Search Churchyard Records
Ask Us Anything
Thurs. Feb. 25th at 7pm
Ask Us Anything about the New Sweden Colony, Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church and Early Philadelphia. During this informal Q&A, we’ll answer your questions about this national historic site, its early congregants, and the surrounding neighborhood.
The Perils of the Sea [Live Stream]
Thurs. Mar. 25th at 7 pm
Michael Schreiber will share his research into the lives and deaths of Philadelphia sea captains in the age of sail who were overcome by great hurricanes, succumbed to attacks by pirates, or who mysteriously disappeared in faraway waters.
Philadelphia’s Early Maritime History – Great Talks at Gloria Dei
Churchyard Map
The Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) churchyard has been in continuous use for over 340 years. Unfortunately, due to the ravages of time, some very old gravestones have been lost. This interactive map shows the locations where gravestones remain.
Churchyard Restoration
We seek to restore the churchyard to an earlier point in history, increasing the historical accuracy of the environment, repair and preserve gravestones that have decayed due to extreme age, the ravages of an urban environment, and some very old damage caused by vandalism.
Historical Research
Our historians are writing biographical sketches on our “permanent residents.” Here you will learn about the people buried in our churchyard.
A Tale of Two Brothers: Augustus and Edward Sargent
Augustus Sargent and his brother Edward were closely linked in their lives and careers.
Jake and Betsy Roak
Jake and Betsy Roak were married 56 years. They died within 2 days of each other. They lived their lives fully and inspired in the service of others. Together they advanced a family legacy.
Capt. Charles Sandgran
The inscription on Capt. Charles Sandgran’s headstone is now obliterated. But, a century ago, it was possible to read this terrible pronouncement: “the earth and the sea shall give up their dead.”
Capt. Robert Rae
A large obelisk commemorating the life Capt. Robert Rae stands in the Gloria Dei churchyard. Rae was “lost at sea” somewhere along the River Nuñez in 1839.
Lost at Sea: Capt. Henry Sharp
Capt. Henry Sharp was “lost at sea” while on a voyage to Africa in 1836. What caused his demise? We may never know but many seamen of the time died from exposure to tropical diseases like malaria.
Lost at Sea: James and Josephine Stewart
The words “lost at sea” are the most melancholy, and often the most mysterious, inscriptions on gravestones at Gloria Dei. In those cases, the stones are merely markers for a person who never came home and never saw their loved ones again.
William “The Legend” Isaacs
Bill Isaacs, a South Philadelphia taproom owner and lifelong Mummer, founded the Downtowners Fancy Brigade. Within a decade, he changed Mummers history.
Jack and Margaret Dunn
Jack and Margaret Dunn were a wonderful couple from Southwark who had long family histories in the community. The Dunn’s lived on the unit block of Fitzwater where they raised their twin sons before their home was demolished for I-95.