Note to cachers: The first (virtual) stage is located in St. Paul's cemetery. Please be respectful and do not hunt this cache at night or when the cemetery is closed for other reasons.
The Female Stranger
Of all the legends and tales of old Alexandria, the most poignant is the mysterious story of the Female Stranger, whose identity has remained a secret from the time she died in a local hotel in 1816 till the present day, almost a century later.
The legend takes many forms, but the basic facts are these. A ship came in from the West Indies in late September of 1816, and put in at the foot of King Street. A young couple, well dressed and obviously of gentle birth, debarked from it.
The husband was supporting his young wife, who was ill of typhoid fever, the scourge of ships. He called for a carriage and they were transported a few blocks away to Gadsby's Tavern on Royal Street, where she was put to bed in a small room which may be seen today, restored as it looked at the time.
The husband called in a doctor, Dr. Samuel Richards, who employed two nurses, Mrs. John Wise and Mrs. James Stuart, who were all sworn to secrecy as to the identity of the strangers.
Despite the good care and the 'round the clock nursing, the young wife died on the 14th day of October, 1816. Her husband purchased a gravesite in the then-new cemetery at Hunting Creek, and had a large tablet erected over her grave. He then disappeared, leaving behind him many gambling debts incurred at Gadsby's, a note in payment of the graveyard expenses which was later dishonored by the Bank of England on which it was written, and his hotel bill, which went unpaid.
Despite the losses to the citizens of the town, the doctor and the two nurses kept their vow never to reveal the identity of the strangers, and they themselves died, in time, with their secret.
Possible Identities
Some years later one Lawrence Hill, resident of Alexandria and main financial loser in gambling with the young husband, visited Sing Sing prison in New York state, it is said, and recognized an inmate as the male stranger. The warden said the man had given a false name, was incarcerated on charges of theft and forgery, but was an educated Englishman. No more was heard of the prisoner.
A floating rumor is that the Female Stranger was daughter of Aaron Burr who was lost at sea. Another is that the two were of royal blood. Still a third was that the couple had fled England to escape a possible murder charge; the young lover had become involved in a fight with the girl’s aged benefactor, who had wanted to marry her and who had just made her the sole beneficiary of his will, and the old man fell and sustained a fatal injury.
An Elaborate Explanation
By far the most elaborate of the tales spun about the Female Stranger is that which went the rounds in the late 1800s and was published by the company of Lawrence Hill, aforementioned. The story, involving love, incest, and murder, told of four orphans separated in childhood who met again as adults, not knowing each other’s identity.
One girl came to Alexandria. The other three met in the West Indies, where both boys fell in love with their sister. One eloped with her, and the other returned to England, and, following a clue, took ship for Alexandria where he was reunited with the first sister, who was living here on Prince Street. The brother and sister who had eloped by ship from the West Indies came here also, by accident, as she was ill, and here we pick up the familiar story of the Female Stranger. Following her death, the widower in time became friends with his brother. Eventually they had a falling out, and the jilted brother in trying to shoot the widower one night killed a peddler instead. The plot thickens even more, but eventually the light of truth bursts through identification of the principals through a locket. The widower is last heard from in Europe, and the murderer is believed to have become a hermit seen in the swamps near Four Mile Run.
The Grave
The grave of the Female Stranger may be seen in Saint Paul's Cemetery off Wilkes Street. The cache coordinates will bring you to the grave with this tablet marking the spot:
To the memory of a
FEMALE STRANGER
whose mortal sufferings terminated
on the 14th day of October 1816
Aged 23 years and 8 months
This stone was placed here by her disconsolate
husband in whose arms she sighed out her
latest breath and who under God
did his utmost even to soothe the cold
dead ear of death
“How lov'd , how valu'd once, avails thee not,
To whom related or by whom begot
A heap of dust alone remains of thee
‘tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be.”
“To him gave all the prophets witness that
Through His name whosoever believeth in
Him shall receive remission of sins."
Acts 10th chap. 43rd
To find the final stage of the cache, you must visit the two additional waypoints listed and answer the questions below. Use the answers to fill in the final coordinates. The final is about four blocks from the initial stage. There is parking in the vicinity.
Final Coordinates:
N 38° 47.CDE W 077° 03.1AB
Waypoint 1:
Waypoint 1 brings you to the grave of Leonard Marbury, Captain, United States Naval Reserve. On what day in September, 1898 was Capt. Marbury born? Substitute the 2-digit date for AB in the final coordinates.
Waypoint 2:
Waypoint 2 brings you to the grave of John Sinclair Blackburn. In what year did Mr. Blackburn die? Substitute the final three digits for CDE in the final coordinates. I.e., he died on December 1st, 1CDE.
