William Lungren
William Lungren was a paper-maker and hotel landlord who left an impressive family legacy.
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May 17, 2023
A Tale of Two Brothers: Augustus and Edward Sargent
Augustus Sargent and his brother Edward were closely linked in their lives and careers.
March 13, 2023
Gloria Dei - Olde Swedes Church March 12, 2007 © Ed Hille
Barbara A. Chilcott
The Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church community lost longtime member and friend Barbara Chilcott. Barb is remembered for her big heart, unwavering kindness, and positive attitude.
September 2, 2022
John Lungren
John Lungren operated a papermill located on Chester Creek, PA. The house he built in 1799 is on the National Register of Historic Places.
August 29, 2021
James Suplee
James B. Suplee was born on Apr. 26, 1790 to Solomon and Rebecca. According to his burial record, he died from "disease hives with racking pains in the bowels for…
May 10, 2021
Andris Souplis
Andris Souplis was a French Huguenot, a weaver, the first sheriff of Germantown, and the progenitor of the Supplees in America.
May 10, 2021
Raymond Grinnell and Deborah DiStefano
GRINNELLRAYMOND J. SR., Sept. 18, 2013. Beloved father of Christina Grinnell, Deborah Lynch (John) and Raymond J. Jr.; loving grandfather of 2 grandsons; also survived by 2 brothers and 3…
May 4, 2021
Richard Drozdowski
DROZDOWSKIRICHARD P.Oct. 25, 2019 age 79. Devoted husband of Lillian (nee Huet); devoted step-father of Carol Kapovic (Bobby) and loving and devoted Pop Pop of Jill Valvo (Joseph) Stephanie Kapovic…
May 4, 2021
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."
June 16, 2019
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.
June 10, 2019
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.
June 5, 2019
Depiction of a shipwreck not unlike the one that claimed the Ellen.
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.
May 20, 2019
The Rectorship of Reverend Snyder Binns Simes
The Rectorship of Mr. Simes holds a unique place in the record of the Gloria Dei Church’s ministry. During his long tenure, the congregation grew, developed and prospered. He was the spiritual guide of more than a generation of affectionate parishioners.
February 15, 2019
Sampson Harvey, Sea Captain And Patriot
Sampson Harvey was born in Cornwall, England, on March 14, 1731. He was master of a number of merchant vessels in the 1760s and often sailed to the West Indies.
January 28, 2019
Martha Stewart
Churchyard / Conservation Priority: High / Conservation Priority: Moderate / History Stories / Stewart
The Stewarts Of Carpenters’ Hall
Members of the Stewart family, buried in the churchyard of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’ Church), had a long relationship with another important Philadelphia landmark—Carpenters’ Hall.
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January 21, 2019
Caleb Cushing And Family
Caleb Cushing’s sea passages took him across the Atlantic as well as to the West Indies. His family traces its lineage in America back to Matthew Cushing, who had emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1638.
January 17, 2019
Rhoda McCoy
In 1865, Rhoda McCoy, almost 90 years old, was buried in the Gloria Dei Churchyard. Rhoda must have had a strong constitution — she died of “old age” rather than an ailment or disease.
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January 14, 2019
Lavinia And The Early Sheeds of Philadelphia
Lavinia Sheed never married and died at age 65 from rheumatism. She is buried near her father and several of her siblings in the Gloria Dei Churchyard.
January 1, 2019
Bernard Dahlgren's grave at West Laurel Hill Cemetery. He was originally buried at Gloria Dei.
Bernard Dahlgren
This stone commemorates Bernard Ulrick Dahlgren, although his body no longer rests here. His remains, with those of his wife Martha and their infant son Washington, now lie in West Laurel Hill Cemetery.
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December 19, 2018