Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Repiton House - No. 26
Block 13 - 1940 Map

^#26
Obsolete

The earliest available record of the Repiton House located on the south side of Duke of Gloucester Street and adjoining the Market Square on the west is the late eighteenth century maps. It is one of the lots in James City County, the records of which have been largely destroyed. The information on the house and lot is very inadequate for a full report due to its location. John Greenhow is the first owner of whom we have record. He is shown in the possession of this lot on both the Bucktrout and Unknown Draftsman's maps. He had a large house and apparently separate shop where the Travis House now stands, as an announcement in the Virginia Gazette shows he operated the shop as early as 1766:

September 19, 1766

Sold at John Greenhow's store, near the Church, in Williamsburg, for ready money only,
Fine blankets, bed bunts, bed and stay ticking, curled hair for matrasses, bed screws and keys, cottons, half thicks, green and blue embossed lincey rugs, etc. sugar,…. linen of most sorts and fineness…

(Purdie and Dixon, Eds.)

The location is further indicated by an advertisement of Nathaniel Keith and John Hatch, tailors, declaring that they carried on "their business in all its branches, in the shop opposite to Mr. John Greenhow's store, on the main street in Williamsburg …."(Virginia Gazette, Purdie and Dixon, March 12, 1767)

Later another craftsman located his business by referring to Greenhow's store:

September 9, 1773

JUST IMPORTED, by the Subscriber, a choice Cargo of the best Sorts of ENGLISH LEATHER for all Manner of Mens Shoes and Pumps, and excellent LONDON DRAWLEGS for BOOTS, with which he will be glad to accommodate Gentlemen. He returns his most grateful acknowledgements to those who formerly favoured him with their Custom, and hopes his part Workmanship will 2 merit a Renewal of it, and he will make it his constant Study to give Satisfaction to all who shall please to favour him with their Commands.
GEORGE WILSON, & C0.

N. B. Two or three JOURNEYMEN SHOEMAKERS, who understand making of BOOTS and Mens WOOD HEELS, will meet with good Encouragement by applying immediately to me, next Door to Mr. Greenhow's Store in Williamsburg.

(Virginia Gazette, Purdie and Dixon)

John Greenhow was a wealthy and prominent merchant in Williamsburg. That he carried many and varied articles of merchandise is shown in the Virginia Gazette (Purdie and Dixon) December 3, 1767 where he advertised the following goods:

Sold at John Greenhow's store, near the Church, in Williamsburg, for ready money only,
Wine by the pipe, cask, gallon, or quart, capers, anchovies, olives, shell almonds, currants, preserved ginger and mixed sweetmeats, spices, of all sorts, paints, train oil, split pease, pearl barley, china tea and coffee cups, hyson, congo, and bohea teas, hunting horns, plain and tipt with silver,…broadcloths, duffils, blankets, kerseys, and Negro cotton, linens of all sorts, cambricks, lawns, gauze, dimity, calicoes, humhums, muslin, stuffs, diaper and tablecloths, …saddlers and blacksmiths tools, files of all sorts and sizes, and tools and materials for building, … surveyor's instruments, Love's surveying, a variety of children's books,…lucern, sainfoin, red clover, hop clover, rape, canary, and French furze seeds, early garden pease,… billiard balls, galziers diamonds and window glass, … London, German, and blister steel, steel plate, whipsaws, Roman fiddle strings and long fiddle sticks, and …

In the Virginia Gazette (John Pinkney) of September 14, 1775, a letter was printed complaining of the injustice and unreasonableness of Greenhow's prices for goods as follows:

To the GENTLEMEN of the WILLIAMSBURG COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN,
WHEN a country labours, convulsed and agitated with the miseries of a civil war, its commerce in a manner stagnated, and a heavy load of taxes to support its internal price, how unpardonable is it in any person to exact and impose on 3 the public unreasonable prices for goods? It is not only a private piece of injustice in itself, but a public, daring and open violation of the measures recommended by the continental congress; and consequently ought to attract the attention of every gentleman of the committee, that every such offender may be arraigned before a proper tribunal.

Impositions of a public nature ought to be immediately suppressed, and it would, in my opinion be consonant with the character of a committee man to inspect into matters of this kind.

I would recommend it to this committee to take cognizance of a certain JOHN GREENHOW in this city; who seems to prefer the interest of his pocket to that of his country. It can be proved by many that he sells a number of articles at an advanced price of at least 200 percent, to wit, 20d nails at 18s. 9d. per thousand; which cost between 16 and 18d. sterling, yellow oker at 15d. per pound, which cost 3d. sterling, and lake at 61 per pound, which cost about 40s. &c. &c. Is this sufferable? I call upon you, by the trust reposed in you, to drag forth this JEW, in answer to those charges, and let him clear himself if he can.
GALBA

John Greenhow died in 1787, and Robert, his son, seems to have inherited most of his property. As can be seen in the following announcement, he was the sole executor of his father's will and advertised the property as follows:

WILLIAMSBURG, September 24, 1787.

Agreeable to the last will and testament of Mr. JOHN GREENHOW, late of this city, will be sold at public sale, on Thursday the 18 of October.

