David Arell Explained
David Arell (–) was a Revolutionary War officer, politician, and judge.[1] [2] [3] Arell served as mayor of Alexandria in 1786 and was a longtime acquaintance and personal attorney of George Washington.[4] [5]
Early life and family
David Arell was born around 1750 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Richard Arell (a merchant).[6] [7] By the early 1770s, Arell's family had moved to Alexandria.[8] He became acquainted with George Washington as early at April 1773, and is included in his diary entries.[9] [10]
On May 12, 1785, Arell married Phoebe Caverly in Fairfax County, Virginia. They had two children, Richard and Christina. In 1790, Arell petitioned for a divorce from his wife due to her alleged infidelity, with court documents referring to her as "practically a prostitute."[11]
American Revolutionary War
During the American Revolution, Arell served as a lieutenant and later captain of Company No. 2 in the 3rd Virginia Regiment, Alexandria's "Independent Blues" militia.[12] [13] He resigned from the army in February 1778 to return to his law practice.
Career
Arell practiced law in Alexandria.[14] He also served as justice of the Hustings Court.[15] [16] [17] Arell was active in real estate and had several property and land holdings in Alexandria and Fredericksburg. Arell was granted 4,000 acres of land by the Virginia General Assembly.
In 1780, George Washington sought Arell's advice and legal representation during a legal dispute.[18] In the same year, Arell was selected as one of the first trustees and council members of Alexandria.[19] [20] Additionally, in the early 1780s, Arell helped to raise funds to support Washington College.
Beginning in April 1786, Arell briefly served as the mayor of Alexandria following the death of incumbent mayor James Kirk.[21] He was also an active member of the Masonic lodge in Alexandria (now Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22}.
Death and legacy
Arell died around 1793. He is buried at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria.
Arell's Alexandria home is located at 219 South Lee Street.[22] "Arell Court" is a street in Alexandria.
Notes and References
- Book: Allen, T. . Resolutions, Laws, and Ordinances, Relating to the Pay, Half Pay, Commutation of Half Pay, Bounty Lands, and Other Promises Made by Congress to the Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution: To the Settlement of the Accounts Between the United States and the Several States; and to Funding the Revolutionary Debt . 1838 . United States Congress . en.
- Book: Burgess, Louis Alexander . Virginia Soldiers of 1776 . 1973 . Reprint Company . 978-0-8063-0529-5 . en.
- Book: The Lodge of Washington: A History of the Alexandria Washington Lodge, No. 22, A.F. and A.M. of Alexandria, Va. 1783-1876 . 2001 . Willow Bend Books . 978-1-58549-673-0 . en.
- Book: Callahan, Charles H. . Washington, the Man and the Mason . 1915 . Press of Gibson Bros. . en.
- Web site: Founders Online: From George Washington to David Arell, 12 January 1780 . 2023-02-07 . founders.archives.gov . en.
- Book: Artisans and Merchants of Alexandria, Virginia, 1780-1820: A-M . 1991 . Heritage Books . 978-1-55613-389-3 . en.
- Book: Brockett . Franklin Longdon . A Concise History of the City of Alexandria, Va: From 1669 to 1883, with a Directory of Reliable Business Houses in the City . Rock . George W. . 1883 . Printed at the Gazette Book and Job office . en.
- Web site: David Arell b. Abt 1750 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania d. 17 Apr 1792 Alexandria, Virginia - probate: Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties . 2023-02-07 . www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us.
- Web site: Founders Online: [April 1773] ]. 2023-02-07 . founders.archives.gov . en.
- Web site: Founders Online: [Diary entry: 20 April 1773] ]. 2023-02-07 . founders.archives.gov . en.
- Book: Bottoms, D. . A Calendar of Legislative Petitions: Arranged by Counties: Accomac-Bedford . 1908 . en.
- Book: Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution . 1905 . Daughters of the American Revolution . en.
- Book: Russell . Thomas Triplett . Fauquier County in the Revolution . Gott . John Kenneth . 2009 . Heritage Books . 978-1-888265-60-6 . en.
- Web site: Founders Online: To George Washington from William Smith, 13 August 1784 . 2023-02-07 . founders.archives.gov . en.
- Book: Index, The Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 . 1978 . National Archives . en.
- Book: Waldeck . Ruby . The Fairfax County Courthouse . Netherton . Ross De Witt . 2022-09-04 . DigiCat . en.
- Horrell, Joseph. “George Mason and the Fairfax Court.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 91, no. 4, 1983, pp. 418–39. JSTOR, . Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.
- Web site: Founders Online: From George Washington to Benjamin Moody, 12 January 1780 . 2023-02-07 . founders.archives.gov . en.
- Book: The Charter and Laws, of the City of Alexandria, Va: And an Historical Sketch of Its Government . 1874 . Alexandria City Council . en.
- Book: The American museum or repository of ancient and modern fugitive pieces, prose and poetical . 1787 . en.
- Book: Headley, Robert Kirk . Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-century Virginia Newspapers . 1987 . Genealogical Publishing Com . 978-0-8063-1199-9 . en.
- Web site: Dahmann . Donald C. . Historic Walking Tour of Early Alexandria .
