History Matters! So why and how was Eden Cemetery created? The below history of Eden Cemetery was researched and written by Benjamin Wilson for Eden Cemetery's 100th Anniversary.

Although Eden’s creation was a cumulative effort, it was the original idea of its founder and organizer, Jerome Bacon. Bacon was a teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth on Bainbridge near Ninth Street, which was later, renamed Cheney State College.

In 1990 most African American in Philadelphia live in the SP Ward, an area examined in W.E.B. DuBois’ study, The Philadelphia Negro. As the city’s industry and population increased, “neighborhood” cemeteries were condemned due to improvements in sanitary and sewage systems. Out of respect for those currently interred and to provide a future resting place for African Americans, Bacon discussed with his contemporaries a plan for a unified African American cemetery.

Eden Cemetery’s first president, J.C. Asbury; first manager, Daniel W. Parvis; first treasurer, Martin Lehman; and first vice president, Charles Jones agreed with Bacon on a fifty-three acre plot in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. The area was selected because of its proximity to Philadelphia, beautiful landscape, size and availability.

Unknown to Collingdale residents, magistrates agreed to grant a charter to the company, which J.C. Asbury executed. Bacon and board members agreed with Jacob White, the president of Lebanon Cemetery, located at Passyunk near Ninth Street, to re-inter all remains in Eden in 1903.

However, the sudden death of Celestine Cromwell, wife of advisory member, Willis M. Cromwell, in August of 1902, hastened the need for a place of interment for African Americans. Bacon, J.C. Asbury and undertaker, J.T. Seth convinced all of the board members that Celestine Cromwell should be the first interred in Eden Cemetery.

On August 11, 1902 before the first interment was to take place, some of the white Collingdale residents blocked the entrance to the cemetery, protesting the interments of African Americans in their community. Mrs. Cromwell’s body was returned to Philadelphia. The following evening on August 12, 1902 after dark, Mrs. Cromwell was buried.

In January 1903 all remains from Lebanon Cemetery were interred in Eden. In the spring, the remains from Stephen Smith Home Cemetery were interred. In 1923, the remains from Olive Cemetery, which was adjacent to the Stephen Smith Home, were also buried in Eden. Celestine, Lebanon, Home and Olive are the original four sections of Eden Cemetery.

Eden Cemetery would later expand to twenty-three sections. In 1924, the mortgage was satisfied and today annual distribution of stock shares is paid to over two hundred stockholders. Eden is now the resting place of hundreds of prominent national and local “Old Philadelphian” African Americans. (Wilson, Benjamin. The History of Eden Cemetery, Philadelphia: Historic Eden Cemetery Company, nd.)