Archive for the ‘Calvary Cemetery’ Category
ornate and exotic
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Maddeningly, lucky captures like the ones featured in today’s posting have been pretty rare for me of late, but here’s three from the proverbial “right place, right time.” Whilst crossing the devastations of Laurel Hill last week, enroute to a meeting in Brooklyn, those dense atmospheric conditions which had all but occluded the visual presence of Manhattan, just an hour earlier, suddenly cleared up. The burning thermonuclear eye of god itself omnipotently bathed the accursed earth in its radiation, driving away the rain laden clouds.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Luckily, I was skulking and scuttling the periphery, along an obscure pavement, of the polyandrion of the Roman Catholic Church- called Calvary. Bearing witness to this sudden explosion of majesty and inadvertent stage lighting, for one such as myself, was fraught with danger. Having grown increasingly nocturnal over the winter months, your humble narrator let slip an audibly fearful hiss when that light- which had traveled 93 million miles in seconds and was aimed directly at me- struck my shadow tempered skin. At once, I was moving eastward- and toward safe harbor in the perennial shadows of DUKBO (Down Under the Kosciuszko Bridge Onramp) scuttled I.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Luckily, as it was late in the day, this luminous event was short lived and the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself now floated low to the horizon in the northwestern sky. Enormous volatility in the air and surrounding cloud systems lent an effusive quality to its emanations, which oddly framed the so called Freedom Tower- a megalith nearing completion on the site of national tragedy and aspiration. To one such as myself, however, such things are better left for others to contemplate, enjoy, and discuss. There is no place for me in the company of others. My place is here, along the Newtown Creek, and amongst the tomb legions.
vainly requested
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My bet is that this is mid 1960’s, quite possibly a 1965, Buick LeSabre Custom Convertible which I spotted on Northern Blvd. a few months ago, here in Queens. For more on the storied history of the redoubtable LeSabre automobile line- check wikipedia.
The car was painted black, which magnified how bad ass it looked.
Gangster, in fact.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One of the businesses which one can expect to find along a busy thoroughfare called Northern Blvd., here in Queens, are used car dealers. Aside from high volume sellers like Major Auto World, there exist a loquacious group of classic car dealers and mechanics. There is also a large operation near Astoria Blvd. that offers older and more esoteric vehicles, whose inventory is a wonder for both area wag and young enthusiast alike.
By “classic,” we are generally referring to pre 1972 era vehicles. Essentially, cars were built heavy and fast back then, and burned through gasoline in a manner that did not anticipate the rise of OPEC.
from wikipedia
Americans are divided on the exact era in which a “classic car” can be identified.
Many Americans divide automobiles by separate eras:
horseless carriages (19th century experimental automobiles such as the Daimler Motor Carriage), antique cars (brass era cars such as the Ford Model T), and classic cars (typically 1930s cars such as the Cord 812 through the end of the muscle car period in the 1970s – a majority use the 1972 model year as the cutoff).
The late seventies are disputed as being “classics”, as the oil crisis of 1973 brought several now-infamous cars such as the Ford Pinto and AMC Gremlin.
The 1980s are often viewed as the early modern period due to the rise of Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Nissan.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One should like to mention that there seems to be an inconsistency in the grill of this LeSabre with at least one other photo I’ve viewed, the sort revealed by google images, but am unsure as to its meaning- which one is “cherry” with the OEM grill?
Lords and ladies, if any of you are “car people,” please elucidate and educate using the “comments.”
I can tell you, however, that this was not the factory paint. Yeesh.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
When I was a young but already humble narrator, and became cognizant of those glories which were automobiles, these veritable land yachts had already begun to disappear due to the rising cost of gasoline and the concordant efforts of the Federal Government to encourage and command fuel efficiency standards for manufacturers. Modern cars are a wonder to behold and are far easier to drive safely while consuming a fraction of what this thirsty LeSabre would.
Still… just look at that…
Gangster.
doubly glad
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After the “anxious band” posting a couple of weeks ago, an email was received from none other than the Historian of Old St. Pat’s Cathedral- Jim Garrity. Mr. Garrity’s message was gladly accepted, as he offered the key to unlock the mystery of who the enigmatic monument described was dedicated to.
First- it was Jeanne Du Lux and John P. Ferrie inscribed upon the stone, names which were familiar to one such as Mr. Garrity, whose expertise on the subject of the 19th century Irish experience in New York City will be questioned only by madmen and fools.