..... all the real and personal estate of the deceased, ..... consisting of a large and commodious Dwelling house on the main street, .....
ROBERT GREENHOW, sole executor

(Virginia Gazette and Independent Chronicle. John Dixon)

In 1791 Robert Greenhow was listed as possessing four lots. (Williamsburg Tax Records)

It appears that in the early 19th century the two lots of Robert Greenhow on Duke of Gloucester Street were sold or leased to different people. The disposition of the lot, including the "commodious Dwelling House", seems to have no bearing on the Repiton property except in furnishing boundaries. (See report on The Boot and Shoemaker's Shop) The first evidence of the new 4 owner or lessee of the eastern lot was found in Insurance Policy #664 (p. 28) of Lewis H. Girardin, May 25, 1806: Girardin insured his house for $1500 with the following description " …My one building on the South side of the Main Street now occupied by myself & situated between the Market Square East and the Lot of Robert Greenhow West …"

In the same year "Gerarden, H. Louis" is listed in the Williamsburg Tax Records as owning one half a lot.

It would seem that Girardin leased the property from Greenhow, but that Repiton bought it outright, for on April 5, 1810, Greenhow insured a lumber house for $1,000. saying that it was occupied by Joseph Repiton. (Insurance Policy $1022, p. 26) Two weeks later, Greenhow wrote at the bottom of the same policy that he had sold to Mr. Joseph Repiton:

… the lot & the Improvements on which this brick house is Erected for value by me Received All the Advantages Acruing in Case of Conflagration are consequently Attached to him -----Wmsburg April 19th 1810. Ro. Greenhow--

Written above this statement of Greenhow's is another which is not entirely clear:

J. P. Shields' lot and houses

which buildings have lately been conveydd to John P. Shields. The object of the present revaluation appears to be to enable the ensured to receive from the general Office a separate policy for this building and not with any view to withdraw his previous ensurance, or forfeit the benefit derived by him, heretofore, in the payment of his premium on it.
Ro: Anderson

A possible interpretation is that Anderson, agent of the Assurance Society, wrote rather than drew an illustration of the property and its boundaries and was merely locating Shields in the western Greenhow lot. The fact that he mentions "this building" indicates that the policy refers 5 only to the lumber house. On this interpretation hinges the question of Repiton's owning Greenhow's large dwelling house in the next policy.

In June, 1815, (Insurance Policy #1524, p. 45) Joseph Repiton insured both the wooden dwelling house and the brick lumber house according to a "Revaluation of Buildings formerly declared for Assurance by Lewis H. Girardin and Robert Greenhow per declarations No. 664 & 1022." The dwelling house was valued at $1,500 and the lumber house at $500. The policy reads "my buildings on the main street and Court house Square now occupied by myself---situated between Simon Blocks lot on the west and streets otherwise." (See insurance policy #1524)

It seems clear from these policies that Repiton never owned the "commodious Dwelling House" of John Greenhow, but had a small dwelling house, 31 x 20. This inference is borne out by the report and drawings on the Bootmaker's Shop, and by the tax records for Williamsburg, which in 1828 show that one lot with a house worth $600. was sold to David Mason according to this record. (James City County Tax Records, p. 78)

The property of David Mason was involved in some litigation according to the following record found in the Southall Papers at William and Mary College:

…The said David was also possessed of a lease held tenement, leased of the Corporation of Williamsburg being originally a part of the public square in the said City on which said lot or tenement there are sundry buildings, all of which have been held by the said Elizabeth, she taking the rents, assises & profits thereof to her own use, ever since the death of the said David. That your orator is entitled to one equal fourth part of all like estate of the said David Mason, decd., and like rents assises & profits …

From: Complaint of George W. Southall to Thomas K. Bagly, Judge of Supreme Court of Chancery in the city of Wmsburg. - 1838.

Elizabeth Mason advertised the house for sale in 1857 in the Phoenix Gazette. 6 Her advertisement as given in Miss Mary Goodwin's notes as follows:

To be sold: one half of the house and lot now occupied by Mrs. Elizabeth D. Mason situated on the South side of Main Street in the city of Williamsburg and bounded on the east by the Market Square. The house is divided into two sectional halves by the passage and stairway, which are common to both sections, and the half to be sold is the left section as you approach the dwelling from Main Street, consisting of two good rooms on the lower floor and one on the upper, cellars and office attached…^* the next issue of the paper said the passage and staircase was not to be used by the purchaser of the above half, neither can the lot and well be used in common.(Virginia State Library, Phoenix-Gazette, 1857)

Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" describes the "Mason" house:

The house next to the hotel was a small single story building that stood about where the ice cream parlor of Hall's Drug Store is now located, and in it a very popular mulatto conducted a "Barber Shop" which was pulled down and carried away either for shelter or for kindling wood. The house that stood where the First National Bank now stands was surely one of the original structures of this city. This was called the "Mason" house and was a story and a half with the conventional dormer windows. The front door opened in a hall running north and south; and there was a side door opening on the lawn next to the Methodist Church. On the rear was an immense shed in which were two big rooms.

