1: Dr. Enoch and Phebe Greene

Grave of Phebe Greene and her children

This is the first post in what I hope will be an extensive project, which I'm calling the Episcopalian Cemetery Project. I'll pick a gravestone (or two) from the cemetery, and see what information I can find out about the people based on some basic genealogical research.

I was drawn to this pair of gravestones first because of their sadness. There are a lot of young children buried in this cemetery, along with young mothers, fathers, sisters, etc., but the story behind these graves is that of the total annihilation of this small family within a few years. Five souls are buried beneath these two stones.

Grave of Enoch Greene, MD

Enoch Greene, M.D., as he is identified on his stone, was born in Weare, New Hampshire, on October 29, 1820, the son of Moses Greene and Betty Johnson. He was presumably named for his grandfather, Betty's father, Enoch Johnson. He attended the Clinton Grove Academy, the Nine Partners' Friends' School in Dutchess County, NY, and the Medical University of New York (now NYU School of Medicine).

In his early career, Enoch worked as a physician at Bellevue Hospital and Blackwell's Island Hospital in New York. In May 1845, he moved to New Castle, in Westchester County, where he began his own private practice, and "very soon gathered a large circle of patients and friends," according to The History of Weare, NH.

On June 25 of that year, he married Phebe Hoag Chase, a Quaker who was born in Weare to John Chase and Betty Dow in March 1810. An antiques dealer in Philadelphia had a sampler (now sold) that was created by Phebe's first cousin, Mary Gove, under Phebe's instruction (Phebe is credited on the sampler itself as "instructress").

Sampler made by Phebe's cousin Mary Gove

In 1848, Enoch became the medical director of Sing Sing Prison, and, shortly after, the superintendant of the hospitals on Ward's Island, where in the course of his duties he was responsible for saving two dozen child patients from a fire. He was also credited for improving the quality of care for patients with "ship's fever" (typhus), so that the death rates greatly dropped, and for designing and overseeing the construction of several new buildings on the island.

Then, in August 1849, Phebe died of cholera following only a few hours' illness. Buried with her in the cemetery are their son Freddy and "two infants." 

Enoch was forced to resign his position at Ward's Island in January 1850 due to illness, but by November was well enough to begin working again, as chief physician at Kings County Hospital. During this time Enoch was living in Manhattan as a boarder in a house with four other people, one of them a medical student, according to the 1850 Census, taken in August.

1850 US Federal Census

On March 13, 1851, Enoch married again, to Susan Brundage, the daughter of Gilbert Brundage and Mary Merritt, who was born October 13, 1822. Then, on April 24, Enoch died of typhus in Flatbush, Brooklyn. This was the announcement of his death in the New-York Daily Tribune on April 26.

NY Daily Tribune April 26, 1851

By the 1900 Census, Susan - now Susan Horton - had been widowed again. The census states she had no children (living or dead). Her widowed "sister" (who was probably misidentified, judging by the fact that she was 37 and Susan was 78) and "niece" (age 14) were living with her. Susan died on August 13, 1906, and is buried in the Episcopalian Cemetery.

1900 US Federal Census

[Sources]

Annual Reports of the Commissioners of Emigration of the State of New York. New York: Organization of the Commission, 1861.

General Alumni Catalogue of New York University, 1833-1907: Medical Alumni. New York: General Alumni Society, 1908.

Little, William. The History of Weare, New Hampshire 1735-1888. Lowell, MA: S. W. Huse & Co., 1888.

"New Hampshire Marriage Records 1637–1947." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2011. “New Hampshire Statewide Marriage Records 1637–1947,” database, FamilySearch, 2009. New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records. “Marriage Records.” New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord.

Sampler made by Mary B. Gove, under the instruction of Phebe H. Chase, Weare, New Hampshire, 1827. Samplings: Antique Samplers and Silk Embroideries from M. Finkel & Daughter.

United States Federal Census: 1850 and 1900.