The Trip: Day 13
Day 13
Fairfax County, Virginia.
Perhaps you are wondering why I keep calling it "Fairfax County" and not Alexandria...(or not, who knows what you people think since you never leave messages). Well, there's a somewhat simple explanation...
The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered county-equivalents for census purposes. What that means, is that my sister lives in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, but not actually in Alexandria...confused? If you want to learn more (or maybe try to figure out what all this means, because you have nothing better to do today) then check out the Wikipedia article on it.
But I digress...
Sunday was spent...wait for it...wandering through cemeteries...surprise! I was looking for a specific individual when I went looking for old cemeteries in Alexandria, and came across the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex. It's about 6 cemeteries all right next to each other, only separated by hedge or fence. I went there looking for a couple of families to help put some more pictures up on Find A Grave, but really I was only looking for The Female Stranger. I won't bore you to death with all of the pictures I took (ha, ha), I'll just give you a few.
The story goes, that on 25th July 1816 a man and woman traveling on the "Four Sons" bound from Halifax to the West Indies, were put ashore on the Potomac and appeared at The Bunch of Grapes, or what is now known as Gadsby's Tavern, in Alexandria, Virginia. The woman was very ill. According to John Elfreth Watkins' account in his book, "Famous Mysteries: Curious and fantastic riddles of human life that have never been solved,"
Fairfax County, Virginia.
Perhaps you are wondering why I keep calling it "Fairfax County" and not Alexandria...(or not, who knows what you people think since you never leave messages). Well, there's a somewhat simple explanation...
The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered county-equivalents for census purposes. What that means, is that my sister lives in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, but not actually in Alexandria...confused? If you want to learn more (or maybe try to figure out what all this means, because you have nothing better to do today) then check out the Wikipedia article on it.
But I digress...
Sunday was spent...wait for it...wandering through cemeteries...surprise! I was looking for a specific individual when I went looking for old cemeteries in Alexandria, and came across the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex. It's about 6 cemeteries all right next to each other, only separated by hedge or fence. I went there looking for a couple of families to help put some more pictures up on Find A Grave, but really I was only looking for The Female Stranger. I won't bore you to death with all of the pictures I took (ha, ha), I'll just give you a few.
BELOW: Saint Paul's Cemetery; The Female Stranger.
The story goes, that on 25th July 1816 a man and woman traveling on the "Four Sons" bound from Halifax to the West Indies, were put ashore on the Potomac and appeared at The Bunch of Grapes, or what is now known as Gadsby's Tavern, in Alexandria, Virginia. The woman was very ill. According to John Elfreth Watkins' account in his book, "Famous Mysteries: Curious and fantastic riddles of human life that have never been solved,"
After engaging the best room that the hostelry afforded, the anxious husband—as he described himself—hurriedly sent for a physician, who was, however, before being admitted to the sickroom, called aside and pledged upon his honor not to reveal what he might see or learn concerning his patient. The physician's lips were sealed until his death, and the only information concerning his patient which could ever be obtained from him was that he had never seen her face.
During the time these two strangers were in Alexandria (a total of about 71 days), only two older women residents ever saw her face, and, like the doctor, were sworn to secrecy. After the woman's death on 4th of October, 1816, the "husband" had a table-top monument erected over her grave in Saint Paul Cemetery and then promptly disappeared, only to be seen, in the cemetery, on the anniversary of her death. This lasted for roughly a decade, and then he, too, must have died as his visits abruptly ceased and the grave was allowed to fall into ruin.
Though there was subsequent speculation, no-one has ever determined who either of the strangers were, and their identities may never be known.
Though there was subsequent speculation, no-one has ever determined who either of the strangers were, and their identities may never be known.
BELOW: Fredericka R. Immohr. Not only is this an old burial, but the marker is growing out of the tree next to it!
BELOW: Bethel Cemetery. 1) Bessie Otis 2) Zedekiah Mudd, wife Emma and mother-in-law Laura. Does not appear that this fellow is any relation to the Mudd (Samuel, doctor who aided and abetted John Wilkes Booth).
BELOW: Methodist Protestant Cemetery. Elsie Johnson.
BELOW: Bethel Cemetery. 1) Bessie Otis 2) Zedekiah Mudd, wife Emma and mother-in-law Laura. Does not appear that this fellow is any relation to the Mudd (Samuel, doctor who aided and abetted John Wilkes Booth).
BELOW: Methodist Protestant Cemetery. Elsie Johnson.
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