In Alexandria, Virginia, there is a mysterious grave that has puzzled people for over 200 years. This grave, located in the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Cemetery, belongs to a woman known only as the “Female Stranger.” Her true identity has never been revealed, making it one of the most enduring mysteries in Virginia’s history.
A Mysterious Arrival
The story begins in 1816 when a young couple arrived in Alexandria by ship. They checked into Gadsby’s Tavern, a popular inn at the time. The woman was gravely ill, and her husband quickly hired a local doctor. However, the doctor was told not to ask any questions about who they were. The woman’s health rapidly declined, and on October 14, 1816, she passed away at the young age of 23.
A Secret Kept Forever
Before her death, the woman made those attending to her swear never to reveal her identity. Her husband borrowed money from a local businessman to bury her, but the note he used to repay the loan turned out to be a forgery from the Bank of England. After the woman’s burial, the husband disappeared, and her identity remained a secret, never to be known.