The other night I was randomly walking by St. Mark’s church on 2nd Avenue and Stuyvesant Street after our normal Tuesday meeting at McSorley’s Old Ale House. I noticed that the park was still open and I was aware that Peter Stuyvesant was buried there. Peter Stuyvesant was a Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam and a very controversial figure. So I went in to check it out.
Upon walking about the very poorly kept grave yard and the tomb of Stuyvesant, I ran across the grave of Daniel Tompkins. It said that he was the 6th Vice President of the United States. All of this piqued my curiosity. There is a Tompkins Square Park just a few short blocks away. What was it about this man that was so celebrated at one time and why was he forgotten by us now? So I went home and did a simple online search into his history.
It turns out that not only was he the 6th Vice President of the United States, he was a Freemason as well. Not only that, the first Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for the newly established Northern Masonic Jurisdiction for the Scottish Rite in the United States.
I was totally shocked by the total lack of respect for the dead in this place. It is kept literally one step above a dog park. It was very sad and they really need to invest in this place.
Upon telling my Brother Juan about this he decided that he would like to see this graveyard, so after work yesterday he met me at my job and wee went on a great walk to St. Mark’s church.
The neighborhood of Soho in Manhattan used to be part of a property called Richmond Hill and was once the home of John Adams and Aaron Burr. At one point it was even Washington’s headquarters.
The corner of 6th Ave and Spring St.
The plaque that tells the story of Richmond Hill.
From there, we walked up through Greenwich Village to the building where Thomas Paine died. 59 Grove Street. After he passed away, a broken and destitute man, only 6 people attended his funeral. This is what writer Robert G. Ingersoll wrote.
“Thomas Paine had passed the legendary limit of life. One by one most of his old friends and acquaintances had deserted him. Maligned on every side, execrated, shunned and abhorred – his virtues denounced as vices – his services forgotten – his character blackened, he preserved the poise and balance of his soul. He was a victim of the people, but his convictions remained unshaken. He was still a soldier in the army of freedom, and still tried to enlighten and civilize those who were impatiently waiting for his death, Even those who loved their enemies hated him, their friend – the friend of the whole world – with all their hearts. On the 8th of June, 1809, death came – Death, almost his only friend. At his funeral no pomp, no pageantry, no civic procession, no military display. In a carriage, a woman and her son who had lived on the bounty of the dead – on horseback, a Quaker, the humanity of whose heart dominated the creed of his head – and, following on foot, two negroes filled with gratitude – constituted the funeral cortege of Thomas Paine.”
A few years after his death, Paine’s remains were dug up from his resting place in New Rochelle New York and brought to England for burial by a man named William Cobbett. Paine went unburied and his remains were with Cobbett’s estate upon his death. Nobody is sure as to where they are now, beyond any rumors.
Unfortunately Paine has not been recognized in his rightful place in American history until the 20th Century. I have yet to read his essay - An Essay on the Origin of Free-Masonry (1803-1805). So if anybody has, please feel free to discuss it.
After leaving the death place of Thomas Paine, Juan and I walked up one block to the corner of 6th Avenue and Christopher Street. On the corner, there is a little tiled triangle that says – PROPERTY OF THE HESS ESTATE, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN DEDICATED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES.
According to NEW YORK DAILY photo, this is the story behind the triangle.
“A mysterious triangular mosaic is set in the sidewalk in front of Village Cigars. It reads: “Property of the Hess Estate Which Has Never Been Dedicated for Public Purpose.” This tiny piece of land is the result of a dispute between a former owner, the David Hess estate, of Philadelphia and NYC. Hess owned the Voorhis apartment building at that corner which had been condemned to build a subway line. The estate refused to surrender a remaining triangle, 500 square inches, the smallest piece of private property in the city. In 1938 they sold the plot to Village Cigars for $1,000. Cracked and worn, it remains a testimony to one small triumph over the city of New York… of private property in the city. In 1938 they sold the plot to Village Cigars for $1,000. Cracked and worn, it remains a testimony to one small triumph over the city of New York…”
The next destination on our trip was the carriage house formerly owned by Aaron Burr on Barrow Street. After the duel where he killed Alexander Hamilton, everybody was out to get Burr, so he hid in this location until her could make his get away.
On our venture east and our next destination, the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist disaster, Juan and I passed a few points of interest.
This tree is called the hanging tree. It is located at the north west corner of Washington Square Park. Quite some time back when there were still public hangings as a means of execution, prisoners were walked down from a jail on 6th Avenue ant 10th street to be dealt with. A lot of their bodies were buried in the surrounding park. In fact the city is doing a renovation of Washington Square Park and finding all kinds of human remains. In fact, they find a lot of remains whenever they dig in lower Manhattan.
The Washington Square Arch. This is at the very end of 5th Avenue.
Washington Mew’s.
Our next destination is the sight of the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist fire, on Washington Place, one block away from the park.
On March 25th 1911, a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist garment factory. 149 garment workers either died there either from the fire or jumping to their deaths. This disaster led to quite a lot of legislation to protect workers from abuse and assure work place safety.
Upon our departure from the disaster site, Juan and I walk East to Broadway and make a left up Lafayette street, getting ever closer to our destination of the St. Mark’s churchyard.
Along the way there are more notable locations that need to be pointed out. Now this is my home turf. I have spent many years in this area and I know it like the back of my hand. This area of course being the East Village.
First up is Collinade Row.
Second, is the Alma Matter of both Juan and myself, Cooper Union, at the head of the Bowery. Alas, we both studied painting. I’m still waiting on becoming a famous artist who makes millions of dollars.
Finally on the last leg of our journey, Juan and I walk up Stuyvesant Street towards St. Mark’s church on the Bowery. Stuyvesant Street is the only true east/west street in Manhattan. Here is a link that will take you to a little information about it.
Finally, after an hour and a half we arrive at the church.
The grave of the controversial Peter Stuyvesant.
An we finally get to the grave of our long lost Brother Daniel Tompkins.
To end our trek across the island of Manhattan, Brother Juan and I stopped off at my favorite pastry shop in New York City. DeRobertis. As per the norm we discussed our nerdy journey over a cremolata Italian ice and a double espresso with Sambucca.
We wonder as to how we as brothers can forget the past so eaisly. Not that we aren’t looking to the future, but there still needs to be some kind of recognition and care for those that have gone before us to move us along to the future.
So, in honor of Brother Tomkins, Brother Juan, myself and the other brothers on our regular Tuesday night meeting over brew, cheese plates and saw dust covered floors, will drink one to Brother Daniel Tompkins.
Huzzah!
