Introduction to Burial Ground

This Burial Ground was established by the original Welsh settlers shortly after their arrival in 1682 for the infant daughter of Edward Ap Rees. Since then, about 2,100 graves have been dug. As Quakers believe that all are equal in the eyes of God, grave markers are plain, and Friends did not ring bells, use hearses, or bring coffins into the Meetinghouse. Early graves often lack headstones as they were discouraged by Quaker Meetings until the middle of the 19th century. Most of the dead were members of Merion Meeting, but many others were buried here as well. Twenty percent of the burials are of children, and at least 30 African Americans are listed in the burial records. Over the years, causes of death have included alcoholism, apoplexy, accidents, bilious fever, burns, childbirth, cholera, consumption, diabetes, drowning, dysentery, freezing, kidney stones, heart attack, hives, lockjaw, murder, palsy, pneumonia, polio, poison, smallpox, suicide, typhus, war wounds, white swelling, and yellow fever. Other causes include drowning, falling off horse, and being run over by wagon.

On the east wall of the Meeting House, ivy was taken from William Penn's grave site in England.