The following was sent by Calvary Cemetery.

"History of Calvary Cemetery - Catholic News, Oct. 26, 1973, Thursday"

"The desire of the Catholic community of New York to have its own cemetery dates back to the time when New York was not even a diocese and when there was not even a single Catholic church in all of New York. The first Catholic Cemetery in New York State was established in the year 1785, nine years after signing of the Declaration of Independence and three years prior to the ratification of the Constitution. The site of George Washington's inauguration in 1789 in New York as our first president, was a short distance from the first Catholic Cemetery which was located on the corner of Barclay and Church Streets, the present location of St. Peter's Church. Ecumenism, a rare occurrence in those days, played a major role in the establishment of the first Catholic Cemetery in New York. This tract of land which measured 100 x 125 feet was first leased and then sold to the Catholic Congregation in New York by Trinity Episcopal Church. Prior to 1785 a portion of the Trinity Church graveyard itself was reserved for the burial of Catholics. In 1796, a portion of the new cemetery was set aside for the erection of the first Catholic Church in New York, St. Peter;s, and when the first Church building was replaced in 1836 with a new structure, most of the remains in the cemetery were moved to the cemetery at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Mott Street. It is interesting to note that the sites of the first two churches in New York, St. Peter's and Old St. Patrick's and also the locations of both the old and new St. Patrick's Cathedral were originally purchased for use as cemetery land. In 1801, a parcel of land was purchased on the corner of Prince and Mott Streets for the burial of Catholics. Soon after, New York became a diocese in 1808, plans were made to erect a Cathedral church on a portion of the property which had been set aside for the cemetery. At this time the Catholic population began its steady and rapid growth. It was also during this period, in the year 1817, that the Trustees of St. Patrick's Cathedral became incorporated by a special act of the state legislature. From the very beginning, the Trustees of the Cathedral assumed, with great dedication, the principal role in the Corporal Work of Mercy burying the dead. The Trustees also displayed a keen foresight in acquiring property for cemetery use and also great diligence and prudence in caring for and managing the cemeteries. In 1829, a tract of land was purchased, on what is not 50th Street, for use as a cemetery. The purchased gave rise to much criticism because the property was so far beyond the city limits. This property was later used as the site of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Property closer to the city limits was acquired in 1832. Located between 11th and 12th Streets, from Avenue A to 1st Avenue, this parcel of land known as the 11th Street Cemetery, was opened for interments in 1833 and was used for the burial of Catholics until the year 1848. Before that date, the Trustees came to the conclusion that the rapidly growing Catholic population of New York made necessary the acquisition of more cemetery property. It was decided that a large parcel of land would be necessary to satisfy the cemetery requirements of a growing population and so in 1845, the Trustees purchased the ALSOP Farm, consisting of 115 acres in Newton Township, Long Island. -- The ALSOP plot of colonial times exists as a cemetery within a cemetery at Calvary. --

In the background is the Kosciusko Bridge. Six of these family graveyards are preserved as city landmarks, according to Stanley COGAN, president of the Queens Historical Society. But some colonial graveyards in Queens remain overgrown and neglected. COGAN founded the Queens Family Cemetery Alliance to safeguard the old graveyards. Copyright (c) 2005, Newsday, Inc. On August 4, 1848, the new cemetery called Calvary Cemetery received its first interment, one Esther ENNIS. The purchase of this parcel of land and the acquisition over the years of over two hundred additional acres, enabled Calvary Cemetery to support the needs of most Catholics in the Archdiocese, especially in the New York City area. Outside the City with the movement of Catholics to the outlying counties, many Catholics preferred to have burial grounds closer to home where they could visit the graves of their relatives and friends more easily and frequently. Accordingly, some parishes established cemeteries of their own, usually adjacent to the parish church. Over the years, a total of 69 parishes have established cemeteries and sits by side, with the archdiocesan cemeteries, continue faithfully to serve Catholics in the Archdiocese. In an effort to supplement the efforts of the parish cemeteries outside New York City, the Trustees of St. Patrick's established two additional cemeteries. -In 1918, the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven was opened for burials in Westchester County and in 1966, the Cemetery of The Ascension was established in Rockland County. The three archdiocesan cemeteries together with the parish cemeteries continue the long and proud tradition of providing burial space for Catholics of the Archdiocese. "In accord with the laws and traditions of the Church, the Catholic Cemeteries of New York provide not only consecrated of rest for the bodies of the deceased, but they also serve the living, the families and friends of the deceased, by their witness to the Christian hope of the Resurrection of the body." As of 1 January 1979, 2,291,203 persons have been buried in our 650,158 graveholdings. Calvary Cemetery Mother Seton's Sisters of charity had become legendary in New York City for their work during the Choler epidemic of 1832. In 1846 thirty two of the fifty sisters chose to form a a seperate Community, the sisters of St. Vincent of Paul. They reported directly to the Bishop (and their supervison Mother Angela Huges, the Bishop's youngest sister) The women Organized the Academy of Mount St Vincent in 1847 they purchased the Jacob Dyckman estate at McGown's pass, five miles north of the city in the vincinity of 105th street and Fifth Avenue. by mid -1850's their convent had seventy sisters (half of them Irish) eleven Irish servent girls, and nine male employees, In 1856 they moved again, to a fifty -acre tract fifteen-miles from City Hall In Westchester County. One part of Frederick Phillipse's confiscated lands. Last, Huges secured ample final resting space for his parishioners. In 1848 the church purchased the old Aslop estate on the Maspeth side of Penny Bridge, which traversed Newtown Creek. Here Calvary Cemetery was laid out, and for the convience of furneral corteges, steamboat service was inaugurated from east 23rd st. Other cemeteries quickly followed, such as Holy Cross in Flatbush (1849) and Mount Olivet to the old Hallett Estate in Maspeth (1851)

Calvary Cemetery Woodside, Queens 1848 to date Calvary Cemetery is owned and managed by the Archdiocese of New York. The cemetery is divided into four divisions: First Calvary is often called "Old Calvary" by long-time residents of the area First Calvary Cemetery : Filled by 1867, located between the Long Island Expressway & Review Ave. St. Calixtus Division (south side of Greenpoint Ave.) MAP of First Calvary Second, Third and Fourth all considered part of "New Calvary." Second Calvary Cemetery : Located on the west side of 58th St between Queens Blvd & the Brooklyn-Queens Espressway, land acquisition ended in 1888. St. Agnes Division (south side of Laurel Hill Blvd.) Third Calvary Cemetery : est. 1879, located on the west side of 58th St, between the LIE & the BQE St. Sebastian Division (north side of Laurel Hill Blvd.) Fourth Calvary Cemetery : est. 1900, located on the west side of 58th St, between the LIE & 55th Ave St. Domitilla Division (south side of Second Calvary.) Mailing address: Calvary Cemetery 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. Flushing NY 11377-7396 Phone Number: (718) 786-8000 To send for records: There are no records for 1848 to 1852. There is a charge and you must know the date of death or burial. Contributor: renbi@hitter.net

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