Mount Olive Cemetery -
Wilmington, Delaware
Relocated Historic
African-American Cemeteries
Mount Olive Cemetery is an historic African-American
cemetery near Wilmington, DE on Lancaster Ave
The cemetery entrance is marked with a Historic Marker - from the
Delaware State website.
Burials from several early African-American cemeteries in
Wilmington were moved to Mount Olive in the early 1900s. The first
recorded burials in Mt Olive were in 1899. Many markers from the earlier St. Peters and 12th and French (Old Union) date
from the early 1860s and have been transferred to Mt. Olive.
The earliest recorded deaths
are on FamilySearch film 005190436
–
These appear in the family name page as ‘Not
Recorded’ for the location.
The address of the deceased is on the film and may help
identify early family groups.
Known
African-American cemeteries at the time included:
2nd and Tatnall
Peter Spencer Plaza
possibly small private burials in the city
If you have a
relative buried here who is not mentioned; please contact us.
Always check Find-a-Grave
–
a dedicated volunteer had been adding family information for
many of the residents
The recently-published book –
contains family photos and brief bios / notes on many Mt.
Olive residents
Peter Dalleo, University of
Delaware has an excellent article on the free African American community. https://www1.udel.edu/BlackHistory/antebellum.html
FAMILY NAMES
Around the Cemetery
Maps
History
Family Names - A
Family Names - B
Family Names - C
Family Names - D
Family Names - E
Family Names - F
Family Names - G
Family Names - H
Family Names - I
Family Names - J
Family Names - K
Family Names - L
Family Names - M
Family Names - N
Family Names - O
Family Names - P
Family Names - Q
Family Names - R
Family Names - S
Family Names - T
Family Names - U
Family Names - V
Family Names - W
Family Names - X
Family Names - Y
Family Names - Z
Delaware Death Records
Around the Cemetery
Art and Symbols
Veterans
Illegible Stones
The Move
The earliest burials
Although the location is not recorded, the residence of the deceased is clearly indicated. Addresses, names and ages can be analyzed to provide family information. The most likely locations are the “Aff Cem” shown outside the city line in 1868 (Beers) and Peter Spencer Plaza
These are indexed (1847 – 1888)
THE "BURIED" CEMETERIES
|
not
recorded - |
1840s
- 1871 |
African
Union |
1818
– ca. 1900 Chippey, Peter. D 1903 is interred there |
|
St.
Peters |
1861
- 1914 |
African
Union |
1861
- 1900 |
|
Ezion |
1871
- 1908 |
Old
Union |
1861
- 1900 |
|
Union
(new Union) |
1863
- 1903 |
Mt.
Olive |
active
|
|
19
Jun 1908 – five skeletons were found in a sand pit in
Newport. Residents remembered a ‘colored cemetery’ across
King’s Highway from the white cemetery. |
17 Apr 1901 – the colored people
have purchased 3 acres from Mr Frank White and laid out a cemetery – 15
lots have been sold. |
|
|
Death records, census and newspaper clippings will help identify not only the persons with existing tombstones, but additional people buried here as well.
Some residents have an ID number under their names. This is an entry in Find A Grave (online, free). Use the ID numbers to search that site. Example: 226770540 is the memorial for Josiah Edward Cephas
Existing markers photographed: 945. Burials identified - 13457 (St. Peters, 12th&French (Old Union), Union (Ezion & St. Peters - Front and Union, to 3rd and Pyles Lane) and Mount Olive.
RECORD NOTE: If you don't find your family member
listed yet - :I haven't gotten to the record yet
- The record might not be public (only records before 1971 are available)
- There might not be a public burial record. Records for Mt. Zion
(Lancaster Avenue at the Cannery) are not included in this collection. Records
for Ezion (2nd and Union) prior to the move to
Lancaster Ave are in this collection.
Changes or additions: rmbarry1066@earthlink.net