Members of Congregation Shearith Israel petitioned the city for additional property for their burial ground in 1728. Spanish and Portuguese Jews had formed the first congregation in New York City in the previous century. The lower Manhattan cemetery was in use from 1683 to 1833 and continues to be maintained by the congregation. Common Council records, NYC Municipal Archives.
Transcription Note: The text below was transcribed using Handwriting OCR software and edited by staff from the NYC Department of Records & Information Services. Corrections and clarifications have been added in brackets.
Transcribed Text: To the Mayor Recorder Aldermen and Assistants of the City of New York Convened in Common Council. The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the City of New York being of the Jewish Religion
Sheweth That Your Petitioners some years since purchased a small piece of land beyondthe fresh water for a burying place for the said inhabitants; But the said burying-place beingnow full your petitioners would have purchased some more land adjoining thereto, but itbeing inDispute they could not have a Title to the same. Whereupon Your Petitioners wereobliged to purchase two lotts of land lying near the Cripple Bush or Swamp being theNumbers 84 & 85 which contains fifty foot in Breadth And One hundred and twelve foot inlength. But Your Petitioners would not presume to make a burying place thereof withoutthe Leave & Lycence (License)of this Corporation first had & obtainedWherefore Your Petitioners most Humbly pray that this Corporation will be favourablypleased to permitt them to make a burying place of their said two Lotts of Land, & that theymay not be molested therein and the Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c
[signatures] Abraham Isaacks, Joseph Nunes, Barnard Judah, Isaac De Medina, Daniel Nunes da Costa,Dem Gomez, Jacob Hay