Dr. Elisha C. Dick and The Fawcett House
[507 Prince Street. Owners: The Fawcett Family.]
The dashing Dr. Dick first appeared in Alexandria fresh from the
tutelage of Drs. Benjamin Rush and William Shippen of Philadelphia. He
was just twenty-one and of a figure to set feminine hearts aflutter;
five feet ten inches, of commanding presence, very handsome, "playing
with much skill upon several musical instruments" and singing in a sweet
voice of great power; skilled and learned in his profession, "a strong
and cultivated intellect," a genial spirit, witty and charming.[141]
The son of Major Archibald Dick (Deputy Quartermaster General in the
Revolutionary Army in 1779) and his wife, Mary Barnard, Elisha Cullen
Dick was born on March 15, 1762, at his father's estate near Marcus
Hook, in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
His primary education was gained at the Philadelphia Academy, in the
home of the Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., at Pegnea, and in his father's
home, tutored by the Rev. Samuel Armor. In 1780 he began the study of
medicine, graduating on March 21, 1782. Two days later he lost his
father and came into his inheritance of half the estate. A year later he
disposed of his Pennsylvania interest to Isaac Dutton and started for
Charleston, South Carolina, with the expectation of settling there.
[Illustration: Floor plan of house]
Armed with letters of introduction to General Washington, Colonel
Fitzgerald, and Colonel Lyles, he stopped en route in Alexandria "to
call upon a female relative" and to present his letters. He got no
farther. "Influential persons" caused him to abandon his plans and
remain in Alexandria, where the recent death of old Dr. Rumney left an
opening which Dr. Dick filled for better than forty years. Alas, for the
belles of Alexandria! In October 1783, Dr. Dick married Miss Hannah
Harmon, the daughter of Jacob and Sarah Harmon of Darby in Chester
County, Pennsylvania.
Two years after beginning his professional life in Alexandria, he pulled
a tooth for one of the Mount Vernon house servants, and the following
entry taken from Washington's diary for February 6, 1785, tells the
results which do not seem to have been entirely satisfactory:
Sunday, 6th, Doctr. Brown was sent for to Frank (Waiter in the
house), who had been seized in the night with a bleeding of the mouth
from an orifice made by a Doctr. Dick, who some days before attempted
in vain to extract a broken tooth, and coming about 11 o'clock stayed
to Dinner and returned afterwards.[142]
So far as Washington's diaries show, Dr. Dick never crossed the
threshold of Mount Vernon again until fourteen years later on a raw,
cold day in December when the snow lay thick on the ground, he was sent
for by Dr. Craik to attend Washington in his last illness. It was Dr.
Dick who advised against additional bleeding and it was he, who, when
Washington's last breath escaped, walked to the mantel and stopped the
hands of the clock. This clock, with arrested hands, stands today in the
George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria.
On March 28, 1788, Dr. Dick was offering a reward of eight dollars for a
runaway servant:
I will give the above to any person who will secure in Alexandria
Gaol a Negro fellow named Ned, who ran away from me about three weeks
ago. He is between thirty and forty years of age, about 5 feet 7 or 8
inches high and was formerly the property of Mrs. Clifford of whom I
bought him. Having a wife in Maryland, belonging to Mr. Samuel H.
Bean, I imagine Ned will be inclined to make a nightly resort to her
quarters. His winter clothes were made of a mixed cloth of a gray
color and it is probable he will be found with a soldier's old
napsack upon his back in which he carries his provisions.
Dr. Dick was one of the founders of the Alexandria Masonic lodge, to
which Washington belonged. In 1791 he was Worshipful Master when the
cornerstone of the District of Columbia was laid. Arm in arm with the
President of the United States, who acted as Master, Dr. Dick led the
procession with George Washington in 1793 at the laying of the
cornerstone of the Capitol. This same year, as Master of the lodge, he
solicited the President to "set" for the portrait by William Williams,
which still graces the lodge room. In 1794 he commanded a company of
cavalry raised in Alexandria and under "Light Horse Harry" Lee marched
into Pennsylvania to help quell the famous Whiskey Rebellion. In 1795 he
was superintendent of quarantine, an office he held for many years. In
1798 he was appointed coroner; in 1802, justice of the peace.
