Princeton Cemetery: William Francis Gibbs' Final Resting Place
Greg Waters, former Curatorial & Outreach Associate for the SS United States Conservancy, tells of a recent trip to Princeton Cemetery:
Princeton Cemetery has been called the Westminster Abbey of the United States because of the many recognizable names from throughout American history that are buried there. Among these are a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Nobel Prize recipient, several former presidents of Princeton University, and many other men and women with enduring legacies.
Not far from the cemetery’s most famous residents, Founding Father Aaron Burr and former President Grover Cleveland, can be found the final resting place of William Francis Gibbs, the man who made the SS United States a reality through remarkable ingenuity and intense determination. He is surrounded by other members of the Gibbs family, including his brother and business partner, Frederic, who played a critical role in overseeing the financial success of his brother’s business ventures.
Photographs courtesy of Greg Waters.
It is fitting that both William Francis and Frederic are buried next to so many other luminaries from America’s past, as they both left their own enduring legacies of resilience and ingenuity. The greatest example of their lives’ work, the SS United States, is now being threatened. Today, we all have the opportunity to unite together to save this great symbol of American innovation and progress for future generations.
It's not too late to ensure a brilliant second act for the SS United States, a true global ambassador and all-American record-breaker. Make your donation today, and join the fight to save the fastest and greatest ocean liner the world has ever known.
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