On December 14, 1799, George Washington died at Mount Vernon. Four days later, on December 18, George Washington’s funeral brought many of Alexandria’s leading citizens to Mount Vernon — physicians who had fought to save him, clergy who conducted the burial service, and pallbearers who had known him as a neighbor, a merchant, and a … Read more
Early Life and Education Dr. James Craik was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1730. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh before serving as a surgeon in the British Army in the West Indies. In 1751, he left military service and crossed the Atlantic to begin a new life in the American colonies, where … Read more
A Nation Mourns The passing of a great figure often marks a pivotal moment in history, and George Washington’s departure on December 14, 1799, was no exception. In a surprising turn of events, he succumbed to a brief two-day illness, leaving behind a nation in mourning. His funerals and the historic commemorations held at the … Read more