Thomas Lincoln Casey’s Tombstone

Thomas Lincoln Casey died in Washington, D.C., on March 25, 1896. While on his way to work overseeing the construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, Casey fell gravely ill. Casey’s son, Edward Pearce Casey, had been working with him on the Library of Congress and took over his position until its completion. A graduate of École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Edward Pearce Casey also designed his father’s tomb.

This oversized drawing on translucent paper was produced by Edward Pearce Casey in his New York office. Though it is undated, we can surmise that it was produced in preparation for Casey’s interment at the family cemetery at Casey Farm. The epitaph offers as much respect as the design. The choice of white marble, the box tomb style, and the decorative motifs all point to the Classical origins that inspired so many of their projects in Washington, D.C. and make a fitting memorial for the distinguished military man and engineer who completed the Washington Monument and so many other projects in our nation’s capitol.