Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an important early-American cemetery. It is the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah. Four other signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes and George Ross. Two more signers are buried at Christ Church just a few blocks away.

The cemetery belongs to Christ Church, the Anglican church founded in 1695 and place of worship for many of the famous Revolutionary War participants, including George Washington. The burial ground is located at 5th and Arch Streets, across from the Visitors Center and National Constitution Center. The Burial Ground was started in 1719, and it is still an active graveyard. 100,000 tourists visit each year, many leaving pennies on Franklin's grave.

Burials

Other famous people buried at Christ Church Burial Ground are:

• Benjamin Franklin Bache (1769–1798), grandson of Benjamin Franklin, printer and publisher of the Aurora newspaper
• Sarah Franklin Bache (1737–1811), daughter of Benjamin Franklin
• Commodore William Bainbridge (1774–1833), Naval hero of War of 1812, captain of "Old Ironsides"
• James Biddle, Commodore in the United States Navy
• Dr. Thomas Bond (1713–1784), co-founder of Pennsylvania Hospital
• Major General George Cadwalader (1806–1879), Civil War general
• John Cadwalader, congressman and judge
• John Dunlap (1747–1812), printer of the Declaration of Independence
• Tench Francis, Jr.
• David Franks (1740–1793), aide-de-camp for General Benedict Arnold during the American War of Independence
• Michael Hillegas (1729–1804), first Treasurer of the United States
• Thomas Hopkinson (1709–1751), father of Francis Hopkinson, president of the Philosophical Society, one of the founders of the Library Company
• Major William Jackson (1759–1828), Revolutionary War officer, secretary of the Constitutional Convention
• Thomas Lawrence, five-time mayor of Philadelphia
• Charles Mason (1728–1786), astronomer, surveyor, laid out the Mason-Dixon Line in 1763
• William M. Meredith (1799–1873), Secretary of the Treasury
• Dr. Philip Syng Physick (1768–1837), known as the "Father of Modern Surgery"
• Elizabeth and Samuel Powel
• Philip Syng (1703–1789), silversmith and inventor with Benjamin Franklin
• Commodore Thomas Truxtun, commander of the Constellation

External links

• Web site for Christ Church Burial Ground
• Official Map of Christ Church Burial Ground
• Christ Church Burial Ground at Find-A-Grave

References