Dr. James Carson, buried in Christ Church Cemetery (1773 – September 9, 1855), was a War of 1812 Veteran recently honored for his service by National Society United States Daughters of 1812 members.
During the War of 1812, he was a 1st Lieutenant in the Alexandria Artillery, commanded by Greenberry Griffith (May 20, 1787 – October 25, 1848). He fought at the Battle of the White House under the command of General Robert Young. Later, he was a customs officer (appointed by President Andrew Jackson), a Magistrate for Alexandria County (appointed by President James Monroe), the Superintendent of Police, and an Inspector of the Harbor (appointed in 1829). Carson also commanded the civic escort at the opening of the Alexandria Canal. He was also the Secretary and Worshipful Master of Brooke Lodge No. 47.
When Lafayette visited Alexandria on October 16, 1824, he led the civic escort – which included 17-year-old Robert E. Lee – for Lafayette when he visited Washington’s tomb (also see Anthony Charles Cazenove). Lafayette stayed in Dr. Carson’s sister, Elizabeth Lawrason’s, home during the visit. The city council gave Mrs. Lawrason a silver cup in recognition of her generous hospitality.
Member and company commander of the Friendship Fire Company
According to Catherine Weinraub, Historian, Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association, he was also a member of the Friendship Fire Company from 1810 – 1845. Nineteen of those years, he was one of the company’s commanders. On November 17, 1857, Secretary John Muir said Carson “owned the fireman’s cape that so long graced our hall.”
Officer in Alexandria’s Hibernian Society
He was also a member of Alexandria’s Hibernian Society and an officer in the fraternal society, created to support immigrants from Ireland, where Dr. Carson was born.
Dr. Carson’s family
Carson married Ursula Brown (c. 1782 – June 3, 1835), also of Ireland, sometime before 1808. The Carsons had several children, including Ann Carson Greene (born May 4, 1808), Jane Carson Gahan (March 9, 1810 – August 30, 1876), Samuel B. Carson (February 4, 1812 – July 1840), Elizabeth Carson Roach (March 5, 1814 – February 21, 1853), John Brown Carson (May 21, 1816 – November 1, 1860), and Elenor Virginia Carson (April 14, 1819 – June 1820).
According to family historian and descendant Claire Bennett, Samuel and William Daingerfield, also of Alexandria, left Virginia for Texas, where the two joined the Army of the Republic of Texas. Samuel died in a tragic accident in 1840.
Daughter Ann married Edward Greene, a tax collector in the port of Alexandria, on December 20, 1827. One of their two children, J. Carson Greene, was killed in the November 17, 1855, Dowell China Shop fire at 203 King Street along with six other Alexandria Volunteer firefighters (see also George David Appich, William Evans, James W. Keene, and Robert I. Taylor, all buried in the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex). Losing her father and son within two months devastated Ann.
The tragic Dowell China Shop Fire
His name and six others are on the Firefighters Memorial in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia. Each October, during Fire Prevention Week, their names and other fallen firefighters are read aloud during a service at the monument. Greene’s burial place in Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery is unknown. He could be buried in the Friendship Fire House plot E:60 in the Methodist Protestant Cemetery. His brother, Louis Edward Greene (October 16, 1828 – June 23, 1871), is buried in Christ Church Cemetery, Lot 5:2.
Buried in Christ Church Cemetery
Dr. Carson, his wife, and several family members are buried along the cemetery border and Mandeville Lane, which separates the Christ Church Cemetery from nearby Trinity Methodist Cemetery.
Although not an Alexandria Masonic Lodge 22 member, Dr. Carson participated in many of their activities as a “visitor.” In recognition of such, Lodge 22, Washington’s lodge, performed Masonic ceremonies at his burial, just as they did at the funeral of General George Washington on December 18, 1799.
Honored by the National Society United States Daughters of 1812
On Saturday, June 3, 2023, Dr. James Carson was honored by National Society United States Daughters of 1812 members, Eliza Monroe Chapter 355, who laid wreaths and marked his grave with a War of 1812 medallion in grateful recognition of his sacrifice and service to the country.
| Erected in memory of Dr. JAMES CARSON a native of the county of Armagh, Ireland who died September 9th, 1855 also his wife URSULA a native of the county Armagh, Ireland who died June 3rd, 1835 in the 53d year of her age |
Sources of Information
Bennett, C. (2023). Selected notes on the Carson family [Unpublished manuscript]. Courtesy of Claire Bennett, descendant of Dr. James Carson.
Clark, C. S. (2021). George Washington Parke Custis: A rarefied life in America’s first family. McFarland.
Moore, G. M. (1949). Seaport in Virginia: George Washington’s Alexandria. Garrett and Massie.
Pippenger, W. E. (1992). Tombstone inscriptions of Alexandria, Virginia (Vol. 3). Family Line Publications.
Powell, M. G. (2000). The history of old Alexandria, Virginia, from July 13, 1749 to May 24, 1861 (W. E. Pippenger, Indexer). Willow Bend Books. (Original work published 1928)
Weinraub, C. (2023). Selected notes on the Dowell China Shop fire, the Friendship Fire House, and Ivy Hill [Unpublished manuscript]. Courtesy of Catherine Weinraub, historian, Ivy Hill Cemetery Historical Society and Friendship Fire House.