Revolutionary Stories: Historic Cemetery Sites
Cemeteries are a place of eternal rest for individuals, but for many people, once they are buried, their life stories are no longer shared except among family oral tradition. Still others, like celebrity gravesites, are well visited because people want to pay tribute to those who they never knew but impacted them throughout their lives. Many unique life stories exist at cemeteries, and the records kept throughout history can help put the pieces together for us expanding the narrative beyond just the gravestones seen on a walk through the cemetery.
At Loudoun Museum, our exhibit Life, Liberty, Loudoun: Revolutionary Stories broadens the narrative of the Revolutionary War and focuses on the ordinary people of Loudoun County who contributed to the great effort in some way. Of course, there were soldiers and statesmen from the area, and it highlights them as well, but it opens the door of discussion so that people may learn about lesser-known figures from Loudoun County. In the same vein, we have a self-guided cemetery walking tour brochure available at the museum during open hours for visitors to take with them and explore four cemeteries in downtown Leesburg. The brochure also provides some historical context so that people can learn more about the lives of ordinary people in Loudoun County during the Revolutionary War, and how small actions can make a difference in a community in tumultuous times.
Old Stone Church Cemetery – 110 Cornwall Street N.W. Leesburg, VA
Old Stone Church Cemetery sits where the Old Stone Methodist Church once stood and holds some of the oldest burials in Leesburg as the town was established in 1758. The church lot was purchased in 1766 by Robert Hamilton from Nicholas Minor, who sold many of the early plots of land in Leesburg. Soon after, the first Methodist meeting house was erected. The structure went through several iterations, but the original structure no longer stands. Today, when visiting the cemetery, you can still see the cornerstones of the original stone building. The cemetery offers a great look into historic cemeteries as it is preserved by the Old Stone Church Foundation.
Captain Wright Brickell (b. Unknown – 1777)
Although Brickell’s birthdate is lost to time, records show he worked as a sea captain in the Norfolk area of the Virginia colony. It is likely that his religion brought him to Leesburg, as he was as an original book steward for the Methodist Societies of America. A book steward was an individual responsible for sales and management of Methodist literature. Brickell died in 1777 as the Revolutionary War unfolded across the colonies. His gravestone is the oldest in the cemetery.
John Hereford II (b. 1729 - April 8, 1793)
Born in the late 1720s, Hereford spent his young life in the Stafford area of Virginia. In 1759, he married Margaret Ammon and also settled in Leesburg. He and Ammon raised nine children on a large piece of property. While he did not serve in the Revolutionary War himself, three of his children did, and he supported the Continental Army by providing supplies to the Virginia Line. His first-born son, John Hereford III, held the rank of Adj. Maj. and served in Col. John Alexander’s Virginia Regiment under Lafayette at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
Captain John Rose (September 3, 1761 - February 4, 1844)
Rose was born in 1761, a few years after Loudoun County was formally established by the Virginia House of Burgesses. He spent most of his life in Loudoun County serving his community. He made a living as a sea captain transporting goods like tobacco to other countries. In 1780, while on a standard voyage, he was captured as a British prisoner of war. The British held him until around 1783 when fighting had ceased. Upon his return to Leesburg, he married Anna Beall in 1792 and had several children. When Leesburg was incorporated, he was elected to be the first mayor.
Mary Head (August 18, 1785 - September 9, 1823)
Mary Head was born on August 18, 1785. She married Capt. George Head Sr., a Tory who had served in the British Army during the Revolutionary War. The Patriots took her husband as a prisoner of war. Despite this experience, he decided to stay in America and build his life in Leesburg. Mary and George had two children, Nelson and George. Their son, Capt. George Head Jr., became mayor and postmaster of Leesburg. The Head family home is nearby on E. Market Street.
Leesburg Presbyterian Church Cemetery – 207 W. Market St Leesburg, VA
The Leesburg Presbyterian Church Cemetery is located on the grounds of the Leesburg Presbyterian Church. It was established on May 4, 1804. The small cemetery on church grounds was often used for congregants and community members. The first Reverend is buried on the church grounds, and you can learn more about him here.
Reverend Amos Thompson (August 7, 1731 - September 8, 1804)
Born in New Haven in the colony of Connecticut on August 7, 1731, Amos was a descendant of Anthony Thompson who lived there at the colony’s founding. Although records do not reveal what brought Amos Thompson to Virginia, he showed allegiance to the Patriots, serving as the chaplain of Col. Hugh Stevenson's Virginia Rifle Regiment in 1776, providing sermons and services for Continental soldiers. He married Jane Evans and later died in September 1804, soon after the Presbyterian Church was dedicated in May 1804. It is fitting that Thompson was buried in a churchyard since he dedicated his life to related service.
Union Cemetery - 323 N. King St. Leesburg, VA
Union Cemetery was established in 1855 and intended to be a place where people of all faiths could be laid to rest. Union Cemetery has grown significantly since its beginnings. If you find yourself walking through Union Cemetery, you will see old and new headstones alike. Union Cemetery represents a large portion of the county's history. Some old churches and graveyards no longer in existence disinterred and reinterred remains at Union Cemetery, which accounts for some of their oldest burials prior to the cemetery's establishment. In recent years, remains from the local Potter's Field, a burial space for poor community members, were reinterred at Union Cemetery.
