Where History Rests: The Grave of Philip Richard Fendall, Sr.
February 17 @ 7:00 pm
Where is Philip Richard Fendall I buried? For over two centuries, the answer remained uncertain. In 2023, public historian David Heiby began unraveling the mystery after discovering contradictory records about Fendall’s burial. With help from Ivy Hill’s archives and a ground-penetrating radar study conducted on site, the evidence now points to Section B, Lot 1.
In this February program, David will share how a long-vanished family cemetery, shifting transportation routes, and mid-20th-century redevelopment all contributed to the displacement—and eventual rediscovery—of the Fendall burials.
Join us at Ivy Hill for a compelling exploration of history, archaeology, and the preservation of Alexandria’s past.
David Heiby is a public historian and founder of Gravestone Stories, a digital archive and tour program that reaches thousands of readers, researchers, and visitors each year. His website—featuring interactive maps, hundreds of documented biographies, and a four-century historical timeline—has become one of Alexandria’s most trusted resources for original historical research.
As Superintendent of the historic Presbyterian Cemetery, David has devoted more than a decade to uncovering overlooked chapters of Alexandria’s past—from Revolutionary-era figures to Civil War soldiers, frontier families, Cold War espionage cases, and the everyday Alexandrians who shaped the nation. His research led to the rediscovery of Col. George Gilpin, George Washington’s lost pallbearer, and the identification of Philip Richard Fendall I’s long-unrecognized grave at Ivy Hill Cemetery.
David also serves as Treasurer of the Alexandria Historical Society, Treasurer of the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation, and as a member of Alexandria’s America250 Committee.