Dr. Dick amassed a great deal of property and was constantly buying and
selling land, houses, ships, and so on. In April 1797 he disposed of the
brig _Julia_ to Robert Mease for ten thousand dollars, "with all her
rigging and materials, together with the cargo of flour and corn now on
board as she lies at Ramsay's Wharf in the Port of Alexandria."[143]
Two letters to the governor, written during his service as quarantine
officer reveal the fact that he was alert to his responsibilities and
give some idea of how grave they were:
Alexandria 4th Sept, 1795
Hon Robert Brooke
Sir:
Having received from various persons pretty certain information that
a malignant fever is now prevalent in the town of Norfolk, I take the
liberty of soliciting your instructions with regard to the propriety
of interrupting the intercourse by water between that place and this.
The inhabitants of Alexa. discover considerable signs of
apprehension, and the corporation have entered into some temporary
arrangements until more permanent ones can be obtained.
I have not yet received a compensation for the last year on account
of my services as Superintendent of quarantine. Such sum as you may
think me entitled to for last year as well as the percent you will
oblige me by placing in the hands of Mr. Thomas Majore [?] subject to
the order of Mr. Charles Turner of this place.
I am with great regard
Your Excellys
Obed Servt
ELISHA C. DICK
* * * * *
Alexander, 24th July 1800
Hon James Monroe
Sir:
The Ship Two Brothers on her voyage from New Orleans to this point
having put into Charleston S.C. there contracted the yellow fever or
some other infectious disease, by which two of her crew have died.
Exercising a discretionary power given by the quarantine laws to the
Superintendant, I have caused this ship to commence her quarantine
near this place between Rozins Bluff and Jones Point. As the removal
of vessels from this port to the mouth of Elizabeth River has been
found to be attended with considerable inconvenience, the Executors
have hitherto authorized me to use the situation above mentioned as
the anchorage ground for all vessels bound here. I shall thank you
sir for such instruction as you may deem it advisable to communicate
on this subject, as well with regard to my present and future
government.
I have the honor to be with the highest regard
Your obed. servt.
ELISHA C. DICK
Superintend. of quar.
Port of Alexa.
In 1801 Dr. Dick was declared bankrupt, but in 1811 he was setting free
his Negro slave, Nancy, aged about forty. During these years he tended
the sick (a bill for sixty-five dollars was tendered to John Harper's
widow in 1804), fought the plague and fever, epidemics, and prescribed
for his friends with time out for a song or a sketch. His copy of James
Sharples' George Washington, now in the Mount Vernon collection, is a
competent, artistic portrait. He was fond of good food, good talk,
people and music. His genial spirit and charming wit graced many a
festive board, and that he was hospitable as well needs no further proof
than the following invitation:
If you can eat a good fat duck, come up with us and take pot luck. Of
white backs we have got a pair, so plump, so sound, so fat, so fair,
a London Alderman would fight, through pies and tarts to get one
bite. Moreover we have beef or pork, that you may use your knife and
fork. Come up precisely at two o'clock, the door shall open to your
knock. The day 'tho wet, the streets 'tho muddy, to keep out the cold
we'll have some toddy. And if perchance, you should get sick, you'll
have at hand, Yours,
E.C. DICK[144].
Surely this friendly medical advice is well worth including in any
sketch of Dr. Dick. A mature physician, he wrote to James H. Hooe:
Alexandria 20 of 2nd Month 1815
Respected friend:
I am in great hopes that the instructions I shall be able to give
thee with regard to the general treatment of the prevailing disease,
will be found on trial to be so far successful as to quiet in a good
measure thy present apprehensions. Having received applications by
letter from several physicians at a distance requesting information
as to the character of the disease and the plan of treatment
possessed by myself, I have thrown together a few practical remarks,
which I shall here transcribe, and then add such other observations
as may seem more especially necessary for thee in the present
emergency.
The disease usually commences with a chill, succeeded by fever and
accompanied either in the beginning or at a subsequent stage with
pain in the head back breast or sides, and sometimes with an
affection of the throat.
Though it is a disease attended sometimes if not generally with signs
of local inflammation, yet owing to some peculiar affection or
tendency of the nervous system, blood letting is in my opinion
inadmissible. Of those who have been bled it has appeared that they
either die or have tedious recoveries.
The disease is frequently though not always of a bilious
character--that is an abundance of bile is found floating in the
stomach or intestines. There seems to be neither torpor nor
enlargement of the liver which have characterized the diseases of
this country for 21 years past; hence culomel especially in the
beginning has been avoided.
