Origins of the Quaker Cemetery
The Quaker Burial Ground in Alexandria, VA illustrates the city’s layered history and the lasting influence of the Quaker community, tracing a remarkable transformation from sacred burial space to modern civic landmark while preserving the memory of those who shaped Alexandria’s early development.
Established in the late eighteenth century, the burial ground reflects both the growth of Alexandria and the evolving role of the Quaker community within it.
Transition to a New Resting Place
By 1809, following town edicts that prohibited new burials after May 1, 1809, due to concerns about yellow fever, the Quaker community ceased burials at the Queen Street location. You can learn more [here]. They began using the Friends in the District of Columbia cemetery at the start of 19th Street beyond Columbia Road.
The Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
Today, the Quaker burial ground has become the Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library at 717 Queen Street. Respecting Quaker traditions, the graves from before the library’s construction remain beneath the library’s parking lot and grounds. Some gravestones were moved to the Quaker burial ground near the Quaker Meeting House, south of Alexandria, near the Woodlawn Plantation.
Of the 159 individuals buried in the Alexandria Quaker burial ground, 66 were relocated to different areas within the same site to accommodate the library’s construction. The remaining 93 continue to rest undisturbed in their original locations. Unfortunately, records for only 78 of these burials have been preserved.
Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick: A Life of Note
Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick was a prominent Alexandrian physician, civic leader, and Freemason whose life intersected with many of the formative moments of the early American republic. Born on March 15, 1762, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, he was raised in a distinguished Revolutionary family. His father, Archibald Dick, served as a major in the Continental Army and later as Deputy Quartermaster General before his death in 1782.
As a youth, Elisha Cullen Dick received a classical education in Pennsylvania and completed his studies under the tutelage of Episcopal clergymen, including the Rev. Samuel Armor. In 1780, he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Benjamin Rush and later completed his formal medical education under Dr. William Shippen, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Medicine in 1782.
After briefly considering establishing his practice in Charleston, South Carolina, Dick settled permanently in Alexandria in 1783 at the invitation of influential residents, following the death of one of the town’s leading physicians. He quickly became one of Alexandria’s most respected medical practitioners.
Dr. Dick succeeded George Washington as Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 and presided over several landmark Masonic ceremonies, including the 1791 placement of a boundary stone at Jones Point marking the beginning of the District of Columbia and the 1793 laying of the cornerstone of the United States Capitol. He was also among the physicians present during George Washington’s final illness in December 1799.
In Alexandria, Dr. Dick held numerous public offices, including health officer, justice of the peace, coroner, and mayor. As Superintendent of the Yellow Fever Quarantine, he played a critical role in safeguarding the town during repeated epidemics in the early nineteenth century. He also commanded a cavalry company raised in Alexandria during the suppression of the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. (For more on this period, see the blogs: [Dr. James Craik: George Washington’s Lifelong Friend and Physician | A Tale of Commitment and Friendship] and [Caroline Branham: the Enslaved Chambermaid Who Witnessed George Washington’s Final Moments].)
Although sometimes described in later secondary sources as having been Presbyterian, archival and family correspondence clarifies that Dr. Dick was not a Presbyterian. He was raised and educated within an Episcopal milieu and, later in life, became a committed member of the Society of Friends. Contemporary Quaker authorities familiar with Friends’ disciplinary records affirmed that he died and was buried as a member of the Society in the Friends Burying Ground on Queen Street.
Dr. Dick married Hannah Harmon of Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1783. The couple had three children, including Julia Dick, who married Gideon Pearce. Remembered by family and contemporaries as a man of intellect, musical talent, and moral seriousness, Dr. Dick was described in later family correspondence as a zealous member of the Society of Friends in the latter part of his life.
Dr. Dick faced financial challenges, declaring bankruptcy in 1801 following a series of poor investment decisions. Nevertheless, he remained a respected figure in Alexandria, continuing to serve in public roles including justice of the peace, coroner, and mayor in 1804. Raised and educated within an Anglican (Episcopal) milieu, Dr. Dick later became a committed member of the Society of Friends. In the latter part of his life, his beliefs increasingly reflected Quaker principles, including an emphasis on pacifism, moral reform, and personal responsibility.
A Celebrated Dinner Invitation in Rhyme by Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick
This unique poetic invitation was penned for Dr. Dick’s close friend, Philip Wanton, who resided in a quaint frame house once located at 216 Prince Street. The house long ago disappeared.
If you can eat a good fat duck,
Come up with us and take pot luck,
Of whitebacks we have got a pair
So plump, so round, so fat, & fair
A London Alderman would fight
Through pies and tarts to get one bite.
Moreover, we have beef or pork
That you may use your knife and fork.
Come up precisely at two o’clock
The door shall open at your knock.
The day tho’ wet, the streets tho’ muddy
To keep out the cold we’ll have some toddy.
And if, perchance, you should get sick,
You’ll have at hand
Yours
E. C. Dick
Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick’s playful and inviting rhyme showcases his medical prowess and his flair for poetic expression. This piece serves as a delightful reminder of the multifaceted talents that historical figures often possess.
On September 22, 1825, Elisha Cullen Dick died at his Cottage Farm residence in what is now the Lincolnia section of Fairfax County. His remains were transported through Alexandria on a funeral wagon and interred in an unmarked grave in the Friends Burying Ground on Queen Street.
Conclusion
The Quaker burial grounds in Alexandria reflect the city’s layered past and the enduring influence of the Quaker community, illustrating a transformation from sacred burial space to modern civic landmark.
Sources of Information
Primary Archival Sources
Alexandria Library, Special Collections Division (Kate Waller Barrett Library), Alexandria, Virginia.
- Pearce, J. A. (1885). Biographical letter concerning Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, written to Dr. A. M. Toner, Washington, D.C. Family correspondence detailing Dick’s birth, education, medical training, civic service, religious affiliation, and burial in the Friends Burying Ground on Queen Street.
- Janney, Mahlon Hopkins. (1941, April 21). Letter discussing Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick and Quaker meeting records. Addresses Quaker disciplinary practices, terminology, and Dick’s status as a member of the Society of Friends at the time of his death.
- McGroarty, W. B. (1941, April 22). Letter correcting denominational attribution regarding Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick and discussing his burial. Includes contextual explanation of earlier clerical error.
Published and Visual Sources
Alexandria Association. (1956). Our Town at Gadsby’s Tavern, Plate VII.
Cox, Allyn. Washington Laying the Cornerstone of the United States Capitol. United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Stearns, Junius Brutus (after). (1853). Life of George Washington: The Christian. Lithograph by Claude Regnier. Library of Congress.