“From the Archives” Irish Grocer Rosey Latham Vaccari

In this time of pandemic, we’ve become keenly aware of the importance of grocery stores and the people who keep them open and stocked. Interestingly grocers, especially Irish grocers, are found often in the history of Alexandria and Saint Mary parish.

The Irish who came to Alexandria in the 1840s and 1850s were ambitious and hard working. Many moved up from the ranks of canal and railroad laborers to run successful small businesses. One popular path to success was the grocery business. In 1850 there were no Irish grocers listed in the city’s ledgers. By 1860 there were 16 and by 1870 there were 31.

Rose “Rosey” Latham Vaccari was one of those Irish grocers and a Saint Mary parishioner. Born in Belfast in 1796, she came to Alexandria in 1801. She was widowed three times. Her third husband was Frederick Vaccari, born in Tuscany. He ran a hotel and sold ship supplies and clothing for the sailors who visited the port of Alexandria.

After Frederick’s death in 1858, Rosey opened a grocery, quadrupling her family’s property by 1860. During the Civil War she remained in Alexandria and took the unpopular oath of allegiance to the Union (most Alexandrians of the time sympathized with the South).

Rosey lived on Captains’ Row (Prince Street), near the waterfront and the Vacarri businesses.  During the war, Union soldiers were stationed along the waterfront.  According to Rosey’s descendants, who now live in Texas and California, there was one night when a group of soldiers down the block from Rosey’s house were very noisy and shooting their rifles in the air. Bottled spirits may have been involved! Rosey needed to sleep. She went outside and confronted the carousing troops. One trigger-happy reveler shot her, luckily just hitting her upper arm. It was a flesh wound but with a little better aim, he could have killed her. Since she had signed the hated oath of allegiance, and did considerable business with the Union occupiers (one of whom had just shot her), she was understandably less than happy!

By 1870 Rosey had retired from the grocery business, apparently successful enough as a businesswoman to live in economic security. After 1880 she lived with her nephew, R. M. Latham, a jeweler. She died in 1886. Her obituary in the Alexandria Gazette said she was “a devout Christian and was greatly esteemed by a large circle of acquaintances.” She was not the only memorable member of her family (she was one of 11 siblings). Her brother, Hugh Latham, served as mayor of Alexandria. And her sister, Sarah Latham Webster, was the aunt, by marriage, of Mary Jenkins Surratt, one of the co-conspirators hanged for the assassination of President Lincoln. Those were interesting times!

– Kitty Guy, Parish Historian

Throughout 2020, the Basilica of Saint Mary will present “From the Archives.” It is a weekly feature online and in our bulletin spotlighting the history of the parish. All of our “From the Archives” features are located here.