Emetics, if employed at all, (and in some cases they may be
necessary) should not be given till the intestines have been well
evacuated. The leading curative indication is purging, for which
purpose Glaubers Salt has been preferred as acting upon the bowels
with most ease and certainty. The purging process to be diligently
persisted in, day and night or day after day according to the force
and duration of the disease.
Warm, stimulating drinks such as toddy, made of whiskey, is
frequently, though not in every case, indispensible. This stimulus,
is to be resorted to whenever there are signs of prostration of body
or mind, both in the beginning and after stages of the disease.
Excessive pain in the trunk may be generally mitigated in every stage
of the disease by anodyne injections; for an adult two or three
teaspoonsful of laudunum with a half pint of warm water. A beneficial
persperation often follows this exhibition. Spontaneous sweats are
commonly useful, but I have not found them critical.
Blisters may be employed for the mitigation of pain, and perhaps
ought not to be omitted when ... is either fever [?] is obstinate,
but I have not found them in this disease to evidence their usually
efficacy.
If the disease be attended with sore throat, swelling of the tonsils
or palate, stricture of the trachea, with or without external
swelling, a gargle of warm strong toddy, in the water of which has
been boiled a pod of red pepper, will it is believed from past
experience, be found uniformly and promptly effectual even in cases
when suffacation seems immediately threatened. When this affection
has existed to any considerable extent, I have generally with the use
of the gargle also applied a blister around the throat.
In order that thou may not easily be discouraged in the prosecution
of the purging plan, it is necessary to inform thee that I often find
it expedient to give 3 to 6 ounces of salts in 24 hours. I usually
divide 2 ounces into three portions giving one every two hours
dissolved in a teacupful thin gruel. When the bowels are brought
readily and freely into operation I have little difficulty in the
management of the case--but I never discontinue the process till all
fever and pain have subsided. Sometimes when the salts appear to be
in operation I interpose with 60 or 70 grains of the cathartic powder
repeated at intervals of two or three hours. When there is a
despression of the pulse and something of coldness of the
extremities, especially of the feet, I use with advantage mustard
plaster to the feet, to which in such cases may be added with
advantage hot bricks or bottles of hot water to various parts of the
body.
There is one thing which particularly deserves thy notice and that is
that this disease is in a majority of instances I believe preceeded
by certain premonitory signs; such as flying pains about the chest or
some other part, head ache, etc. A reasonable resort under such
circumstances to one or two cathartics will pretty certainly avert a
more serious attack.
I have directed Archy to forward thee a supply of salts and cathartic
powder and I feel a persuasion that by the aid of the foregoing
observations thou wilt be able to manage this disease to thy
satisfaction. It indeed may be not expected that none should die of
so formidible an epidemic, but I think I can with truth state to
thee, that under this treatment 19/20s of those who fall under my
care recover.
With regard to thy wife's present situation, I think it would be
advisable for her to take occasionally a gentle laxative, and for
that purpose I send a package or two of my saline purgative powders.
Let her take one in a cup of gruel and repeat it as may be necessary.
Hoping that thou may be at least as successful as I have been in thy
future management of this complaint, and that thy family may furnish
no more victims is the sincere wish of
Thy friend
ELISHA C. DICK
Tobacco 1
Magnesia 1.50
Newspaper 7
Ginger Cake 12
Tavern 1.50
Turnpike 18
4.37
Tablespoon vingar with 10 gns of salts of Tartar in teacup swallowed
in effervescent state--slight sweat.
[Illustration: The Fawcett House where Dr. Dick lived]
Dr. and Mrs. Dick were the parents of two children, Julia and Archibald.
Julia married Gideon Pearce of Maryland and their son, James Alfred
Pearce, became a United States senator from Maryland.
Dr. Dick, who began life as an Episcopalian, became a Quaker and Mrs.
Dick became an Episcopalian. His dueling pistols are among the curios in
the Masonic museum, but if he ever used them, it is not known in
Alexandria.
Writing to her son, Smith Lee, April 10, 1827, Mrs. R.E. Lee commented:
"Poor Alexandria has suffered much by fire this winter. Mr. Dulaney will
give you the particulars, it has lost some of its old inhabitants too.
