By Courtney Yates
Title: GWC Memoranda Ledger, c. 1863-1897
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Arrangement: Topical arrangment
Subjects: Brooklyn--New York, N.Y., Cemeteries--New York (State)--New York--History, Green-Wood Cemetery--New York, N.Y.
Languages: English
Transcribed section of hand written record log from 1863-1897 of various events at Green-Wood Cemetery including comings and goings of workers, trustees and elected officers. Mentions of salaries - increases, requests of denied increases, and the occasional workmen’s strike. Dates of new guide maps, rules + regulations and amendments to by-laws. Expansion and improvements of infrastructure like landscape grading, pipes and road work. Introduction of various plant and animal species and reports of extreme weather and natural damages to the cemetery. Visits to contemporary cemeteries like Mount Auburn and Woodlawn recorded, as well as acquisitions of land, offices and equipment for cemetery, the changing prices of vaults and burial lots. Interesting mention of bones, coins and military buttons from the Battle of Brooklyn found on Battle Hill in 1865. Additional folders with loose papers inserted into log book.
Handwriting fairly consistent but could be multiple authors, formatting, spacing and abbreviations of diary kept in typed transcription. The recording of date/events is occasionally unchronological - example pg 14. The begining of the book has an index of paths, avenues, hills, other eminences, dells, waters and lawns. The end of the book includes information about trustees ranging from 1838 to 1848
Brooklyn--New York, N.Y.
Cemeteries--New York (State)--New York--History
Green-Wood Cemetery--New York, N.Y.
1864
July 8 Increased wages of men 21 per day
July 18 City water let into the reservoir on
Account of the great drought.
Nov 8 Fire occurred today under the stair
way of the engine house garbage cans
ruining the platforms for trains, the
machine being uninjured. Supposed
to have been caused by spontaneous
combustion of oily waste rags.
1865
Feb 22 Again advanced the price of
lots (excepting the $150 lots) from 50
to $100 each.
Frank Scrimgeour [sp?] left January 25, 1865
John Batcheller came “ “
left March 15 “
Issac Boven came March 16 “
left March 24th “
George McKnell came March 25th “
August 10 New guide map is used
“ 29 Returned from a visit to Mount Auburn
and Forrest Hill Cemeteries near
Boston.