There was a basement to this house in which once was a bakery. The post office was at one time in this house.

This old land mark with its moss covered roof, was razed some years ago to make room for the new bank.

(P. 33.)

"REPITON OR GREENHOW HOUSE"
Block 13, Site #19.
January 4, 1932.

Colonial lot # 160, the site of the Repiton house, was property owned by the corporation of the city of Williamsburg and leased to private citizens on long-term leases. It is in James City County, marking the beginning of the county line on Duke of Gloucester street so no deeds are available in county records.

However, by analyzing Virginia Gazette records, insurance policies and other data the research department has been able to correlate the following data on this site. It is to be remembered that the original bounds of the Market Square ran just east of the house, so that during the 18th century this house stood on a corner.

It is difficult to determine the date at which the building was erected but it was probably some time after 1745, as that was the date at which the City of Williamsburg was leasing the corporation lands.

John Greenhow is the first owner of whom we have record. He had a large shop and house on the site of the Travis house and leased the other property to tenants. The budding was used for a store for a number of years. These advertisements from the Virginia Gazette indicate that the building was used as a sore and from September 1773 until May 26, 1774, George Wilson a boot and shoemaker made and sold boots and shoes in this house. He was a master shoemaker and imported leathers 2 and materials from England and had several journeymen apprentices. One of his Virginia Gazette advertisements is given:

1773, September 9. - (Purdie & Dixon, ads.)

JUST IMPORTED, by the Subscriber, a choice Cargo of the best Sorts of ENGLISH LEATHER for all Manner of Mens Shoes and Pumps, and excellent LONDON DRAWLEGS for BOOTS, with which he will be glad to accommodate Gentlemen. He returns his most grateful acknowledgments to those who formerly favoured him with their Custom, and hopes his part Workmanship will merit a Renewal of it, and he will make it his constant Study to give Satisfaction to all who shall please to favour him with their Commands.
GEORGE WILSON, & Co.

N. B. Two or three JOURNEYMEN SHOEMAKERS, who understand making of BOOTS and Mens WOOD HEELS, will meet with good Encouragement by applying immediately to me, next Door to Mr. Greenhow's Store in Williamsburg.

John Greenhow sold this to Lewis H. Girardin in May 1806, retaining the brick building south of it (which had been the James City County Prison) himself. In April, 1810, Greenhow sold Joseph Repiton the brick prison and in June 15, 1815 Repiton acquired the wooden house in addition, then owning all of lot #160.

The insurance policies of Girardin and Repiton on this property have been traced from the original insurance policies and are clipped to this report.

Joseph Repiton sold the lot to David Mason according to this record in the James City Tax Books:

1888, Williamsburg
Joseph Esq — one lot …[Alterations during the preceding year]… See transfer to David Mason.(James City Tax book p. 78).

3

Mason, David… one lot… [Alterations during preceding year] Via Alexander Repiton Co-heir and devisee of Joseph Repiton decd(James City Tax Books, p. 76.)

The property of David Mason was involved in some litigation according to the following record found in the Southall papers at William and Mary College:

… The said David was also possessed of a lease held tenement, leased of the Corporation of Williamsburg being originally a part of the public square in the said City on which said lot or tenement there are sundry buildings, all of which have been held by the said Elizabeth, she taking the rents, assises & profits thereof to her own use, ever since the death of the said David. That your orator is entitled to one equal fourth part of all like estate of the said David Mason, decd., and like rents assises & profits…From: Complaint of George W. Southall to Thomas H. Bagly, Judge of Supreme Court of Chancery in the city of Wmsburg. — 1838.

Elisabeth Mason advertised the house for sale in 1857, in the Phoenix Gazette. Her advertisement as given in Miss Mary Goodwin's notes follows:

To be sold: one half of the house and lot now occupied by Mrs. Elizabeth D. Mason situated on the South side of Main Street in the city of Williamsburg and bounded on the east by the Market Square. The house is divided into two sectional halves by the passage and stairway, which are common to both sections, and the half to be sold is the left section as you approach the dwelling from Main Street, consisting of two good rooms on the lower floor and one on the upper, cellars and office attached..the next issue of the paper said the passage and staircase was not to be used by the purchaser of the above half, neither can the lot and will be used in common.(Virginia State Library Phoenix-Gazette 1857.)

Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" describes the "Mason" house: 4

The house next to the hotel was a wall single story building that stood about where the ice cream parlor of Hall's Drug Store is now located, and in it a very popular mulatto conducted a "Barber Shop" which was pulled down and carried away either for shelter or for kindling wood. The house that stood where the First National Bank now stands was surely one of the original structures of this city. This was called the "Mason" house and was a story and a half with the conventional dormer windows. The front door opened in a hall running north and south; and there was a side door opening on the lawn neat to the Methodist Church. On the rear was an immense shed in which were two big rooms.

There was a basement to this house in which once was a bakery. The post office was at one time in this house.

This old land mark with its moss covered roof, was razed some years ago to make room for the new bank.

(Mr. Charles' Recollections of Williamsburg - p. 33.)