David Arell
Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia
In office
April 1786 – 1786
Preceded byJames Kirk
Succeeded byJohn Fitzgerald
Personal details
Bornc. 1750
Pennsylvania
British America
Diedc. 1792
(aged 41–42)
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
SpousePhoebe Caverly
Children2
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service Continental Army
Years of service1775–1778
RankCaptain

David Arell (c. 1750 – c. 1792) 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.[8] 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.[8][1]

Career

Arell was a prominent attorney and practiced law in the city for several years.[14] He also served as justice of the regional Hustings Court.[15][16][17] Arell was active in real estate and had several property and land holdings in Alexandria and Fredericksburg.[8] Arell was granted 4,000 acres of land by the Virginia General Assembly.[1]

In 1780, George Washington sought Arell's advice and legal representation during a legal dispute.[5][18] In the same year, Arell was selected as one of the first trustees and council members of Alexandria.[19][20]

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 Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22.[8][4][3]

In the 1780s and 1790s, Arell helped to raise funds to support Washington College.[14]

Death and legacy

Arell died around 1792.[14] He is buried at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria. Arell is listed as a qualifying ancestor by the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution.[12]

Arell's Alexandria home at 219 South Lee Street is included in historic walking tours of the city.[22] "Arell Court" is a street in Alexandria.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Allen, T. (1838). 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. United States Congress.
  2. ↑ Burgess, Louis Alexander (1973). Virginia Soldiers of 1776. Reprint Company. ISBN 978-0-8063-0529-5.
  3. 1 2 The Lodge of Washington: A History of the Alexandria Washington Lodge, No. 22, A.F. and A.M. of Alexandria, Va. 1783-1876. Willow Bend Books. 2001. ISBN 978-1-58549-673-0.
  4. 1 2 Callahan, Charles H. (1915). Washington, the Man and the Mason. Press of Gibson Bros.
  5. 1 2 "Founders Online: From George Washington to David Arell, 12 January 1780". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  6. ↑ Artisans and Merchants of Alexandria, Virginia, 1780-1820: A-M. Heritage Books. 1991. ISBN 978-1-55613-389-3.
  7. ↑ Brockett, Franklin Longdon; Rock, George W. (1883). A Concise History of the City of Alexandria, Va: From 1669 to 1883, with a Directory of Reliable Business Houses in the City. Printed at the Gazette Book and Job office.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "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". www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  9. ↑ "Founders Online: [April 1773]". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  10. ↑ "Founders Online: [Diary entry: 20 April 1773]". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  11. ↑ Bottoms, D. (1908). A Calendar of Legislative Petitions: Arranged by Counties: Accomac-Bedford.
  12. 1 2 Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Daughters of the American Revolution. 1905.
  13. ↑ Russell, Thomas Triplett; Gott, John Kenneth (2009). Fauquier County in the Revolution. Heritage Books. ISBN 978-1-888265-60-6.
  14. 1 2 3 "Founders Online: To George Washington from William Smith, 13 August 1784". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  15. ↑ Index, The Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. National Archives. 1978.
  16. ↑ Waldeck, Ruby; Netherton, Ross De Witt (2022-09-04). The Fairfax County Courthouse. DigiCat.
  17. ↑ Horrell, Joseph. “George Mason and the Fairfax Court.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 91, no. 4, 1983, pp. 418–39. JSTOR, JSTOR 4248666. Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.
  18. ↑ "Founders Online: From George Washington to Benjamin Moody, 12 January 1780". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  19. ↑ The Charter and Laws, of the City of Alexandria, Va: And an Historical Sketch of Its Government. Alexandria City Council. 1874.
  20. ↑ The American museum or repository of ancient and modern fugitive pieces, prose and poetical. 1787.
  21. ↑ Headley, Robert Kirk (1987). Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-century Virginia Newspapers. Genealogical Publishing Com. ISBN 978-0-8063-1199-9.
  22. ↑ Dahmann, Donald C. "Historic Walking Tour of Early Alexandria" (PDF).
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