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ILLUSTRATION OF THE GENERAL SLOCUM STEAMSHIP DISASTER, LE PETIT PARISIEN, July 3, 1904

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When the steamship General Slocum caught fire in the East River of New York City on June 15, 1904, it claimed more lives than any other disaster in New York City history. An estimated 1,021 of the 1,342 people on board died, largely resulting from inaccessible and ineffective safety equipment. In the aftermath of the General Slocum Steamship Disaster, federal and state regulations were enacted to improve the emergency equipment on passenger ships. Forty-six identified victims of the disaster are buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.

PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPH OF PAUL JABARA, c. 1970’s

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Brooklyn native Paul Jabara (1948-1992) was the songwriter behind some of the most iconic songs of the disco era. Jabara wrote the hit “Last Dance” performed by Donna Summer for the 1978 film “Thank God It’s Friday,” earning him both a Grammy for Best R&B song and an Oscar for Best Original Song. He also co-wrote The Weather Girls hit “It’s Raining Men.”

Civil War Biographies: Introduction

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Since 2002, hundreds of volunteers have worked in Green-Wood’s Civil War Project and have identified over 5,000 people interred at Green-Wood who played a role in the Civil War. Volunteers identified these individuals, located their graves, wrote their biographies, did follow-up research on them, and rewrote those biographies. We now share these biographies with you. … Read more

THE LAST POEMS OF ALICE AND PHOEBE CARY, COMPILED AND EDITED BY MARY CLEMMER AMES, 1873

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Sisters Alice Cary (1820-1871) and Phoebe Cary (1824-1871) were prolific poets of the mid-nineteenth century. Born in rural Ohio, ambition brought them to New York City, where they became influential figures in the literary community. Each published volumes of their own work and contributed regularly to national periodicals. The sisters hosted a popular salon in their New York City home in which intellectuals, artists and social reformers of the day would gather. Pictured here is a posthumously published volume of their poetry, The Last Poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary, released in 1873.

Civil War Biographies: Baker-Benson

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Baker’s application for an invalid pension was approved in 1892, certificate 360,471. The 1900 census listed him as employed as a driver. His last residence was 546 Hart Street in Brooklyn. After his death from Bright’s disease in 1901, Cornelia Baker applied for and received a widow’s pension, certificate 540, 978. Section 135, lot 14964, … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Berdan-Boesen

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BERGEN, ADRIAN VANDEMEER (1841-1893). Major by brevet; first lieutenant, 139th New York Infantry, Companies G and D; private, 3rd Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B. Born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and employed as a clerk, he first served for three months in the 3rd Regiment in 1861. He re-enlisted as a second lieutenant at Brooklyn … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Boettner-Broas

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1890 Brooklyn Directory. He may have been the George Boetner, a Brooklyn resident, listed on the 1890 Veterans Schedule who was shot through the body and spent four months in Andersonville Prison in Georgia. In 1890, the census listed him as a cycle machinist. The Brooklyn Directories for 1892-1894 and 1894-1896 list him as a painter; … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Brock-Caine

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BROCK, THOMAS (1824-1885). Corporal, 173rd New York Infantry, Company A. Born in England, Brock enlisted at Brooklyn as a corporal on September 4, 1862, mustered into the 173rd New York on October 30, and mustered out on October 18, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia. Brock applied for and received an invalid pension in 1876, certificate 176,461, … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Calhoun-Chin

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Returning to civilian life, Calhoun’s career was quite extensive. He worked as a railway survey artist, photographer, writer and special artist for Harper’s Weekly and the Philadelphia Press. A member of the Union Pacific survey party led by General Wright and Dr. William Bell through Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado in the 1860s, he befriended … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Chinnock-Collins

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A manufacturer of telegraph instruments and a pioneer in the electric light and telephone industry, Chinnock began his career as a telegrapher and then became an associate of Thomas Edison. In 1869, he received a patent for an oil can that contained an internal tube. On December 26, 1878, he applied for a patent to … Read more

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