Submitted by Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955 From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
Comments: I want to let the group know about a new book, available on Amazon, by Joe Harrison - he's the guy who started the placing of flags in the center of the old St. Stephen's cemetery for Memorial Day. The book represents twelve years of research on the cemetery. Title: "Saint Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in the Nicetown Section of Philadelphia." For anyone who attended Saint Stephen's this book is a goldmine of historical information about our parish. The book includes an early history of the parish, contemporary articles noting accidental, violent, and unusual deaths, life in late nineteenth century Nicetown, a very detailed map of the cemetery with the names of plot owners, and newspaper articles about the closing of the cemetery in 1891.
Comments: Walter Iremember you well. How are you doing. Cass Modesta
Added: April 27, 2019
Submitted by Name: Kathleen Caulfield Anderson From: Now in Middletown DE E-mail: irishrov35@aol.com
Comments: Lived at Broad and Clearfield Sts. Graduated St.Stephens in 1948.
Added: March 25, 2019
Submitted by Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955 From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
Comments: Hello Vincent - nice to read your note here. If we had known the history of that cemetery way back then! Kids playing in a cemetery - go figure. I remember one autumn when a group of kids did a controlled burning of the dead weeds so that touch football could be played.
Added: March 2, 2019
Submitted by Name: Vincent Karustis, classof 1958 From: Nicetown then, Arizona now E-mail: geranimo@cox.net
Comments: I remember with fond memories all the occasions I played in Saint Stephen's Catholic Cemetery as a young boy. That was the neighborhood playground. Played many a ball game there. Once the police were called by someone who accused us of grave robbing. We were going to be arrested until Jim Powers, the manager of Ocker Publications came out and threatened to put everything in the paper. As an aside Jim Powers was the cousin of Gary Powers the U2 pilot who was shot down over Russia back in the 50's. My Brother Jerry passed two years, that makes me the sole survivor of the immediate Karustis family.
Added: March 1, 2019
Submitted by Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955 From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
Comments: Joe Harrison's research on the saint stephen's catholic cemetery in the nicetown section of Philadelphia is, for any history buff, a really interesting read. A map of the cemetery, with names of the plot holders, items from the local newspapers that mention Nicetown, explanations of why the cemetery was closed by the board of health, are included along with much more specific information. I've read the book and I'm glad I contributed in my small way to its contents.
Added: February 28, 2019
Submitted by Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955 From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
Comments: For those of you who still check into this site, I am waiting for my copy of Joe Harrison's book that traces the history of Saint Stephen's Cemetery. I met Joe on this site back in 2007; that's when he started gathering notes for the book. He contacted me because I had written a few anecdotes about the cemetery which focused on its use back in the forties and fifties. By that time the cemetery had become a play area for the neighborhood kids. The cemetery had been closed by the end of the nineteenth century. None of us kids thought that playing there was ghoulish or disrespectful - it was a grand open space.
Added: February 17, 2019
Submitted by Name: claire m walsh From: nicetown E-mail: jwalsh7@sc.rr.com
Comments: Good job Bob and Ed Gavin for keeping this up. I left Philly in 2000 amd moved to SC. Still here. Let me know about the next reunion. My husband, Jimmy Walsh passed away in September 2011. A great man and a wonderful 52 years married.
Comments: Any one have a uniform that we wore in 1960s?
Added: January 12, 2019
Submitted by Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955 From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
Comments: Well, the local parade of Mummers and their followers that keeps 2nd Street very, very lively has ended. The barriers are being removed, the trash is being picked up, the lingerers are being gently moved on. Now things can get back to normal. Oh yeah, Happy New Year everyone!
Name: Edward Gavin, Class of 1955
From: Nicetown then, S. Phila. now
E-mail: edgavin42@verizon.net
I want to let the group know about a new book, available on Amazon, by Joe Harrison - he's the guy who started the placing of flags in the center of the old St. Stephen's cemetery for Memorial Day. The book represents twelve years of research on the cemetery. Title: "Saint Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in the Nicetown Section of Philadelphia." For anyone who attended Saint Stephen's this book is a goldmine of historical information about our parish. The book includes an early history of the parish, contemporary articles noting accidental, violent, and unusual deaths, life in late nineteenth century Nicetown, a very detailed map of the cemetery with the names of plot owners, and newspaper articles about the closing of the cemetery in 1891.