Female Stranger facts for kids

The Grave of the Female Stranger

The Grave of the Female Stranger is a famous mystery and a popular spot to visit in St. Paul's Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia. This grave holds the remains of an unknown person who passed away in 1816. The mysterious tombstone and the romantic stories surrounding it have made the grave well-known across the country. Over time, the tales about the stranger have become even more unusual, making people wonder even more about who is buried there. The room where she supposedly died, Room 8 at Gadsby's Tavern, is also a popular place for tourists. Some even say her ghost can be seen standing at the window.

This story has led to many theories and discussions for over 200 years. Besides articles and reports, there have also been novels written about the mystery.

The Mysterious Inscription

The tombstone has a special message carved into it. It reads:

The second part of the poem on the stone was inspired by a famous poem called Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady by Alexander Pope. However, there are a few small differences in the words.

The Grave of the Female Stranger in 2017, showing how it has aged.

Stories and Theories

People have been telling stories and guessing about the Female Stranger for a very long time.

Early Stories

One of the first stories about the Grave of the Female Stranger was a poem written in 1833. It was published in the Alexandria Gazette by a poet named Susan Rigby Dallam Morgan.

Later, in 1836, Susan Morgan (using the pen name "Lucy Seymour") shared the story with a wider audience in The Philadelphia Saturday Courier. In her account, the Stranger was a young woman from another country. She looked sad and pale, and seemed to be ill and worried. The man with her didn't seem like a real husband to the local people. After the woman was buried, the man quickly left town. The only person the Stranger supposedly talked to was a local pastor.

Susan Morgan wondered if the words on the tombstone were chosen to make people curious and feel sympathy for the unknown woman.

In 1848, the Alexandria Gazette added more details to the story. The writer said the woman was beautiful and graceful. They also mentioned that the man's last name was "Clermont."

Later Stories and Ideas

Since the 1880s, some people have wondered if the woman might have been Theodosia Burr Alston. She was the daughter of Aaron Burr and was lost at sea. However, the dates for Theodosia and the Stranger don't quite match up.

In 1886, a writer named Frank G. Carpenter wrote about the Female Stranger. His version of the story included a doctor who promised to keep a secret. It also mentioned two French maids and a quiet English husband. The husband would not let anyone see his wife's face or attend her funeral. Carpenter also thought that maybe the wife had another secret lover. Or perhaps she was a famous American, like Theodosia Burr Alston.

By 1887, another writer, Col. Fred D Massey, said that the many legends only made the story more confusing. His version said that a noble couple, who seemed to be English, arrived by ship. The wife was a beautiful blonde woman. She became sick in Alexandria while staying at the main hotel. Only her husband, a valet, and a doctor saw her during her illness. She died in her husband's arms. Only the husband and the valet were at the burial. The husband left by ship. Some rumors say he later returned to Alexandria in the middle of the night. He supposedly dug up the body and took it with him.

In 1893, a newspaper in New Orleans, The Times-Picayune, boldly stated that the grave was indeed Theodosia Burr Alston's. They claimed her husband, Governor Alston, had visited the grave about 70 years before the article was written.

In the 1890s, the idea of the couple being "star-crossed lovers" first appeared. In 1898, the Washington Evening Star reported that two older people visited the grave. They told the church superintendent that the female stranger was a relative. She was an English noblewoman who had run away with a British officer because they were in love. They promised to return with more details, but they never did.

Many stories since then have included these same elements. Some also add that two local women, who also promised to keep a secret, helped the Stranger when she was sick.

Modern Tales

One of the most detailed modern versions of the story was published in 1913. This was nearly 100 years after the Stranger died. A large story with a dramatic picture appeared in the Ladies' Home Journal. It told of a ship called the Four Sons that was going from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to the West Indies. It changed course to the Potomac River. A small lifeboat carried a man and a woman to shore. A sick woman, covered in a black veil, was carried to "Bunch-of-Grapes Tavern." This was another name for Gadsby's Tavern. The man, believed to be her husband, found the best room and called for a doctor. The doctor promised to keep everything a secret. The woman's face remained covered. Two women staying at the hotel also promised to keep quiet and helped care for the sick woman.

Only the husband saw her die. He prepared her body for burial and sealed the coffin. He then disappeared. But he supposedly returned every fall to place flowers on the grave. At one point, the grave became worn down. Three older people appeared at the site. When the church caretaker asked them, they said they were relatives of the woman. They explained that she had married a British officer.

Another theory suggests the woman was Sarah Curran. She was engaged to an Irish revolutionary named Robert Emmet. She might have been forced to marry a British naval officer. However, the writer of this theory admitted it was "pure speculation."

A mystery story called "The Female Stranger: An Archibald Mercer Mystery" explores the idea that the Female Stranger was Theodosia Burr Alston. This story suggests the legend was created to protect her identity. It also looks into the mystery of Theodosia's death. While history says she died in a ship disaster, some people wonder if she was killed during a pirate attack on her ship.

DNA Evidence and the Future

In recent years, people have wondered if the remains in the grave should be dug up and tested. This could help find out who the Female Stranger really was. The grave is well cared for, and even though the casket once sank a bit, there's no strong proof that anyone has disturbed the remains. The only changes to the grave have been removing an iron fence and some trees around it.

Images for kids

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  The Grave of the Female Stranger

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  The Grave of the Female Stranger in 2017, showing how it has aged.