The Carr Memorial John (1738-1807) and Peter (1740-1812)
Carr were brothers from County Down in Ireland, who came to Leesburg with their father around 1750. The brothers served their new country during the Revolutionary War. John served as an ensign in the 1st Virginia Regiment and provided supplies to the Patriot cause. As an ensign, he carried the flag and protected the colors during battles. Peter served as a private in Capt. Henry McCabe's company in Col. Charles Dabney's regiment of the 1st Militia Brigade. Peter also supported the Continental Army providing supplies like beef and a gun. While the gravesites of the brothers have been lost to time, this obelisk memorial was erected in 1899 by a Carr relative to remember and honor their patriotic service.
Eleanor Triplett (b. unknown - 1841)
Although Eleanor’s birthdate is unknown, she provided support to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Like many other women, Eleanor aided soldiers through provisions. Her grave also reflects her position in society. As an ordinary woman who lived here in Loudoun County, Eleanor’s family did not have an ornate headstone made. The marker is not large or intricately carved, contrasting with other stones to highlight the differences in women’s societal status during that time period.
Ann Thomson Mason Chichester (February 26, 1769 - August 16, 1817)
Ann Thomson Mason Chichester belonged to the prominent Mason family. Her father, Thomson Mason, lived at Raspberry Plain and helped draft the Loudoun Resolves, showing support for Boston and the “rights and liberties of North America.” She married Richard McCarty Chichester from Fairfax County, who supported the Patriot cause through provisions of beef. He also provided corn to Lafayette’s troops as they marched to Colchester—a town that no longer exists today. While historic records do not mention much about Ann herself, she lived a life surrounded by Revolutionary ideals.
Historic St James Cemetery – Church St N.E. Leesburg, VA
Episcopalians in Leesburg trace their roots back to the Shelburne Parish, once an Anglican parish. Though Episcopal worship has existed in Leesburg since the early 1700s, the building that once sat on today's Courthouse grounds was not erected until 1812. The historic churchyard is where many parishioners were laid to rest. The cemetery was actively used from 1811-1890. In 2011, a columbarium was added to the cemetery grounds. The cemetery grounds also hold many unmarked graves, likely enslaved and freed men, women, and their children. Today, the St. James' Historic Cemetery Committee works on preservation of the historic cemetery for future generations and remembrance of those buried in the space.
Hugh Douglas (b. 1759 – July 4, 1815)
Born in 1757, Hugh Douglas, the oldest of seven children, lived in Loudoun County. He served his community, his state, and his country throughout his life, first joining the Loudoun County militia. Then, he served as an officer in the 1st Battalion 56th Regiment of the Continental Army. Douglas married his wife, Catherine Naysmythe, in 1790 and they had four children. His military service did not end with the Revolution. He continued to serve during the War of 1812 as brigadier general of the 6th Brigade from Virginia. Beyond his military career, he was also involved in politics, sitting on the Congressional Nomination Committee for Armistead T. Mason in 1815. Douglas owned a large amount of property in Loudoun County and approximately thirty-four enslaved people. He died on July 4, 1815.
Gen. Thomas Parker (b. 1760 - January 24, 1820)
Born around 1760, Thomas Parker lived a life of service to his nation beginning with the Revolutionary War. He joined the Continental Army and climbed the ranks to captain and fought in several major battles: Bunker Hill, Bennington, and Savannah. After an injury, he took a break from service. In 1799, he built the Retreat at Cool Springs in Clarke County. He returned to service in the War of 1812 where he earned the rank of Brigadier General. Parker died on January 24, 1820. As recalled in the local newspaper, Genius of Liberty, Parker’s body was brought to Leesburg on a cold winter day to be buried here next to his daughter, Eliza Opie Parker Mason.
Frances Gibson Reid (b. 1747 - February 22, 1823)
Frances Gibson Reid was born in 1747 in Pennsylvania. She spent her adult life surrounded by Revolutionary War soldiers. Her first husband, Robert Callender, served as a colonel in the Pennsylvania militia before he died as the war was beginning. Later, she married James R. Reid, who served as a captain and lieutenant during the War. After the death of her husbands, she moved to Loudoun County to be with her daughter, Catherine. She was a member of the St. James Episcopal Church.
In conclusion, though no battles of the Revolutionary War were fought in Loudoun County, the residents here contributed to the Revolutionary cause in varied and meaningful ways. These revolutionary stories help paint a portrait of what life was like during the mid to late 18th century, how the war impacted the lives of men and women, and how today we can visit our local cemeteries to learn more about our community in the past. A lot can be learned from a simple walk. Stop at a grave and compare the stone to its neighbor. Notice the similarities and differences. Ask yourself questions: Were these people related? What does their stone’s design say about their class or their culture’s ideas about death? Is this stone worn down from time? Are there any historic markers near the stone? Much can be learned about the people buried from a simple survey of their stone, but the historic record takes us deeper.
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