The Woodlands Cemetery.Located near the University of Pennsylvania, in what is now known as University City, this gem of a cemetery lies north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's 30th Street Station, in a very urban setting. "The Woodlands is a National Historic Landmark, including a mansion, one of the architectural masterpieces of 18th-century America (c. 1787), its complementary carriage house and stable (c. 1792), and its historic garden landscape, which, since 1840, was developed as a historic "rural garden cemetery." Here rest numerous "notables" whose intriguing stories add much to the history of Philadelphia and of the nation." "A magnificent example of 18th century Classical Revival architecture, the Woodlands Mansion (c. 1789) was once the seat of William Hamilton, Esq." "The mansion was home to the Hamilton family, descendents of the original Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Hamilton, and was developed by estate-owner William Hamilton from 1787 until his death in 1813. It is distinguished by its neo-classical design. Inspired by the products of the English architect, Robert Adam, it features a unique circular interior plan of non-rectangular spaces, "secret" passages, mirrored surfaces and classical details." "It�s a fair guess that when Andrew Hamilton built his Federal-style mansion on his 250-acre estate, he didn�t expect it to be surrounded by a cemetery. During the Hamilton family�s glory days, the estate was a center for elegance and gracious entertaining. By the 1840s, the property fell into disrepair and the grounds were turned into a cemetery." "Winding brick paths follow Hamilton�s original landscape, meandering through the estate where headstones, ranging from the simple to the monumental, reveal a who�s who of 18th- and 19th-century Philadelphia. Artists Thomas Eakins and Rembrandt Peale, the Drexel and Biddle families, railroad magnates Asa Whitney and John Edgar Thompson, surgical pioneer Dr. Samuel Gross and dozens of others lie in repose in this urban oasis." Among it's many guests were such notables as Jefferson, Washington, and Joseph Bonaparte. "Renowned for his work in horticulture, landscape design and botany, William Hamilton, Andrew�s grandson, was asked by Thomas Jefferson to plant some seeds harvested during Lewis and Clark�s expeditions. Eventually, the estate boasted more than 10,000 species of plants. Today, more than 720 historic trees and plants have survived and are scattered throughout the property."
Source:
The Woodlands Cemetery,
I'd like to thank Joe Check, [email protected], of Bay Shore, New York, once again for sending me a copy of this burial record from Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia. As you may or may not know, I've taken a proprietary interest in Dr. Alfred Wynkoop of Philadelphia, which I've detailed elsewhere in the Wynkoop Family Research Library, and this particular record goes a long way in answering a lot of questions I've had over the years regarding members of Alfred's immediate family, particularly as regards their names, (especially Alfred and Helen Wynkoop's children, previously unnamed), and their ultimate disposition and approximate death dates. Joe's generosity regarding material on Alfred Wynkoop is awesome and I feel fortunate indeed to know him. Joe has been searching for material on Alfred Wynkoop for a number of years now and has provided me with a host of information on Alfred and his family that I wouldn't have had otherwise. If you have any information regarding Alfred or possess any family heirlooms related to him and his family, he would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact him at the email address above. Joe, my thanks are probably inadequate. I am, however, very, very grateful. All my best, Chris
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Created September 2, 2006; Revised September 2, 2006
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