Rose Hill, Daniel French

The community of Rose Hill, was once an 18th- century plantation owned by a man named Daniel French. Daniel French was a Truro Parish Vestryman who greatly contributed to the building of Pohick Church. French began constructing the church in 1769 but died before it was completed in 1774. Located in Lorton, Virginia off the Richmond Highway, the church still stands. Pohick church was often referred to as the “Mother Church of Northern Virginia.” 

French’s father, also named Daniel, bought the 903 acres that eventually became Rose Hill. French Inherited his father’s land when he died in 1736. He married a woman named Penelope Manley in 1755 and together had one daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth would inherit Rose Hill after her mother’s death in 1799. When French died in 1771, he was buried at Rose Hill but was moved to Pohick Church in 1954 after the farm was sold for development. Elizabeth French, married Benjamin Dulaney of Shooter’s Hill, in Alexandria. Elizabeth's parents did not approve the marriage and according to the Rose Hill Civic Association, she married Dulaney by sneaking out her dressing room window. They had 12 children. 

I looked through Daniel French' ledger which gave me a better understanding of how he lived. the ledger offers a glimpse into his day to day life. I observed his purchases over the span of 10 years. He opened his account on May 1st 1759, purchasing 1 silk handkerchief. On May 24th 1756 he bought a pair of kids gloves for his 8 year old daughter. Osnaburg, A course fabric was purchased in large quantities. Osnaburg was most often used as slave garments. There is evidence that French's wife also used his account based on the purchases made on Sept 14th 1765:

After The Dulaney’s sold Rose Hill in the early 1800s, the property passed through numerous owners from 1810 to 1868. The house was advertised in the Alexandria Gazette. The Alexandria Gazette provided a detailed description of the house in an advertisement published in 1814, "Henry Toler as for Rose Hill. 350 acres with very strong framed two story dwelling with four rooms and a passage on each floor, two rooms in the garrett, two in the cellar. Well underpinned with brick. Two brick chimneys and fireplaces…other useful houses, large garden, very good kitchen and laundry with two brick chimneys. With a remarkable healthfulness and beauty and a fine distant prospect of the Potomac, it charms all those who reside in it. Sale on Dec. 15th." Alexandria Gazette, November 23, 1814. In 1895, The original frame of the house was burned down by an overheated chimney. The last owner of the property was a man named Robert L. May.

Choma, James . Elizabeth Rozer (French) Dulany (1757 - abt. 1822), WikiTree. October 13th 2014. Accessed March 30th 2022. https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10109-54775568/elizabeth-dulany-born-french-in-wikitree?indId=externalindividual-46a1f31c27083216076b9d1574de677a&mrid=3ce253e63188d9465494e37d61f0c469. 

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Meyer, Joseph. Pohick Church , George Washington's Mount Vernon. Accessed April 19th 2022. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/pohick-church/. 

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Ronaldi, Lynn. About Pohick Episcopal Church, Pohick Episcopal Church . Accessed April 19th 2022. https://pohick.org/about/. 

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Sell, Carl. Rose Hill Farm - The Early Days, Rose Hill Civic Association . Accessed April 11th 2022. https://rosehillcivicassociation.snappages.site/rose-hill-farm-the-early-days.

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