GENERAL INFORMATION
The private and community cemeteries that contain NCA soldiers' and government lots, and Confederate cemeteries, do not always have staffed offices on site. When administrative information for the larger cemetery is available, it is provided below.
This soldiers' lot is overseen by the Beverly National Cemetery.
Please contact the national cemetery for more information.
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HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Mount Moriah Cemetery was established by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1855, one of several rural cemeteries developed in Philadelphia between 1845 and 1860. Located on the southwestern edge of the city, the private cemetery originally consisted of 54 acres. Over time it has grown to 380 acres spanning both sides of Cobbs Creek. Due to the massive size of the cemetery, many churches and other organizations have established smaller lots within its bounds. A majestic gatehouse provides entrance into to the cemetery. Designed by local architect Stephen D. Button in 1855, the Romanesque gatehouse is fabricated from brownstone.
Notable headstones in the cemetery include a granite marker constructed in the shape of the Civil War iron-clad ship, the USS Monitor. The headstone memorializes William Rowland, a sailor on the USS Minnesota, which was protected by the Monitor from the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack) at the Battle of Hampton Roads.
For a time Mount Moriah Cemetery held the remains of Betsy Ross, reputed maker of the American flag. However, leading up to the local celebration of the 1976 Bicentennial, her remains were moved to Arch Street near the Betsy Ross house.
In the early 1870's, an African-American named Henry Jones purchased a lot in the cemetery. After his death, cemetery authorities turned away his funeral procession at the gate, on the basis of his race. A lawsuit was filed against the Mount Moriah Cemetery association on his behalf, and in 1876 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jones' right to burial in the cemetery.
Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is located in section 200, lot 1, of Mount Moriah Cemetery, and is sometimes referred to as the Civil War Hospital Plot. The 404 soldiers buried in this lot died in Philadelphia hospitals from injuries or disease during the Civil War. Initially, the soldiers' lot included the remains of many Confederate soldiers, but in 1885 all but two were exhumed and re-interred at Philadelphia National Cemetery. In 1906 the Office of the Quartermaster General halted re-interments between the two cemeteries.
The National Cemetery Administration has jurisdiction over this section of the cemetery and the Naval Plot.
back to topNOTABLE PERSONS
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FLORAL/GROUNDS POLICY
Our cemetery floral and grounds policies exist only to reflect the honor and respect we hold for our Nation's Veterans, by preserving the dignity and solemnity of their final resting place.
We welcome and encourage fresh-cut flowers throughout the year. Temporary floral containers are located throughout the cemetery for public use. Floral arrangements will be removed when they become withered, faded, or unsightly. During the mowing season, floral arrangements shall be removed weekly to facilitate mowing operations. Floral arrangements shall not stand taller than the headstone.
Artificial flowers will be permitted from November 1 – April 1.
Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects, and similar items are not permitted at the graves. This includes, but is not limited to hazardous materials, glass, metal, toys, candles, balloons, wind chimes, and pinwheels. Flags are not permitted at the graves.
No permanent floral vases are permitted.
Potted plants will be permitted on graves one week before and one week after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.
Holiday wreaths and grave blankets are permitted on graves from December 1 through January 10 and will be removed after January 20 of each year. Grave blankets shall be no larger than 2 x 3 feet.
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments which might be considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery, or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel. For example, items incorporating beads or wires which may become entangled in mowers or other equipment and cause injury. Unauthorized items will be removed immediately. Floral arrangements and other decorations may not be secured to the headstone.
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