QUEENS COUNTY MUSEUM

Giving the past a future

The Stones Shall Speak

for School Groups
Program Length: 1 hour
Gr. 2-12
For all ages
Tuesdays in June and July, 2:30 p.m. (Tour can be made available at other times and days if previous arrangements are made with the museum.)
Weather and Staff Availability Permitting

Explore Liverpool’s Old Burial Ground with a costumed interpreter.  Using excerpts from Simeon Perkins’ diary, learn about burial practices of the times.  Why are some bodies buried in the middle of busy streets?  Did you know that children acted as pall bearers? Find out more, and get to know the stories of early Liverpool’s founding families.

Alexander Huston was nearly 9 when he died of a fever. Perkins writes the remains of Alex Huston was buried by Rev. M. Payzant and Perkins own son Simeon Leonard was one of the six pall holders all who were the same age as the deceased.  Perkins wrote about the funeral of another child this time a little 6 year old whose remains  were carried through the streets by six little girls dressed in white.

Patty Parker died as a result of the small pox epidemic that ravaged Liverpool in 1801. She did not die of the disease itself but of the inoculation she was given to prevent the disease. In the 2 weeks surrounding her death 13 children die of the effects of the inoculation.  Only Patty’s marker remains; the others have no stone to mark their resting places.