In February 1773, George Washington was furious. He penned a letter that contained multiple exclamation points to emphasize his displeasure. His anger concerned his recent purchase of a box pew at the church in Alexandria, which is known today as Christ Church Episcopal. From 1767 to1773, the church was built as part of the Fairfax Parish. Washington knew it as the "Church in Alexandria."
Washington was upset because he had received word of a "scheme" to have his money refunded for the purchase of his box pew. The scheme involved refunding the purchasers of the pews and finding an alternative means of raising the funds. On the other end of Washington's frustration was John Dalton. [1]
When Dalton received Washington's letter, he must have understood that refunding the box pew payment had been a bad idea. Ten box pews were sold to "subscribers." They were sold to raise money to pay John Carlyle. The Fairfax Parish vestrymen contracted Carlyle's services to finish constructing the church after the first builder, James Parsons, failed to complete the work. George Washington paid a considerable sum for his pew. He bought pew number five for a price of 36 pounds and 10 shillings, which is roughly $8,600 in 2024. [2]
Despite the high price, Washington did not want his money back. He wanted a pew! Dalton and the other members of the vestry relented. Washington had his pew. People can still see it today in Christ Church Episcopal.
Who was John Dalton?
Dalton was a second generation American. His father settled in Gloucester, Virginia in the late 1600s. Dalton was born on September 2, 1722. At age 22, John Dalton moved to a small tobacco trading post north of Great Hunting Creek. The location was the future site of the upstart port city that would be named Alexandria after the Alexander family. [3]
In 1744, John Dalton went into business with John Carlyle. The firm of Carlyle and Dalton was one of the most prominent of Alexandria's early businesses. The two men were "true merchants" in the sense that they put up their own capital in the exporting of tobacco and importing of additional goods and services. In fact, there is a distinction to be made between merchants that risked their own capital and the "merchants" that were either factors or secondary traders. Carlyle & Dalton's ability to work as exporters and importers of goods and services was significant because it helped loosen the monopoly that London merchants and consigners of tobacco had over the American colonists. [4]
Dalton and Carlyle were in business from 1744 until Dalton's death in 1777. Over that time, they had several high profile clients including George Washington. On July 13, 1749, the city of Alexandria was founded when the sale of 84 half-acre lots formally commenced. Dalton purchased lots 37 and 36. In fact, lot 37 was the first lot purchased. The location is on the northeast corner of N. Fairfax and Cameron Street. [5]
On February 22. 1750, Dalton became one of the City Trustees of Alexandria. Thus, he was an integral member in the development of Alexandria and helped lay the foundation for the city to develop as a thriving port city. [6]
After Dalton's purchase of lot 37, he built a home that still stands to this day. The home has undergone extensive restoration and upgrades from the original wood frame. It now has a brick facade. However, there are visible remnants of the original which exist. Furthermore, the historic location of Wise's Tavern and Kemp's Tavern is also on Dalton's original lot. This is a white four story building that is currently a mixed use residential and commercial property.
John Dalton and George Washington
Like many of the Alexandria founders and trustees, John Dalton had extensive interaction and more than likely a friendship with George Washington. In fact, Dalton's earliest association with George Washington took place during the French and Indian War. Dalton was a Captain in the Fairfax Militia. He served on the frontier in 1756 after the disastrous Braddock Campaign. His service was during a perilous moment on the western frontier of Virginia. Captain Dalton was a reliable militia officer, who helped Washington throughout the tumultuous period. [7]
After the French and Indian War, Alexandria expanded in 1763 with the sale of an additional 58 half acre lots. George Washington purchased two of those lots. One of these lots was a mere two blocks from Dalton's residence and on the southwest side of N. Pitt and Cameron Street. In 1769, Washington began work on his own townhouse. On January 12 of that same year, Washington stayed with Dalton at his home. From Washington's diary dated January 13, he noted that bad weather delayed his return to Mount Vernon until the late afternoon. [8]
During the 1760s, Washington began to conduct more business with the firm of Carlyle and Dalton. His principal source of tobacco sales was the British consigner Robert Cary & Company. However, Washington was frequently frustrated with the system of consignment that existed. This was common among the colonists that relied on British consignment shops. Virginia farmers sent their tobacco to British consigners who would hold their tobacco in warehouses and sell it at market prices. At the same time, the farmers sent them a list of items to purchase from England. As the tobacco was sold, their orders for other goods would also be fulfilled. In many cases, planters were extended generous lines of credit and, thus, went into debt. This happened especially if the market rates for their tobacco were lower than expected. In fact, Washington felt that he was frequently getting less than what he anticipated from the sale of his tobacco. As a result, merchants in Alexandria like Carlyle and Dalton provided a promising means for farmers like Washington to begin shifting their dependence on the British consignment system. However, it should be noted that Carlyle and Dalton, while important in Alexandria, were still very much a "start-up" relative to the powerful British merchants.
