JEFFERSON THE COMEDIAN. Some friend of the drama, and of genius and worth, has ordered a beautiful marble slab to be laid over the remains of the departed genius, Joseph Jefferson, the comedian, who died in 1832, at Harrisburg, Pa., and now lies interred in the Episcopal burying-ground, on the banks of the Susquehanna. The inscription says, "He was a member of the Chesnut-street Theatre, of Philadelphia, in its most high and palmy days, and a compeer of Cooper, Wood, Warren, Francis, and a host of worthies, who, like himself, are remembered with admiration and praise. He died at this place, in 1832." (The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, Louisiana, 02 Aug 1843, p2)

He emigrated to the US in 1795 and never returned to England. Powell agreed to pay his passage money and a salary of $17 a week.

DIED. At Harrisburg, Pa., August 4th, in the 57 year of his age, JOSEPH JEFFERSON, Sen'r, Comedian. Mr Jefferson was for many years a member of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Theatres; and was as much esteemed for his amiability of character and kindness of heart, as he was admired for professional pre-eminence. (The U.S. Gazette, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11 Aug 1832, p3)

If you are interested in the wonderful story of this man and his family, you need to go to Google Books and check out:

https://archive.org/details/lifeandartjosep02wintgoog/page/n128/mode/2up

"Life and Art of Joseph Jefferson" by William Winter, 1894

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Extract from "Notes and Queries, Volume 1, 1894" (Biographical History of Dauphin County, page 335)

JOSEPH JEFFERSON was a native of England, born in 1776 [sic]. He was the son of a distinguished actor, who was the contemporary of Garrick. He was educated for the stage, and in 1795 came to Boston, where, and in New York, he performed until about 1803, when he located in Philadelphia. Here he was quite a favorite, especially at the Chestnut Street Theater. From 1825 to 1832 he made Harrisburg his home, having a suite of apartments in the old Shakespeare building. He died here on the 4th of August, 1832, greatly lamented. His remains were interred in the burying ground attached to St. Stephen's Episcopal church, and from thence removed to the Harrisburg Cemetery. The inscription on his tomb was written by Chief Justice Gibson, and has often been quoted and admired for its diction. Mr. Jefferson possessed great taste and skill in the construction of intricate stage machinery, and was unrivaled in his peculiar personations. His favorite characters were Kit Cosey, Old D'Oiley and Admiral Cop. He is known as the elder Jefferson. His son and grandson were alike great actors -- the father of the second Joseph bequeathing to him his genius and his aspirations, with all that polish which rendered each so popular in his day. And now comes a third Joseph Jefferson, who, since the days of Hackett, has made the character of Rip Van Winkle his own.

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The nearby grave of Joseph Jefferson has been the subject of much confusion at various times in attempts to identify this individual. The confusion is better understood from the fact there were three Joseph Jeffersons: father, son and grandson, all noted actors of their day on the American stage. This is the grace of the elder Jefferson, who died in Harrisburg, August 6 [sic], 1832, and was first buried in the old Episcopal Cemetery. He was born in England in 1774. His son, Joseph, Jr., was born in Philadelphia in 1804, and died of yellow fever in Mobile, Ala., November 24, 1842, and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in that city. His son, the third Joseph Jefferson, most famous of the trio for his part of "Rip Van Winkle" in the play of the same name was born in Philadelphia, February 20, 1829, and died at his home on Buzzard's Bay, Mass., April 23, 1905, and is buried near that place. The eldest Jefferson's grave would doubtless have been forgotten, had it not been for his old friend, John Bannister Gibson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, who had a marble slab placed over it in 1843, on which he had composed the epitaph. About 40 years after his death, Jefferson's remains were reinterred at the present site, which the younger Jefferson first visited in 1882; it being necessary for him to remove ice and snow to read Gibson's epitaph. From that time Harrisburg was a favored stop in Jefferson's tours and he never failed to visit his grandfather's grave while here. Many old Harrisburgers will recall "Rip Van Winkle" Jefferson and the personal friendships he made during these visits.

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Extract from "Life and Art of Joseph Jefferson" by William Winter, 1894 (a few of the memories written down by his daughter, Elizabeth, and published in this book):
After my father's death, when I was alone in New York, I was requested to give permission for the removal of his remains from Harrisburg to Pennsylvania, where it was said a monument should be erected to his memory. But, knowing what sorrow he had suffered at the neglect he received in Philadelphia, towards the end of his career, and knowing also his aversion to all disturbance of the grave, I refused to sanction this proceeding. His ideas were peculiar as to death. When I wished him to see my mother, after she was dead, he would not be persuaded. "How can you ask me," he said, "to turn with disgust from a face which for so many years has been my pride and my pleasure?" And until a year before his death he never saw a corpse. The first and only dead face he ever looked on was that of his son John. His wish was to be buried in a village churchyard, with no stone to mark the place. But this, it seems, could not be, for two of his old friends, judges of Pennsylvania, erected a stone at his head, in Harrisburg, where he died. . . . I never heard my father use a profane word, except on one occasion.

My father was genial and social, but reserved in manner. He never allowed theatrical matters to be discussed in his presence; not from dislike of his profession, but because his life was so entirely wrapt up in it that he needed relief from reference to the subject of his constant study and thought.

Hodgkinson was most liberal to my father in professional business, and in a very little time after they came together gave up to him the low-comedy parts. This soon made him a leading feature of the John Street theatre, and a great favourite with the public. One night, when it chanced that his first child was very ill, he had gone to the theatre much depressed, though not apprehensive of bereavement. While dressing himself for a farce, he received news that his child was dead. The love of children was a ruling passion with my father, and to lose his own and (then) only one, was an overwhelming grief. Hodgkinson went before the curtain to state the reason of the delay that had been caused by this news, and to beg of the audience to allow another farce to be substituted for the one announced; but the whole house rose, and, with a cry of "No farce!" left the theatre. This was an unusual compliment. . . . No man ever held more esteem and affection than followed him. His wife lived but in him; his children idolised him; his servants worshipped him; his nature was one that inspired not only respect but love; his fondness for children was extreme, and I have seen our parlour at home filled with little ones -- children of neighbours whose names even he did not know -- but they flocked around him as if he were something more than mortal, and he never tired of amusing them. There was a simplicity in our household that I have seldom met with since. In affairs of business my father would often take us all into his council. One instance of this, which is singular and amusing, I particularly recall. A neighbour of ours was in the habit of lending money at interest -- a proceeding which we had been taught to regard as almost as bad as robbery . . . I do not suppose that there ever was a man who lived more entirely "unspotted" from the world.

[There is so much interesting text in this book, I just need to let you read it for yourself. Otherwise, I'll never stop typing until the whole of it appears here. That would be . . . um . . . excessive.]

One account says that Joseph Jefferson was born literally upon the stage, and that his mother died shortly afterward.