Colonial Park Cemetery

October 2, 2024 Kristin Lopes

Old Cemetery, Old Brick Graveyard, South Broad Street Cemetery, and Christ Church Cemetery

Savannah, Georgia, United States

The Entrance into Colonial Park Cemetery with D.A.R on the top.

Considering we are already had an entry at The Grim in Savannah most readers might be wondering why another entry? If you have taken a guided tour in Savannah, you are already saying of course you must do an episode on Colonial Park Cemetery and know why. If you are a bit lost however and not familiar with this famous park in the city center be prepared for some fascinating history. Colonial Park was established in 1750 during British rule in Savannah's history when it was the capital of the British Province of Georgia. Making it steeped in historical events, hauntings, and Savannah's oldest intact municipal cemetery. By 1789 almost 40 years after establishment it had expanded over three times its size due to being Savannah's primary public cemetery but is no longer active ending interments in 1853. Throughout its 103 active years the cemetery had various name changes including Old Cemetery, Old Brick Graveyard, South Broad Street Cemetery, and Christ Church Cemetery. It is estimated to contain over nine thousand graves within.

The grounds prior to establishment were not farms but had a vastly different purpose for locals as the city's earliest dueling ground. Just in case for some readers who might not know, dueling was a formal, prearranged form of combat between two people armed with an agreed weapon of the parties choosing. This was used to resolve conflicts, offenses, and actions between people, ideas, or forces. A standard occurrence throughout history. Back in the day Colonial Park was located not in the city center but outside the city limits thus an ideal place for duels. Not much other history is known about the dueling grounds, but it is a great setup for hauntings if one could ask for a setup. The cemetery was originally started as the burial ground for the Christ Church Parish for its first years but in 1789 welcomed all denominations from the city. It holds many of Savannah's first settlers and original residents prior to Bonaventure and Laural Grove's established splendors. The cemetery holds a place of remembrance for one of Savannah's darkest moments the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1820. The outbreak is believed to have been started from an Irish immigrant ship arriving in 1819 to Savannah. Back during these day's many coastal cities experienced uncurable outbreaks from ships with sick passengers that would claim an unimageable number of souls rapidly. Savannah in 1820 saw Yellow Fever claim many of its residents. The city's population going from 7,500 to only 1,500 in the short matter of months. The epidemic not only causing death within the city but terror and economic disruption. Residents would flee the city life looking for refugee elsewhere but at times unknowingly would bring it with them. A mass grave containing what is believed to be 700 souls is marked within Colonial Park Cemetery. The exact number is said to really be 666 but the numbers association and meaning caused it to be changed to "around 700". During its fall season tourists can find places like Davenport House in Savannah hosting their annual Yellow Fever performance in October up till Halloween. Letting tourists learn more about the epidemic, how doctors attempted to cure patients and just how scary these outbreaks were back in their times. Lit by nothing but candlelight the museum's efforts to intertwine creepy yet an educational moment is perfectly done haunting its guests into retelling their experience and causing others to visit as well. Oddly, this cemetery does not have a confederate soldier within something that might confuse visitors. This was due to the ground closing its gates eight years prior in 1853 to the start of the American Civil War. War's no matter how small touch even the smallest of places in cities with Colonial Park Cemetery having scars itself. Visitor's strolling through the grounds will notice mismatching dates on headstones and some living for thousands of years. Why though? Unlike many other cities in the civil war, Savannah was not burned to the ground. Savannah was in the path of Union General's Sherman army who was notorious for burning cities to the ground in his "March to the Sea" campaign. Sherman's tactic involved little fighting but large-scale destruction of military and civilian infrastructure, a systematic policy intended to discourage Confederate states to keep fighting. Savannah surrendered to Sherman's army and somehow remained intact from this policy but instead had the Union Army camping outside the city directly inside Colonial Park Cemetery. This was a time the cemetery also was without its walls making it easily accessible to anyone. Bored and armed with very mischievous senses of humor soldiers used their bayonets to miss carve dates into headstones. Which is why visitors still to this day see odd dates inscribed and vandalized headstones. Colonial Park's history also is intertwined with Bonaventure's and Laurel Groves. Many of Colonial Park's elite after being interred in the grounds saw their remains disinterred to the other famous grounds after they were established. A fitting example of this is