With the help of Mr. Garrity’s sound advice and excellent tomb stone deciphering skills, the story is now clear.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
“With these provisions of the code in force Jeanne Du Lux a woman of French extraction died November 15th, 1854 at an advanced age in the city of New York intestate leaving a large personal estate to be administered and distributed according to the laws of the place of her domicile.”
That’s from 1871’s “Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Supreme Court of the United States, Volume 80” (courtesy google books).
So’s this-
“Within a month of her decease John Pierre Ferrie applied to the surrogate of the county of New York for letters of administration on her estate claiming them on the ground that he was her only child and therefore her sole heir at law and next of kin.
This application was opposed… During the pendency of these proceedings, Benoit Julien Caujolle Bert Barthelemy Canjolle, and Mauretta Elie, with their respective wives, appeared before the surrogate and asked to be heard alleging that they were the next of kin and for that reason entitled to intervene in the matter of the administration and to share upon the distribution of the estate and asking to receive their distributive share of the same.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It seems that Mr. Ferrie had to assert and prove his rights as heir in several high profile cases, included defending himself in his native France. The French Consulate and New York State ruled in his favor, but appeals elevated the dispute all the way to the Supreme Court.
At question was his status as having been born a bastard.
In the end, the bastard won, and is buried with his mom beneath an opulent monument that has carried both of their portraits for more than a century. You never know what you’re going to find at Calvary Cemetery in Queens- and sometimes- the things that you do find, you should ask a smart friend about. Thanks Jim!
from 1867’s New York Daily Tribune, courtesy fultonhistory.com
suffocating windrows
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A few of you have emailed me recently, concerned about the dire outlook and melancholy displayed here, at your Newtown Pentacle, in recent months. Concerns have been transmitted that I seem to be grasped by a dark and somber mood are noted, and appreciated. Everything is fine, however, and your humble narrator is simply reacting to normal stressors in typically infantile manner. For example- I need an expensive new zoom lens and have no idea how I am going to pay for it, which is the very definition of a “first world problem.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The thing is, though, that at the moment I’m more than a little bored, without a whole lot to look forward to in the immediate future. There’s going to be a Working Harbor Committee Newtown Creek Boat tour in May, and I’ll be announcing a series of 2013 walking tour dates that will stretch out from the early spring to the fall in a few days… Also, the Kosciuszko Bridge project will be kicking to life soon… right now, though, not so much.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
For the moment, I’m just some weird guy in a filthy black raincoat whom you see while driving along, walking toward Newtown Creek with a camera in my hand. A veritable mendicant- discarded and disabused, walking the earth and cataloging its riches. “When you’re down in the dumps”, I always say, “buy into your own mythology”- it’ll get you through the rough patch.
anxious band
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I keep coming up empty at Calvary lately. Today’s examination of the great polyandrion of the megalopolis centers around an odd monument of somewhat ambiguous vintage. It likely dates back to the time of the Civil War, give or take ten years on either side. The face of the piece is in rather bad shape, exhibiting a partnership between natural weathering and acid rain coupled with what would appear to be impact damage.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
An attempt to describe the inscription:
I read the first grouping as:
“In Memory of Jeanne Du– obscured text is possibly a P and a U- Epan in Pau FR– obscured text is likely ANCE or France.
There is a Pau in France, so that means she was likely French!
The stone follows:
“On the– obscured text is possibly 14th- of November, 18- X5, – obscured text is possibly DIED- in the City of New York, November 10 18- X5.”
“In memory of– obscured text”
“John P. Ferr– obscured text is possibly an E. Born in– obscured text is likely France. Died Jan – obscured text is possibly an 18 or 28- – obscured text is likely 1876. Aged– obscured text likely 73 or 78- Years.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
All attempts at searching for the couple, using variations of Jeanne D’s name likely for someone of her ancestry and variations of the gentleman’s name, failed. This is deucedly odd, as Calvary normally gives up her secrets to me. The monument is remarkable for the double portrait, incidentally, which is a signifier of social standing and material wealth. I will continue to research this spot, which is nearby the Connell monument recently discussed at this, your Newtown Pentacle.
Also:
Remember that event in the fall which got cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy?
The “Up the Creek” Magic Lantern Show presented by the Obscura Society NYC is back on at Observatory.
Click here or the image below for more information and tickets.
The Newtown Pentacle 