William S.Smith, a brilliant officer in Washington's army, and holder of various posts of public office.
There was a Potter's Field, a cemetery for the poor and friendless, far out in the country,--i.e., somewhere near Madison Square,--but it was neither big enough nor accessible enough.

In 1789, the city decided to have another one.

The tract of land threaded by Minetta Water, half marsh and half sand, was just about what was wanted.

It was retired, the right distance from town and excellently adapted to the purposes of a burying ground.

The ground, popular historians to the contrary, was by no means uniformly swampy.