City judge, not to be confused with the known rival of Alexander Hamilton
Frederick Clarke Withers (1828–1901), English-American architect in the High Victorian Gothic style
Fernando Wood (1812–1881), Mayor of New York City

St. Paul's Chapel Churchyard (Broadway at Fulton Street)

George Frederick Cooke (1756–1812), actor
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont (1636–1701), British colonial governor
John Holt (1721–1784), publisher
William Houstoun (1755–1813), Continental Congress delegate for whom Houston Street was named
Richard Montgomery (1738–1775) Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution
Stephen Rochefontaine (1755–1814), Continental Army officer during the American Revolution

References

^ "History of Trinity Church and Churchyard". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^ "Uptown Manhattan Trinity Cemetery & Mausoleum". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^ "Overview and History". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Julie Besonen (February 6, 2015). "Resting Place for the High and the Low: The Trinity Church Cemetery in Washington Heights Holds Plenty of History". New York Times.
^ "Trinity Cemetery Walking Tour Guide" (PDF).
^ French, Mary (January 5, 2011). "St. John's Cemetery". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
^ Chernow, Ron (March 29, 2005). "Epilogue". Alexander Hamilton. Penguin. ISBN 9781101200858.
^ Chi, Sheena (December 15, 2008). "Trinity Church—Soldiers' Monument—Memorial for Unknown Revolutionary War Heroes". Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019. This inscription is on the south side. An inscription on the east side is more general: "Sacred to the memory of those brave and good Men who died whilst imprisoned in this City for their devotion to the cause of American independence." (Burrows, cited below, p. 230 (caption); photos at Find a Grave, cited below)
^ Bushnell, Charles I. (1863). A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Levi Hanford, a Soldier of the Revolution. New York: [privately printed]. pp. 66–70 (note 27). This note was also published separately as a pamphlet with its own title: Bushnell, Charles Ira (1863). The Claim of Trinity Church to Having Furnished Burial Places For Some of the American Prisoners, Who Died in the Old Sugar House Prison, in Liberty Street, During the Revolution, Examined and Refuted. New York: [privately published].
^ Burrows, Edwin G. (2008). Forgotten Patriots. New York: Basic Books. pp. 228–30. ISBN 978-0-465-00835-3.
^ Schjonberg, Mary Frances (February 4, 2013). "Former New York Mayor Ed Koch laid to rest in Trinity plot". Episcopal News Service. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013.
^ Gilvey, John Anthony (May 1, 2011). Jerry Orbach: Prince of the City – His Way From The Fantasticks to Law & Order. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-42348-845-3.

External links

Official website
At Find a Grave:
Hi-Res Photo Gallery of the Trinity Church Cemetery.
Trinity Tombstone & Churchyard Gallery
Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum records at Trinity Wall Street Archives

[1] "History of Trinity Church and Churchyard". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.

[2] "Uptown Manhattan Trinity Cemetery & Mausoleum". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.

[3] "Overview and History". Trinity Church Wall Street. Retrieved July 19, 2021.

[nyt150206-4] Julie Besonen (February 6, 2015). "Resting Place for the High and the Low: The Trinity Church Cemetery in Washington Heights Holds Plenty of History". New York Times.

[5] "Trinity Cemetery Walking Tour Guide" (PDF).

[6] French, Mary (January 5, 2011). "St. John's Cemetery". Retrieved June 10, 2019.

[7] Chernow, Ron (March 29, 2005). "Epilogue". Alexander Hamilton. Penguin. ISBN 9781101200858.

[8] Chi, Sheena (December 15, 2008). "Trinity Church—Soldiers' Monument—Memorial for Unknown Revolutionary War Heroes". Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019. This inscription is on the south side. An inscription on the east side is more general: "Sacred to the memory of those brave and good Men who died whilst imprisoned in this City for their devotion to the cause of American independence." (Burrows, cited below, p. 230 (caption); photos at Find a Grave, cited below)

[9] Bushnell, Charles I. (1863). A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Levi Hanford, a Soldier of the Revolution. New York: [privately printed]. pp. 66–70 (note 27). This note was also published separately as a pamphlet with its own title: Bushnell, Charles Ira (1863). The Claim of Trinity Church to Having Furnished Burial Places For Some of the American Prisoners, Who Died in the Old Sugar House Prison, in Liberty Street, During the Revolution, Examined and Refuted. New York: [privately published].

