Marine Hospital & Quarantine Station Staten Island, New York

Staten Island has many cemeteries that were abandoned dating from the year 1690 through 1979. FACSI cares for 8 of them. Each unique and with its own identity. The Marine Hospital Quarantine cemetery that is located in St. George has been particularly troubled and absolutely forgotten for 170 years.
In 1851 a New York newspaper writes:
"The Marine Hospital on Staten Island is crowed to access, the number of poor people from Ireland who are wandering through the streets of Staten Island in a starving condition is dreadful.”

Their fate was tragic, but now, more than a century and half later , they will receive the recognition and benediction they never received in life.

Join us Sunday September 20th 2 pm for the dedication of 2 memorials at the site.

A reminder that the Dempsey & Sons Funeral Home records for both Staten Island and Bayonne NJ are available for free research. Dempsey's client base were 99% Irish Catholics, many immigrant names. Happy hunting!

Dempsey Funeral Home Burials Dempsey Funeral Home Burials - Staten Island, Richmond County, NY

National Famine Way coming to Staten Island

Irish America 250 will kick off at the St. George, Marine Hospital Quarantine Cemetery, September 2026! More info to follow shortly.

📣National Famine Way Roadshow 2026
The 1st stop is Strokestown Park
⏰ Mon 9th March, 3-4.30pm
Entry is FREE, spaces must be reserved via email
📧 [email protected]

The National Famine Way Roadshow features talks, presentations & panel discussions from leading local and international famine historians.


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This ships list is a great example of identifying an ancestor who is buried at the Quarantine Cemetery on Staten Island. Ship passenger "Jane Orr Dead on arrival" would have been buried at the MH cemetery at Silver Lake.

Original post by Robert James Williams, Ulster Ancestry group.

Ship Courier, Belfast bound for New York.
Name of Vessel: Ship Courier
Port of Embarkation: Belfast County Antrim.
Date of Arrival: October 15th, 1827
----------------------------------------------------
District of New-York - Port of New-York
I William Conrad Thompson do solemnly, sincerely and truly swear that
the following List or Manifest of Passengers, subscribed with my name, and
now delivered by me to the Collector of the Customs for the District of
New-York, contains, to the best of my knowledge and belief, a just and true
account of all the Passengers received on board the Ship Courier whereof
I am Master, from Belfast.
So help me God.
Wm C Thompson
Sworn to, the 15th October 1827 Before me, John Kenny
-----------------------------
Christiana Turner 53 M Spinster
Ann Jane Turner 17 F Spinster
John O'Neill 25 M Chandler
Wm Bell 14 Boy
Henry Cooper 25 Clerk
[*] McGahey 18 Labourer
Thos Lynch 22 Labourer
Wm Monaghan 23 Wheelwright
John Brown. 19 Clerk
Michl Tiernan 19 Labourer
Patk Bailie 34 --------------
Ann Bailie 28 Spinster
Hugh Park 70 Weaver
Saml McCrory 24 Weaver
James Proudfoot 47 Labourer
Wm Harden 24 Cottonspinner
Robert Forsythe 28 Weaver
Mary Ann Stevenson 21 Spinster
Unnamed Infant Stevenson 3
Edmond Stevenson 2
Wm J Casey 29 Cooper
Mary Jane Casey 19 Spinster
Ann Diaine 15 Spinster
Ann Sheridan 16 Spinster
Bridget Sheridan 18 Spinster
James [Finuble?] 22 Weaver
Owen McFarland 35 Weaver
Mary McFarland 24 Spinster
Mary McMahon 20 Spinster
Ester Craig 30 Spinster
Sarah Craig 9
Hester Craig 7
John Craig 5
Robert Craig 2
James [Her--urie?] 25 Blacksmith
Ann McCormick 60 Spinster
Ann McCormick 22 Spinster
Sarah McCormick 18 Spinster
Elizbth Forsythe 25 Spinster
Cath Morris 20 Spinster
Bridget McManus 26 Spinster
Mary Hughes 18 Spinster
Sarah Hughes 20 Spinster
Rose O\'Neill 18 Spinster
Mary O\'Neill 16 Spinster
Thos McDonald 30 Labourer
John W Adams 28 Labourer
John S Adams 22 Labourer
Jane Adams 24 Spinster
Felix Co--nnie 17 Boy
Robert Copeland 11 Boy
James Copeland 13 Boy
John Hagan 16 Boy
[travelling together]
Sarah Byrne 50 Spinster
Mary Byrne 21 Spinster
Bridget Byrne 20 Spinster
Mary Byrne 19 Spinster
Margt Masterson 20 Spinster
Mary Brogan 27 Spinster
Cath Masterson 25 Spinster
Peter Donnelly 21 Cooper
Robert Allen 18 Tailor
Jodene Moody 38 Printer
Robert McMullen 18 Labourer
John Callaghen 17 Clerk
Martha Moore 52 Spinster
James McLaughlin 26 Labourer
Sarah McLaughlin 18 Spinster
Margt Daly 20 Spinster
Mary Valially 19 Spinster
Elizth Carroll 18 Spinster
Mrs Mathew 25 Spinster
Margt Granny 20 Spinster
Ann Orr 22 Spinster
Jane Orr Dead on arrival
[*] Reilly 23 Labourer
Rose McAlister 18 Spinster
[*] Walker 40 Merchant
Ellen Walker 37 Spinster
Elizth Walker 17 Spinster
Henry Walker 15 Boy
James Walker 11 Boy
Mary Walker 14 Spinster
Anna Walker 12 Spinster
Abbey Craddley 18 Servant
Matilda Fulton 2 Child
Thos Fulton 3 months Child
Eleanor Fulton 3 Child
John Fulton 10 Boy
Chas Stewart 45 Capt [US Army]
Thos Pringle 42 Merchant
Adam Mathew 20 Merchant
Thos Wilson 42 Capt United States Navy.

The Marine Hospital Quarantine Station, Staten Island. 1st: Rendering, established 1799. 2nd: after it was burned down by local residents 1858

This post is from Jerry Mulvihill the author of the book "The Truth Behind The Irish Famine". Its an excellent book.

Note from MHQS:

Once entering into New York City Harbor during this time, all ships passengers and crew were subjected to a Quarantine check at the shore of Staten Island, New York. One New York newspaper reported in April, 1851, “The number of poor people from Ireland who are wandering through the streets of Staten Island in a starving condition is dreadful.” Invariably when these immigrant s died on Staten Island, either on the streets or in the Marine Hospital Quarantine Station, they were immediately buried. No death certificates were issued and no cemetery logs kept.

Irish emigrants arriving in New York 1845-52, Ciarán Ó Murchadha “These shy, gullible people were stunned and overwhelmed by their new surroundings, terrified by the great roaring city in which they found themselves. This bewilderment is evident in some of the contemporary prints which show them crouched along the quayside, meagre possessions piled up protectively about them.” From the book The Truth Behind The Irish Famine. Over 100 images, 400 eyewitness quotes. Signed copies at www.jerrymulvihill.com.