Capt. Dangerfield, Mr. Irvin, dear Dr. Dick, and Sam Thompson ..."[145]
Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick rests in the Friends burial ground in an unmarked
grave, but his spirit hallows several houses in Alexandria. With such a
wealth of dwellings to choose, it has been difficult to settle Dr. Dick
for long; nor really does he want to be settled. He was full of
surprises during life, and it will be another to most Alexandrians when
we place him in the old clapboard house known for better than a century
as "the Fawcett house."
On December 20, 1774, John Alexander sold to Patrick Murry a certain lot
or half acre of land situated and adjoining the west side of a lot or
half acre of land lying in the town of Alexandria and represented by lot
No. 112. This lot, lying on the north side of Prince Street, between
Pitt and St. Asaph Streets, was described as: "Beginning on the
Southwest corner of the said lott No. 112 and running thence with it to
the Northwest corner thereof 176 feet 7 inches, thence Westerly with a
line at right angles with the last 123 feet 5 inches thence Southerly
with a line parallel to the first one and of the same extent thence
Easterly with a straight line to the beginning."[146]
There was a ground rent upon this property every year forever of L13
5_s._, and the provisions that Patrick Murry or his heirs should build
within the space of two years from the date of purchase a brick, stone
or wooden house, twenty feet square, to cover four hundred square feet,
with a brick or stone chimney or chimneys. At the same time John
Alexander bound himself to lay out and keep free forever a street
sixty-six feet wide binding on the west side of the granted lot or half
acre of land, by the name of St. Asaph Street: "Beginning at a straight
line produced and extended from the termination of Cameron Street in the
said town of Alexandria until it extends sixty-six feet to a direct line
to the Westward beyond the breadth of the other lott or half acre of
land, thence Southerly and parallel to Pitt Street in the said town,
until it intersects a street of the same width called Wilkes Street
..."[147]
Patrick Murry built and resided in this completely charming clapboard
house until the year 1786, when the wheels of fortune forced him to
dispose of all houses, yards, gardens, ways, advantages, and so on, to
Ann English and William McKenzey, executors of Samuel English to secure
the payments of the sum of L348, Virginia currency, with interest from
August 22, 1775. Alas, for compound interest! Ann English and her
husband, James Currie, did convey and sell the lot with all improvements
unto Elisha Cullen Dick on April 15, 1794. Two years later Dr. Dick and
his wife, Hannah, disposed of the house and grounds to John Thomas
Ricketts and William Newton for and in consideration of L1000 current
money.
[Illustration: Patrick Murray's parlor. The picture over the mantel is
needleworked, a polite accomplishment taught to females and the product
of the gentle hands of a Fawcett ancestor]
On July 2, 1806, William Newton and wife conveyed the property
"including all that framed dwelling house lately occupied by the said
William Newton" for the sum of four thousand dollars to William
Smith;[148] thence again in 1816 the Smiths, William and Margaret,
disposed of the frame dwelling house for three thousand dollars to John
D. Brown.
The descendants of John Douglas Brown have occupied the home for the
past one hundred and thirty-three years. His great-grandchildren, the
Fawcett family, are the present owners of the house. The Fawcett house
has been little changed, and is kept in excellent repair. The woodwork
in the drawing room is true to the period; that throughout the house is
quaint and interesting. In the great room the fire breast is outlined
with a dog-eared mold. The mantelshelf, attached without brackets, has a
punch-work motif. The heavy raised panels on each side of the chimney,
and the paneled closets enclose the entire west wall.
[Illustration: Dear Dr. Dick. By Saint Memin.
(_Courtesy Corcoran Gallery of Art_)]
There are many levels, and the house goes back in a surprising brick ell
that is not seen from the street. The exterior presents the appearance
of a story-and-a-half cottage. Two windows, with their uncommon blinds,
break the wood-shingled roof. The blinds' slats are wide and heavy, and
the shutters are held in place when opened by the traditional molded
iron holdbacks. The east gable end of the house is shiplap. From this
side projects the entrance porch, added about 1816, and protected by
"jalousies."
Portraits, old silver, glass, and china, prints and mahogany, with great
grandmama's best brocade dresses, are the fruits of more than a century
of the family's inheritance. The picture over the mantel is done in
embroidery--the product of one of the Fawcett ancestors, worked in 1814,
while a pupil at one of Alexandria's schools where young ladies were
taught the fine arts, and the curriculum included every form of
needlework.
[Illustration: Benjamin Dulany's Town House]
[Illustration]