[10] Burrows, Edwin G. (2008). Forgotten Patriots. New York: Basic Books. pp. 228–30. ISBN 978-0-465-00835-3.

[Koch-11] Schjonberg, Mary Frances (February 4, 2013). "Former New York Mayor Ed Koch laid to rest in Trinity plot". Episcopal News Service. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013.

[Gilvey-12] Gilvey, John Anthony (May 1, 2011). Jerry Orbach: Prince of the City – His Way From The Fantasticks to Law & Order. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-42348-845-3.

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v t e Alexander Hamilton
8th Senior Officer of the United States Army (1799–1800) 1st Secretary of the Treasury (1789–1795) Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation (1782–1783, 1788–1789)
United States founding events	A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress (1774) The Farmer Refuted (1775) Delegate, 1786 Annapolis Convention Delegate, 1787 Constitutional Convention The Federalist Papers New York Circular Letter
Secretary of the Treasury	First Bank of the United States Revenue Marine (U.S. Coast Guard) U.S. Customs Service Hamiltonian economic program Residence Act Compromise of 1790 Assumption Bill Tariff of 1790 Bank Bill of 1791 Tariff of 1791 Tariff of 1792 Coinage Act of 1792 U.S. Mint Whiskey Rebellion Jay Treaty Reports "First Report on the Public Credit" "Second Report on Public Credit" "Report On Manufactures" "Report on a Plan for the Further Support of Public Credit" Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures
Military career	New York Provincial Company of Artillery Washington's aide-de-camp Battles Harlem Heights White Plains Trenton Princeton Brandywine Germantown Monmouth Siege of Yorktown
Other events	Founder, Federalist Party Federalist Era Founder, Bank of New York Bank of North America Pacificus-Helvidius Debates Advisor, George Washington's Farewell Address President General of the Society of the Cincinnati Founder, New-York Evening Post Hamilton College Hamilton–Reynolds affair Rutgers v. Waddington Relationship with slavery Relationship with Thomas Jefferson Burr–Hamilton duel
Depictions	Trumbull portrait Ceracchi bust Central Park statue U.S. Treasury statue Columbia University statue Boston statue Chicago statue U.S. postage stamps Greenbacks U.S. $10 bill
Memorials	Boyhood home and museum Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Alexander Hamilton Bridge Alexander Hamilton High School (Los Angeles) Fort Hamilton Hamilton Grange National Memorial Hamilton Hall (Columbia University) Hamilton Hall (Salem) Hamilton Heights, Manhattan Hamilton, Ohio Hamilton College USS Alexander Hamilton PS Alexander Hamilton Trinity Church Cemetery
Popular culture	Hamilton (1917 play) Alexander Hamilton (1931 film) Liberty! (1997 documentary series) Liberty's Kids (2002 animated series) Alexander Hamilton (2004 book) The Revolution (2006 miniseries) John Adams (2008 miniseries) Hamilton (2015 musical, 2020 film) Washington (2020 miniseries)
Related	Founders Online Age of Enlightenment American Enlightenment American Philosophical Society Liberty Hall (New Jersey) New York Manumission Society African Free School "American System" economic plan American School American Revolution patriots
Family	Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (wife) Philip Hamilton (son) Angelica Hamilton (daughter) Alexander Hamilton Jr. (son) James Alexander Hamilton (son) John Church Hamilton (son) William S. Hamilton (son) Eliza Hamilton Holly (daughter) Philip Hamilton (son) Schuyler Hamilton (grandson) Alexander Hamilton Jr. (grandson) Allan McLane Hamilton (grandson)
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