Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia Genealogy

United States &gt; Virginia &gt; Alexandria, Virginia

History and Tidbits
From Wikipedia: Alexandria was not incorporated until 1779.
 * First settlement established in 1695. Named for Capt. Philip Alexander.


 * In 1755, General Edward Braddock organized his fatal expediation against Fort Duquesne (near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) at Carlyle House.


 * April 1755, the governors of Virginia, and the Provinces of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York met to determine concerted action against the French in America.


 * 1791, Alexandria was included in an area chosen by George Washington to become the District of Columbia. Alexandria along with Arlington County were retroceded back to Virginia in 1846.


 * City of Alexandria was re-chartered in 1852.


 * 1828-1836, Alexandria was home to the Franklin & Armfield slave market.


 * During the Civil War, the slave pen owned by Price, Birch & Co. became a jail under Union occupation.


 * Alexandria was occupied by the Federal troops at the start of the Civil War and remained occupied until the end of the war.


 * 1863 (when West Virginia was divided from Virginia) until end of the Civil War, Alexandria was the seat of the Restored Government of Virginia.


 * 1870, the City of Alexandria became independent of Alexandria County. The rest of Alexandria County became Arlington County in 1920, ending years of confusion.