embered for his friendship and association with Washington. His tomb
was not originally placed at Pohick. It stood for many years in the
private graveyard at Preston, now the site of the Potomac railroad
yards, and was removed when that vandal of our port, "Progress" claimed
the site.

Let us trace the worn letters on the old stone:

In Memory of/William Brown, M.D./(Formerly Physician General to the
Hospital of the United States)/who died on the 11th day of Jan'y
1792/in the 44th year of his age;/This Tablet is inscribed/by/his
affectionate & afflicted widow/His zeal & fidelity as a Patriot/His
patience, diligence & skill as a Physician/His benevolence, curtesy &
integrity as a Man/Secured him/the applause of his country/the honor
& emoluments of his Profession/the respect of the Wealthy/and/the
veneration of the Poor/Let/the grateful witness of his virtues in
domestic life/add/that as a Husband, Father & Master he was tender,
instructive & humane/that he lived without guile/and died without
reproach.

Dr. Brown's grandfather was Dr. Gustavus Brown who emigrated to Maryland
in 1708 and in 1710 married Frances, the daughter of Colonel Gerard
Fawke. Their son, Richard Brown, returned to England to prepare himself
for the church. Richard's son, William, was born in Scotland in 1748;
was educated at the University of Edinburgh, graduated in 1770, and came
to America. This is Alexandria's Dr. Brown.

This young Scotsman, gentle born, learned, traveled, handsome, came to
Virginia at the age of twenty-two. He began to explore the south side of
the Potomac, and his path often led to Dumfries and to the homes of his
relations there, the Reverend James Scott's family, at the rectory, and
the Blackburns at Rippon Lodge. Sometimes the carriage was brought out,
or the horses saddled, or even the barge manned, and off to Mount Vernon
the family would go.

It was always pleasant at Mount Vernon for young people. Never the week
went by but some of them gathered for dinner or to spend the night, and
often both. When Washington returned from Alexandria, where he was
attending court on May 19, 1772, he found his guests included Colonel
Blackburn and lady, from Rippon Lodge, Miss Scott, Mrs. Blackburn's
sister (both were daughters of James Scott, rector of the Church at
Dumfries), Miss Brown and young Dr. Brown. "This company spent the night
and went away the next morning."[116]

Whether this was th