One surviving aspect of African custom and culture in early America is the custom of funeral and burying rituals. In Newport, both the enslaved and free African community, largely coming from what is today Ghana, would provide elaborate funerals for their dearly departed. The funeral was as much a celebration of life as it is a bid farewell to the dead. Most importantly it signified the departure of souls in their next journey to join their ancestors.
On May 18th, 1770, 70 year old Quash Dunbar died. In his diary on May 20th of that same year, Rev. Ezra Stiles wrote:
“A Negro Burying, the Church bell tolled (all our Bells sometimes toll for Negroes), a procession of Two Hundred Men and One Hundred & Thirty Women Negroes.”
The funeral often included dancing, singing and public recognition of the relevance of the life of the departed. In an African funeral in Newport, the leaders of the community would lead a procession with the body on a wagon from the center of the town to the burying grounds. The procession would be organized by a ceremonial undertaker, a well-respected position within the African community.
Click here to learn about Mintus the “Last Colored Undertaker” of Newport and how he presided over 18th century burials in God’s Little Acre.
Burial Markers in God’s Little Acre
Channing, Emmanuel
In Memory of
Emmanuel Channing
Departed this life
died 13 June 1792
in the 63rd year
Child, Ann
Ann
daughter of
Venter
&
Sabina Child
died October 22 1750
age 2 years 8 months 20 days
Clark, Subiner
In Memory of
Subiner
daughter
of Nero Clark
& Phillis his wife
who died July
1759 in the 19th
Year of her Age
Coggeshall, Catherine
Footstone.
Marker lost.
Survey identied as:
Catherine Coggeshall
wife of Thomas Coggeshall
died July 4th
17?2 in her 25th year.
Coggeshall, Judith
In Memory of
Judith
ye
wife of Roger Coggeshall
died August ye 1753 in 45th year
Coggleshall, Jane
In Memory of
Jane
Coggleshall
wife of Pompe Townsend
died March 12th 1760
in 24th year of age
Collins, Edward
Here Lieth
Edward
Negro Servant To Henry Collins
Died February 26, 1773
"He Was Faithful & Well Beloved"
*For the most part, slaves and masters shared the same home in Colonial Newport. In 1774, prominent merchant Henry
Collins owned 13 slaves.*
Collins, Mehitable
In memory
of
Mehitable
died January 25, 1860 age 77 years
*Stone broken and buried, inscription unknown*
**Mehitable is
the wife of Hannibal Collins, a Veteran of the War of 1812 and participant in the Battle of Lake Erie.**
Cook, Ceasar
Ceasar Cook
died June ye 6,
1764
aged about 40 years
Cranston, Amy and Cudjo
In Memory of
Cudjo & Amy
son & daughter of Peter Cranston
& Phillis his wife
Cudjo died March ye 3 1772
aged 10
months
--
Amy died Nov ye 5th 1769
aged 12 months
Cranston, Caesar
Caesar, son of
Cato
Servant to Thomas Cranston
who died March 19, 1753 in the 6th year of his age
Cranston, Cato
Cato CRANSTON
1766
Cranston, George
In Memory of
George
servant of Mr. William Cranston
who died November the 13, 1772
aged about 63 years
Cranston, Jack
In Memory of
Jack
Cranston
Died 3rd of April 1772
Age About 45 Years
Cranston, Margaret
In Memory
of
Margaret Cranston
Servant to Governor Cranston of Newport
died 15 May 1779 age 82 years
