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Whatever
Happened to Theodosia?
One of the most intriguing stories in Charleston is the mysterious disappearance of Theodosia
Burr Alston, daughter of former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr. She was
married to Governor Joseph Alston, one of the most wealthy and powerful men in South Carolina in his day. The deed in her name to 94 Church Street still hangs in the hall in that
house. In 1812 Theodosia was on a ship that went down off the coast of North Carolina. The
bodies of all the others lost at sea washed up, but hers was never found. Many years later when
the estate of an old woman who lived on the North Carolina coast was sold, a
portrait of her as a young woman turned out to look exactly like Theodosia. Charlestonians have their own theory of
what happened to Theodosia. Was she kidnapped by an enemy of her father or an enemy of her
husband? Did she walk the plank when captured by pirates? Did she have amnesia? Did she run
away? What do you think?

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