Gaston's Tomb also known as the Stranger's Tomb in Bonaventure. The tomb originally was built and placed within City Park seven years after prominent Savannah merchant William Gaston's death but moved in 1873 to Bonaventure. The tomb was originally empty as Gaston was buried in New York's Marble Cemetery in Manhattan. Getting its nicknamed the Stranger's Tomb as a temporary resting place for visitors to Savannah who died while in the city. Until Gaston was finally laid to rest within after the request of his nephew William Ker. Of Colonial Park's famous residents most might not be familiar with Button Gwinnett. Gwinnett was one of American's Founding Father's who signed the Declaration of Independence and yes you did hear me correctly his first name was Button. He originally was British born becoming a representative of Georgia to the Continental Congress. His road to becoming a founding father was quiet dismissal after several failures in business including a store. Gwinnett was educated and grew up in England, but his business endeavors took him across the sea to Jamaica and eventually he landed in Savannah from failures. Politically he however Gwinnett saw success first in local politics then progressing to state legislature. He first was not a huge advocate of colonial rights until his land was involved to be seceded from Georgia because of the colony's conservative response to the events of the time. Causing Gwinnett to become a staunch advocate and a founding father. During his service in the Continental Congress Gwinnett lost out to McIntosh for the position to lead the 1st Regiment in the Continental Army which embittered him for the rest of his life. This later affected his decisions attempting to undermined McIntosh's leadership while serving as Speaker of the Goergia Assembly and then also on Assembly's Executive Council. Gwinnett did write Georgia's original first state constitution as well in 1777, but this is often overlooked because of the actions against his bitter rival McIntosh. Gwinnett may have first lost to McIntosh but became the Delegate of the Congress from Georgia and commander-in-chief of Georgia's military. Thus, making him superior and he then had McIntosh's brother arrested and charged with treason. Gwinnett also ordered McIntosh to invade a British controlled area of East Florida, but it was a huge failure. Causing both men to blame each other for the defeat and McIntosh's public statement that Gwinnett was "a scoundrel and lying rascal." Which back then was damning to a gentleman and worthy of a duel. Gwinnett then challenged his rival officially to a duel to protect his honor. On May 16 in 1777 the men finally had it out. Exchanging pistols at a plantation owned by deposed Royal Governor James Wright. Yes, that Wright, the one who fled via Bonaventure in the Tales entry Bonaventure Cemetery. The men took them took their 12 paces and shot only wounding each other. Gwinnett however dying of his wounds 3 days later May 19th. McIntosh was never charged with Gwinnett's death and went on to live until 1806. Gwinnett's grave is thought to be within Colonial Park Cemetery. A large grand memorial is dedicated to Button Gwinnett within the grounds but no headstone. The memorial reading “are believed to lie entombed hereunder” but no one is certain. Years later collectors have made Gwinnett signature of the of most sought after of the founding fathers with only there are 51 known examples. His early death and obscure life prior to signing the declaration increased its value. In 1927 a letter he signed sold for 51,000 and then in 1979 a receipt for a record breaking 100,000 was sold. Much to Gwinnett's dismay his rival in life Lachlan McIntosh is also a permeant resident. An odd but interesting tale of a past resident of colonial Park is of Nathanael Greene. Greene was George Washing's most talented and dependable officers and general and is known for his successful command in the Southern theater of the conflict. Greene was originally born in Rhode Island coming from a prosperous Quaker merchant and farmer. Due to their faith his father discouraged learning from books, dancing, and many other activities. Somehow Nathanael convinced his father to hire a tutor and thus had a formal education. Green famously had a limp that he developed in childhood that led him to be not selected as an officer in the Rhode Island militia. He drifted away from his Quaker faith but was more involved with military organization in the state of Rhode Island. Eventually Rhode Island Army of Observation was established and Greene appointed as it is commander in 1775. After the establishment of the Continental Army shortly after Greene was then appointed as a brigadier general in the Continental Army coming from his prior appointment. He famously aided Washington and continuously helped him during the war winning essential battles, reorganizing departments, establishing supply depots, and attend Washington's councils-of-war which was very unusual for a person of his position. Until July 1777, when he publicly threatened to resign over the appointment of a French officer to the Continental Army being enraged. Yet never went through with it and stayed. Greene had many other strategic battles, military triumphs and ideas that lead him to be an essential soldier of Washington's ultimate win against the British.

