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These eight African American Navy veterans from the 19th century are buried in the Naval Plot, which is under the maintenance and jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration. Some of these were originally buried on the grounds of the Philadelphia Naval Asylum, a home and hospital for retired sailors where they spent their last days.
By 1864 the government realized that space was insufficient, so 10 acres were purchased from Mount Moriah to rebury the graves. More than 2,400 navy officers and sailors have been buried there since the first interment on March 26, 1865.
Unfortunately biographical information has been found for only one of these eight sailors.
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 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 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. He was discharged from the Navy, at age 77, and entered the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia, May 16, 1845. A physician examined the old sailor and noted, “Bears the mark of a bullet, one in his head, one in the right arm, and one on the left side.”
Samuel died at the 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

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