by Rebecca Jarrett
Alexandria, VA – In honor of Women’s History Month and the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Office of Historic Alexandria is commemorating the long history of women-owned businesses in the city. A new exhibit, Women in Business: We Were Always Here, will open March 26 at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum. The exhibit will explore both past and present entrepreneurs of Alexandria. Find out more about women’s history events at https://www.alexandriava.gov/WomensHistoryMonth.
Alexandria has a long history of women business owners, but the city is not an outlier. In the 1700s, many American women owned hospitality businesses. As many as two-thirds of taverns in 17th and 18th century Virginia were run by women.
One of these women was Hannah Griffith, who owned the 1785 tavern in Alexandria. Her business, the Alexandria Coffee House, was located to the left of John Gadsby’s 1792 City Tavern and Hotel. Griffith was resilient and savvy, living through the American Revolution, being suddenly widowed, and finding ways to provide for herself and eight children.
Hannah was born sometime between 1745 and 1751 to Elizabeth and William Colvill. Her parents lived in New York, where her mother owned a shop. In 1766, she married David Griffith, a doctor and chaplain in the Church of England. They lived on a church-owned plantation in Loudon County. When the Revolutionary War broke out, David joined the 3rd Virginia Regiment in the Continental Army. From 1776 to 1779, Hannah Griffith managed the plantation as a “deputy husband,” or a colonial wife who took over her husband’s duties while he was away. This experience helped her develop administrative skills that she would use in the future.
After David was discharged, he became rector of the Fairfax Parish, which included Falls Church and the Alexandria Church – now known as Christ Church. However, the Church of England was in trouble due to lack of state funds and disorganization. In 1789, Church leadership held a conference to establish the Episcopal Church. David left for Philadelphia but never returned home. He became sick and died unexpectedly at 47 years old. Since the new church was still in flux, Griffith and her children would not receive a pension. In addition, the church planned to give her house to the new rector, Lord Fairfax.
Griffith convinced Lord Fairfax to let her eldest son stay in the house with his new wife (who happened to be the lord’s daughter). However, she still needed to provide for her seven younger children and pay off the family’s debt. Griffith moved to Alexandria, where her late husband owned several lots. She leased out the lots and sold land in Kentucky. In 1794, she joined the ranks of white, middle-class women who opened their own taverns. Because she was a widow, Griffith could apply for a license and lease the building in her own name, rather than her husband’s. She may also have benefitted from social connections. She and her husband were friendly with upper-class congregants, including George Washington.
Griffith ran a coffeehouse, which was more exclusive than a regular tavern. Coffeehouses were typically located in wealthy cities and attracted rich merchant customers. Although most coffeehouse owners were men, some women were in the industry. Griffith catered to a higher social class by charging subscription fees. She operated the Alexandria Coffee House for six years. In 1797, she also opened a boarding house. Griffith may have relied on enslaved labor in the coffeehouse. Records indicate that she enslaved at least one person in her lifetime.
Griffith lived to be around 60 years old and passed away on November 22, 1811. Her story demonstrates how the American Revolution and its aftermath shaped women’s lives. It also shows how some women leveraged what rights they had to build opportunities for themselves.
