Restoration of Congressional Cemetery Recalls Memories of Early Statesman
Cenotaphs, Memorials to Famous Men of Nearly Century Ago, Are Receiving First Cleaning and Painting in More Than 50 Years.
Memories of many great and near-great statesmen of nearly a century ago are being revived out at the Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E street southeast, where about a hundred cenotaphs of former members of Congress are being cleaned and painted for the first time in more than 50 years.
A cenotaph marks no grave but is merely a memorial. It is defined by Webster as "an empty tomb."
Rumors of governmental graft back in the 40's and 50's are whispered as the vestry of Christ Church, which operates Washington's oldest cemetery, conducts the renovation of these grim old reminders of long-dead legislators.
According to Congressional appropriations for the erection of the tombs, they were to be made of the best granite. Superintendent Lewis B. Taylor has found during the work of painting the memorials that the cheap sandstone of which they were constructed, is rapidly crumbling away.
Painting of the cenotaph of Henry Clay, great Kentucky senator and Secretary of State, brought to light the puzzling fact that space beside the word "born" in the epitaph is blank. Clay was born April 12, 1777.
Taylor's only explanation for this omission is that records of that sort were so rare at the time of the cenotaph's erection, in 1852, that if the builders didn't have the date handy they didn't bother to look it up.
One old story about this historic cemetery, built in 1807, is that the iron grill fence which surrounds the grounds was the original fence around the Capitol Building. This must be classed as legend as there is no record confirming the story.
Many long-forgotten American statesmen are buried in isolated graves in the old cemetery.
Vice President Elbridge Gerry, who died in 1814 on the way to his duties at the Capitol, lies buried there. His famous statement: It is the duty of every citizen, though he may have but one day to live, to devote that day to the good of his country," appears in the epitaph on his tomb.
Commodore Thomas Tingey, first commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, is buried there. His tomb was erected in 1829. John Philip Sousa, the great bandmaster, was buried there about a year ago.
The cemetery is remarkably full of historical reminders to be so little known ass a place of interest.
The present work of beautifying the cemetery is being carried rapidly forward by the Christ Church vestry with appropriations entirely from church funds.
Published by: Washington Post
Publishing date: June 25, 1933