From the NY Times:
The police described a grim discovery Tuesday evening, at 90-16 Corona Avenue in Elmhurst: an “unconscious female” in a vacant lot, according to the short summary of the incident sent to reporters.
...it is easy to imagine, knowing only this scant description of events, eyebrows rising among the living at the medical examiner’s office upon the arrival of the body. It was enclosed in a steel coffin, the kind that was popular in the 1850s, said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the office.
The working theory is that the vacant lot where the coffin was found by laborers used to be a cemetery, and that the woman was placed in the coffin long, long ago, Ms. Borakove said. The case is under review.
16 comments:
That, I believe, was the location of the Second Presbyterian Church of Newtown (Colored) which waxed and wained over time.
If so, it should be interesting to see what happens contrasting it with the African Burial Ground in Manhattan.
But my guess is the LPC has done a study on all the cemeteries in the area and might have prepped a nice confidential report on areas that builders should use caution.
There is the Burroughs Family cemetery nearby on Alstein and Corona.
The southern portion was built upon about 15 years ago (the city kept on selling non-refundable deposits and the buyers had to walk away when they discovered it was a cemetery until the greed to build became too much) and the northern portion is makes a tempting buildable double lot.
Suggested to Mr Headstone Cogan that he do something to protect the remaining part, but, well, its not an easy 'victory' like the Moore-Jackson and we know the rest.
Please God, let it be an old negro burial ground. That is the only thing that will prevent them from ever building on this site.
Huh? The description of an "unconcious female" is ludicrous and profane. What idiot wrote this? The dead are "dead", not unconcious. This made the article sound as if a mugging or crime had been committed yesterday. Some "reporters" should not be encouraged to continue in their avocation.
That's cold of you Annonymous #2.
The "Headstone" Mr. Cogan is eternally resting beside his beloved wife in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.
RIP. Stan & Lee.
hat's cold of you Annonymous #2.
The "Headstone" Mr. Cogan is eternally resting beside his beloved wife in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.
RIP. Stan & Lee.
----
Not nearly as cold as his attitude told the Burroughs family.
We have to get it into our minds that people who are in office, even as lowly borough historian, have a responsibility and are to be fully accountable.
Save your comments for the Burroughs family - there are thousands of us still around - and will be long after self-styled 'Mr. Headstone' will be an obscure historical reference.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/burroughs/
Someone! quick! notify Mr Charles Barron.
http://council.nyc.gov/d42/
html/members/home.shtml
http://www.nps.gov/afbg/index.htm
http://www.yournabe.com/articles/
2011/06/30/queens/
qns_mandingo_recognized_
20110630.txt
Notify Mr Tsaka
Mr. Barron should call for a public review of the 'confidential' LPC review of communities where things like cemeteries and the like are open only to developers and politicians and not the community.
The deceased is came from a wealthy family. Steel coffins were rare in the 1800's.
Must be dozens more on that sight. Once thin pine boxes that have descintraged leaving some small hard to detect fragments and pieces of jewelry, belt buckles if any.
Have no doubt the city will let them build over it like St.Saviors in Maspeth.
The developer tore it all up with the tree stumps and dumped it in some landfill.
Old churches usually get rid of all markers and records when they cash out.
--money talks
There was a African Burial Ground in Manhasset on community drive across the street from North Shore LIJ they said it was all "dirt" at this point in time and plowed right over it. The tiny church next door still stands
Why Joe? If its a cemetery, there is a lot more there than in Manhattan's African Burial ground (which was half white as paupers, sailors and plague victims were interned with slaves.)
So why is Queens different? Why do we find excuses instead of reasons to stop this senseless development that has long since lost any purpose.
Steel coffins were a sign of wealth, but one of the largest coffin companies in the country at that time was right here in Queens.
Ever hear of Fisk Ave (69th St)
Named for Almond Fisk whose coffin company was in Winfield Queens:
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/c/
crane_breed/crane_breed.htm
http://hiddentruths.northwestern.
edu/undertakers/iron_coffins.html
The coffins were famous for excellent preservation as they were hermetically sealed. There was a good chance that body was in good shape all things considered.
So once again, where is Mr. Tsaka and Mr. Barron?
If this is indeed a burial ground, the city has made exhaustive study of every boulder and culvert in their manic desire to build and pave everything.
So why do they still despoil cemeteries? Even more importantly, have we become so jaded we just shrug our shoulders?
Anon No. 10:
If you keep asking where Mr. Barron and Mr. Tshaka (correct spelling) are, you're likely to find out. Why you need to ask twice is a little unclear to me.
I suspect that neither of them were aware of this cemetery. Now they may know, and this is where the fun will start.
So what do you want to do "Burrough's family descendant"...drive a stake through Stanley Cogan's heart?
What a pompous, angry little brat you are.
As we all recall, you didn't do much yourself to preserve history except spout flowery words ad-nauseum for decades.
Where are your cash contributions recorded for "the cause"?
Put up or shut up!
Oh, we damn well know your real identity, but (unlike you) we're honor bound to protect your anonymity!
And please learn to spell correctly.
Previous poster:
Much of the public forum is theater ...
and when you are dealing with things Queens often you have to say them sssllloowwwlllyyy, dis-tinct-ly and over and over and over again.
Ya havta know yer merket.
This ain't Brooklyn or Manhattan cause if it were, it would not be this f*cked up.
SHHH, i hear there is an ancient indian burial site at the proposed francis lewis park dog run
Well lets turn this nugget over to the Queens Preservation Council. (snort chuckle)
Uh...what now "theater"?
Do you hold a current SAG card or RU just a street corner soapbox "entertainer" boring us whit 18th century rhetoric?
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