The Inscription and Tragic Story
Near Grant’s Tomb stands an inscribed stone urn erected to the memory of an amiable child. The inscription reads:
St. Clair Pollock, died 15th of July 1797, in the fifth year of his age.
St. Clair Pollock was the son of George and Katherine Pollock. It is believed that he died tragically after falling from the cliffs of the Hudson River. At the time of the accident, his nanny had been looking after him, but young St. Clair ventured too close to the edge and fell onto the rocks below. The boy’s untimely death left a profound impact on his family, who commemorated his life with this monument.
The Monument in Riverside Park
The land where the monument stands became part of Riverside Park in the 1870s. Despite the passage of time and the development of the surrounding area, the monument remains a poignant reminder of the Pollock family’s loss and their efforts to preserve the memory of their child.
A Rare Private Grave on Public Land
This small and solemn site is particularly unique because private graves on public land are exceedingly rare in New York City. Across all five boroughs, the amiable child memorial is one of the few such exceptions. The dedication on the monument reads:
Erected to the memory of an amiable child.
Preservation Through Generations
The story of how this grave remained intact over centuries adds another layer of intrigue. George Pollock, a Scots-Irish merchant who lived in the area, sold the property in 1800 to Mrs. Cornelia Van Planck. In the deed, he included a special request to keep the grave site enclosed and sacred as part of the estate:
There is a small enclosure near your boundary fence within which lie the remains of a favorite child, covered by a marble monument. You will confer a peculiar and interesting favor upon me by allowing me to convey the enclosure to you so that you will consider it a part of your own estate, keeping it, however, always enclosed and sacred.”
Later, the land changed hands several times, eventually becoming public property, yet the grave site remained preserved.
Biblical Inscription
The back of the small grave features an inscription from the Bible, Job 14:1-2:
Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
A Contrast of Memorials
This intimate and solemn space offers a stark contrast to the grandeur of Grant’s Tomb, just across the street. The juxtaposition of the modest memorial and the massive monument highlights the layers of history and personal stories that make up New York City.
How to get there?
By subway: Take the #1 train to 125th St. in Manhattan. Walk south for one block, then turn right (west) onto Tiemann Place. Continue for two blocks until the road ends, then ascend the stairs. At the top, cross the street (Riverside Drive East), and then turn left, following the park to Riverside Drive West.
The grave is located on the right (west) side of Riverside Drive West, about a block north of Grant’s Tomb.