African American Sailors

These eight African American Navy veterans from the 19th Century are buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Finding biographical information on these sailors has been difficult. If you’re a descendent of one of these men and have biographical information, please contact us.

Ships’ Cook First Class Samuel Howard, USN
War of 1812 – USS Superior, USS Pert
1768-1858

Plot: Naval 2, Row 3, Grave 7
GPS: 39.93649 N, 075.23979 W

 

 

 

According to historians, Samuel Howard was the Navy’s longest serving African American sailor prior to the Civil War. Born in Kent County, Maryland, Seaman Howard began his Navy service aboard Gun Boat #96 in New York Harbor. During the War of 1812, he served on the Great Lakes aboard the schooner USS Pert and later Commodore Isaac Chauncey’s flagship, the frigate USS Superior. He took part in the battles at Fort George (Niagara Falls) and Little York (Toronto, Canada) on Lake Ontario.

Samuel Howard later served aboard the frigates USS United States, USS Congress, USS Constitution, USS Saint Louis, USS Brandywine, USS Guerriere, USS Java, USS Columbus, and the USS Ohio. Howard was discharged from the Navy, at age 77, and entered the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia, May 16, 1845. A physician examining the old sailor noted, “Bears the mark of a bullet, one in his head, one in the right arm, and one on the left side.”

Ships’ Cook First Class Samuel Howard died at the Philadelphia Naval Asylum on August 27, 1858 at the age of 90.

 

Ordinary Seaman Joshua Handy, USN
Civil War – USS Augusta
1841-1862

Plot: Naval 1, Row 1, Grave 45
GPS: 39.93676 N, 075.23886 W

 

 

 

Seaman James Forten Dunbar, USN
Civil War – USS Lackawanna, USS Wabash
1799-1870

Plot: Naval 2, Row 13, Grave 18
GPS: 39.93651 N, 075.24013 W

 

 

 

Landsman David Connor, USN
Civil War – USS Princeton, USS Brooklyn
1805-1879

Plot: Naval 2, Row 17, Grave 1
GPS: 39.93663 N, 075.24025

 

 

 

Landsman Sylvester Francis, USN
Civil War – USS Constellation, USS Connecticut
1841-1865

Plot: Naval 1, Row 2, Grave 18
GPS: 39.93654 N, 075.23910 W

 

 

 

 

Landsman Carolina Ford, USN
Civil War
1838-1863

Plot: Naval 1, Row 1, Grave 7
GPS: 39.93646 N, 075.23906 W

 

 

 

Landsman Samuel Jackson, USN
Civil War – USS Powhatan
1838-1863

Plot: Naval 1, Row 1, Grave 9
GPS: 39.93641 N, 075.23900 W

 

 

 

Water Tender George Brady, USN
Spanish American War
1853-1903

Plot: Naval 1, Row 5, Grave 13
GPS: 39.93652 N, 075.23923 W