Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery
Saint Mary's Catholic Church was established in 1795 and is the oldest Catholic parish in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Saint Mary's Cemetery is likewise the oldest public Catholic Cemetery in Virginia and the oldest active cemetery in Alexandria. The cemetery dates to 1795, and parish records indicate that William Thorton Alexander deeded the land to Saint Mary's in 1803. Construction of Saint Mary's Church, originally a chapel located within the existing Cemetery, was funded through a subscription undertaken by Colonel John Fitzgerald. Colonel Fitzgerald emigrated from Ireland and achieved prominence at a time when Catholicism was neither prevalent nor widely regarded in the Commonwealth, managing a mercantile business in Alexandria and becoming a major in the 3rd Virginia Regiment in 1776 during the American Revolution. He joined General George Washington's staff as Aide de Camp in November 1776, was on the battlefield at Princeton, New Jersey, on January 3, 1777, when American forces defeated the British army, encamped at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in December 1777, and was wounded in the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse,
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In this Cemetery rest the earthly remains of Patriots in the Revolutionary War who fought for the cause of Liberty.
Francis Ignatius Hagen, 3d Virginia Regiment, enlisted 1777; born about 1754; died December 15, 1830 • Lawrence Hurdle, Private, Maryland Line; 1776-1782; born about 1750; died December 1, 1848 • Pierre La Croix, served in French and Indian War and American Revolution; born about 1742; died September 22, 1830 • Francis Murphy, Pennsylvania Militia; enlisted 1777; born about 1763; died on June 30, 1837 • John Riordan, 3d New Jersey Regiment; enlisted 1778; born about 1763; died October 10, 1803
and
The George Washington Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution
dedicate this marker as a memorial to these Patriots.
2015
Erected 2015 by Saint Mary's Catholic Church and the students of Saint Mary's Catholic School and The George Washington Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Patriots & Patriotism • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is January 3, 1777.
Location. 38° 47.679′ N, 77° 2.905′ W. Memorial is in Alexandria, Virginia. It is in Old Town. It is on Church Street east of South Washington Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 931 S St Asaph St, Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Original Saint Mary's Church (here, next to this marker); The Basilica of Saint Mary (within shouting distance of this marker); First Catholic Church in Virginia (within shouting distance of this marker); Graves Under South Washington Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Freedmen’s Cemetery (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial (about 300 feet away); Former USCT Burial Ground (about 300 feet away); Graves (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 13, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