Washington, Dalton, and the Church in Alexandria
George Washington was twice elected president of the United States of America. In fact, he remains the only president that was unanimously elected to America's highest executive office. However, twenty-four years before he was first elected president, he was elected to the vestry of Fairfax Parish. In this election held on March 25, 1765, Washington received 274 votes, which placed him fifth in overall votes received. The highest number of votes went to Col. John West. Washington finished behind John Dalton, who received 281 votes. Nevertheless, Washington's time on the Fairfax vestry was short. On July 22, 1765, he was elected to the Truro vestry and served on that vestry at Pohick Church. [9]
Despite not serving on the Fairfax vestry, Washington remained an important member of the Fairfax parish and had a direct influence on the development of the Alexandria church, which is known today as Christ Church Episcopal. Thus, when the controversy over the box pews arose, Washington did not shy away from letting his opinions be known.
Despite the controversy over the box pews, the issue was resolved and the work of the church commenced at the new sanctuary. Dalton continued to serve on the vestry and was involved in the business of the church, which was part of the Church of England. The first rector of the church was Reverend Townshend Dade, Jr. Rev. Dade received an annual salary of 17,280 pounds of tobacco and an additional 2,500 pounds of tobacco for living expenses. [10]
Dalton, the Fairfax Resolves, and the Road to Revolution
One year after the construction of Christ Church, events in the American colonies escalated as the British imposed a series of policies against Massachusetts known as the Coercive or Intolerable Acts. Among the most controversial of these measures included a blockade of Boston harbor. As a result, the politics of Alexandria shifted dramatically against Great Britain. The British had imposed the Coercive Acts in response to the political protest known as the Boston Tea Party, which occurred on December 16, 1773.
Nearly seven months after the Boston Tea Party, citizens of Alexandria and Fairfax County met to propose a series of 24 resolves, which formally protested British treatment of the American colonists. This document is known as the Fairfax Resolves. The Resolves were written by George Mason. At a meeting on July 18, 1774 at the Fairfax Courthouse in Alexandria, George Washington chaired an assembly that passed the Fairfax Resolves. There were 25 signatories. John Dalton was one of them. In addition to Dalton, his business partner, John Carlyle, was also a signatory. Moreover, Reverend Townshend Dade, Jr. was also a signatory. This is noteworthy because Dade was rector of the established church. In his position, he was required to swear allegiance to the British monarch. [11]
As hostilities commenced in 1775, Dalton and Carlyle leveraged their position as town merchants to help procure goods and supplies for the defenses of Alexandria. With over 25 years of experience as merchants in Alexandria, Dalton and his business partner were well positioned to use their network to obtain supplies. Alexandria's strategic location along the Potomac River made it a critical center for supplies and logistics throughout multiple wars in America to include the Revolutionary War.
Captain Dalton was also involved in the creation of the Fairfax County Committee of Safety and the Fairfax County Committee of Correspondence. In both roles, Dalton helped provide for the defenses of Alexandria during the early years of the Revolutionary War until his death on July 21, 1777. [12]
John Dalton's Legacy
John Dalton had two daughters, Betsy and Jenny. His daughter, Jenny, married William Herbert. When Dalton died in 1777, he left his homes and extensive land holdings to his two daughters. Furthermore, the executors of his estate were his old business partner, John Carlyle, along with William and Dennis Ramsay. When Dalton died, he also had a large collection of fine furniture and books on top of his real estate holdings. [13]
Perhaps one of the more notable descendants of John Dalton was Ann Pamela Cunningham. Cunningham was the founder of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA). She created the organization that single handedly saved George Washington's Mount Vernon. According to Mount Vernon's website, "she established one of the earliest preservation and heritage organizations in the United States." Cunningham was the great-granddaughter of John Dalton. Her story is remarkable and worthy of a separate article entirely. However, it is a testament to Dalton's posterity that they felt a strong urge and motivation to save the home of Dalton's neighbor, business associate, and friend, George Washington. [14][15]
As we celebrate and recognize the milestone of the Fairfax Resolves, signed July 18, 1774, Dalton is an important and significant man to honor as one of the 25 signatories. He boldly signed his name on a document that put in motion the wheels of American independence. He should be celebrated not only as an integral founder of Alexandria but as an American patriot.
Works Cited
[1] “From George Washington to John Dalton, 15 February 1773,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-09-02-0137.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Notes prepared by the History Committee of the Alexandria Bicentennial. Alexandria
Library Local History/ Special Collections, Vertical File.
[4] Preisser, Thomas M., "Eighteenth-century Alexandria, Virginia, before the Revolution, 1749-1776" (1977). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539623705. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-9jf6-s176
[5] Notes prepared by the History Committee of the Alexandria Bicentennial. Alexandria
Library Local History/ Special Collections, Vertical File.
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Memorandum respecting the Militia, 1–2 May 1756,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-03-02-0061.
[8] “[Diary entry: 13 January 1769],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/01-02-02-0004-0001-0013.
[9] “Vestry Elections in Truro and Fairfax Parishes, 25–28 March 1765,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-07-02-0226.
[10] Historic Christ Church: A History. The Christ Church Gift Shop, 3rd Edition, 2014.
[11] “Fairfax County Resolves, 18 July 1774,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-10-02-0080.
[12] Notes prepared by the History Committee of the Alexandria Bicentennial. Alexandria
Library Local History/ Special Collections, Vertical File.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ann Pamela Cunningham. Mount Vernon article.
[15] Encyclopedia of Virginia. "Ann Pamela Cunningham (August 15, 1816- May 1, 1875)" entry