Colonial Park Cemetery at Dusk

After the war he originally went back to Rhode Island but due to debts relocated to Savannah where he settled on one of the plantations awarded to him from the war Mulberry Grove. He passed away a few years later from sunstroke at 43 years old. Greene had not though planned for his passing just yet. So, his remains were interred at the Graham Vault in Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, beside John Maitland, his arch-rival in the conflict. It was until over a century later in 1902 his remains were moved to a monument in Savannah’s Johnson Square. Where he is still at today with his son. Another well-known Savannah resident within Colonial Park is William Scarbrough. Few might be familiar with Scarbrough outside of Savannah. He was one of the owners of the steamship SS Savannah, that in 1819 became the first steamship in the world to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Scarbrough originally was born in South Carolina, educated in Edinburgh Scotland, and then went on to live in Savannah Georgia. Becoming a bank director, election manager, member of the board of health was on the vice council of Denmark and Sweden and was council general of Russia. Scarbrough passed away in 1838, while in New York City with his son-in-law Godfrey Barnsley. He and his wife Julia are both buried within next to each other in the park. Colonial Park Cemetery is also home to the most sought-after miniaturist of his day Edward Greene Malbone. Malbone was an American painter born in Newport Rhode Island who heavily influenced artists including Charles Fraser, William Dunlap, and John Wesley Jarvis during his time. He began painting at seventeen going on to work in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston and as far as London. Malbone's health however continually failed him leading him to recover his health in Jamica. Yet with no luck he headed to Savannah to visit his cousin Robert Mackay and passed away. Malbone died from tuberculosis or commonly known as consumption in his time. Many entering the main gate in Colonial Park might take a pause to wonder why in the middle of the main brick gate has D.A.R. at the top. Standing for Daughters of American Revolutions the main gate was erected in 1913. This was to memorialize the Revolutionary War Veterans buried within the grounds. Such as Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary War soldier and Governor of GA; Lachan Mcintosh, Major General of the Continental Army; Joseph Clay, Major in Georgia Line, Revolutionary War; and others like Button Gwinnett. Visitors and Tourists to the city of Savannah will most commonly hear guides or locals joke it is built on the dead. Yet they are not really joking at all. Records of burial grounds are far and few, and memory does not seem to be great to what is below. Contruction sites are known for accidently finding bones and gravesites around Savannah. Colonial Park's ending is not where its brick walls are found and many times additions or forgotten plots are rediscovered. In its past Colonial Park saw it is fair share of proposals to be paved over, a railroad built on it or just threaten its existence in general. Luckily in 1896 the Park and Tree Commision began to care for the grounds and in 1967 the Trustees Garden Club undertook a significant restoration of the cemetery. Finally in 1990 Savannah began a preservation project to maintain Colonial Cemetery for future generations. Leading to historical research of its 250 plus years of history. Yet with all its history and sayings of being built on the dead we have not discussed one haunting yet. Colonial Park Cemetery first and foremost as a southern cemetery with its mossy oak trees has its enchanted charms, but also, it is hoodoo ties. This place absolutely appears haunted to the eye. The cemetery is a well-known location for practicians to obtain goofer dirt or cemetery dirt for their spells. This has led the cemetery to take proactive measures installing hidden cameras and adding gates to deter. Famously in 2008 caught accidently on camera was one of the most well-known spirits ever captured the jumping boy. The video catches a small child chasing after a visitor in the cemetery. What is unusual about the video is the child jumps straight up into a tree unnaturally outside normal jumping distance. Then mysteriously drops back down moments later. Since then, the video has been debunked but the claims still within occur. However, most tourist can be found strolling the grounds looking for an extremely 7-foot-tall man who goes by the name of Rene Rondolier. He is claimed to be the murderer of one or more young girls in the city of Savannah. Many ghost tours retell the tragic tale of Rondolier. Starting when he was child, he became known for snapping the necks of small animals in town. Yet Rondolier would regret his actions later in life, when a young girl was discovered in Savannah with her neck snapped. The city assumed in was Rondolier, chasing him down and hung him from a tree within Colonial Park's grounds. Some say you can see Rondolier strolling through the ground or hung from a tree near the south end of the cemetery. When within many claims to see shadowy figures, hear voices, and an unexplained, eerie green mist has been seen gently floating over the headstones. Many believe the cemetery's past as a dueling ground where countless men died to be the main ingredient of the hauntings. We may never know for sure, but for now visitors strolling through Colonial Park's gates can enjoy it is peace, beaty and past with scars carved into the headstones of its civil war past.