Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Since the Moody House was in the James City County part of Williamsburg in the colonial period, we have no colonial records of it. (The James City records, like so many others, were destroyed in Richmond during the Civil War. The records of York County, covering the other part of Williamsburg, survived.)

The house is named for Josias Moody, who owned it from 1794 until about 1815, and for William Moody, one of his heirs, who owned it until about 1845. At the time of the Civil War, Robert Roper was the owner. We know that Josias Moody was a blacksmith from the fact that St. George Tucker paid him £10 in 1794 and so identified him, and we assume that he was prosperous from the fact that he owned five city lots in 1805.

From architectural evidence, we believe the house was originally built before 1750 and that it was a story-and-a-half dwelling. One of the "old residents" of Williamsburg in the 1920's—Mrs. Victoria M. Lee, who lived on Duke of Gloucester Street near the Raleigh Tavern—described the Moody House as she remembered it in 1861: "This building with its small front porch, looked then as it does today. The Ropers owned and lived in this house." Another recollection of the Civil War period by John S. Charles describes "the houses on Francis Street east of Queen Street" as a group, saying: "These premises then presented a very attractive appearance with shade trees, shrubbery and flowers."

Sorry—this is all there is, thanks to the Yankees!!

^{Robt Roper
d. 16 Oct 1896
buried Cedar Grove Cemetary, Wmbg.}

THE MOODY HOUSE
Lot 246
[Block 2, Francis St.]

THE MOODY HOUSE
Lot 246
[Block 2, Francis St.]

LOCATION:

The house known as the "MOODY HOUSE," was located on lot #246 on the south side of Francis Street. (See Tyler's adaptation of the College Map (1791?), Illustration #1, Appendix.)

HISTORY:

A study of the Frenchman's Map (1782) shows two houses on the lot, side by side on a line with the street, and nearly opposite to a wide cross street (apparently Botetourt Street on later maps). The lot is not enclosed. An Architectural Report (1939) states that the Moody House has "gone through a number of changes...however, indications are that the house was thought to have been built between the first and the middle of the [eighteenth] century. The main house was originally a story and a half dwelling, 18 feet by 32 feet, with a small entrance hall and a room on each side..." (Copy of report in Research Department.) Other maps of Williamsburg around this period indicate the property thus: The College Map (1791?) shows "Moody" on lot #246; the Galt Map, owned by Miss Annie Galt of Williamsburg and drawn by Browne (1780?), shows "Moody" on the lot.¹ And, the Bucktrout Map (1803) notes likewise. (Copies of maps in Research Department.)

From land tax records for the city and insurance policies - evidence is conclusive that Josias Moody was the owner of the property in the late eighteenth century, coming into possession of the property via William Bland. See data to follow.

The earliest definite date which gives the ownership of this lot 2 is found in the land tax records for Williamsburg. In 1794 Josias Moody is listed as owner of "2 lots via William Bland valuation £25." (Illustration #2, Williamsburg Land Tax Records, Copy from Virginia State Archives.)

An effort to clear the chain to title by way of William Bland has not been too satisfactory as Bland seems to have owned several pieces of property about this time, and was tenant on another:

1782	William Bland	2 lots valued at £6
1785	William Bland bought of Lewis Burwell	1 lot valued at £2
1785	William Bland tenant for Theoderick Bland	8 lots valued at £4
1786	William Bland	2 lots valued at £22.10.-
1789	William Bland	2 lots valued at £25
1794	William Bland to Josias Moody	2 lots valued at £25

(Williamsburg Land Tax Records, Illustration #2.)

From the above records it seems that Bland was the owner of 2 lots in the city from around 1782 to 1794 when he conveyed same to Josias Moody. The lots of Theoderick Bland's which William Bland rented in 1785, obviously were lots without houses as 8 lots were valued at only £4.

Little is known about Josias Moody. Moody held the property from 1794 to 1820. There are no insurance policies which bear directly on this property. However, the Ewing property east of the lot was insured, and the Moody property was noted as a boundary. The Mutual Assurance Society with which the Ewing property was insured, notes Moody's property thus:

1801	July 23, Policy #488 James Henderson Guardian of Thomas Ewing: My own buildings...situated between the House of Josias Moody and that of Philip Moody in the county of James City...
1806	May 24, Policy #710 James Henderson Guardian of Thomas Ewing: My own buildings...situated between the Lotts of Josias Moody on the West and the Lott of Antony Robertson on the East in the county of James City...
3
1815	June 21, Policy #1520 James Henderson Guardian of Thomas Ewing: That the said Building is at present owned by the Legatees of Ebenezi Ewing...and occupied by Mrs. Sweeney...situated on Francis Street in Williamsburg between the lots of Moody on the West and Bracken on the East...

(Photostat copies of policies in Research Department.)

In 1804 Moody acquired "3 [new] lots valued at $33.34 via Johnson."¹ His former lots were valued at $83.34. In 1805 Moody is charged in the land tax records with "5 lots valued at $116." ($83.34 and $33.34 equal $116.)

The estate of Josias Moody is charged with 5 lots from 1810 to 1820. During this period William Moody, an heir, lived on the property:

1823 March 28, Policy #5027 Ebeneza Ewing heirs occupied by Mrs. Sweeney situated on Catherine [Francis] street in Williamsburg, and the lots of Thomas Sands East and William Moody South and West in the county of James City...

In 1820 William M. Moody acquired "1 lot total value of lot $1200, added for buildings $900 Heretofore charged to Josias Moody Estate." (Illustration #2, Land Tax Records.)

The property continued in the ownership of William Moody until after 1843. Moody's lot is described in 1840 as a boundary of the Ewing lot: "1840 Richard Bassett ... on the Ewing lot between William M. Moody and the brick tenement of Servant Jones." (Williamsburg Hustings Court Records, February 12, 1840, Photostats in Research Department.)

In 1845 Ferdinand S. Campbell, trustee to D. S. Cowles, acquired the property, for Cowles. (Illustration #2, Tax Records.) By 1854 Johnson Sands is charged with "1 lot: buildings $1200; lot and buildings $1800 - Formerly charged to D. S. Cowles." (Ibid.) In 1856 a transfer was made of the property from Sands to Robert Roper: "Robert R. Roper - 1 part of lot to Johnson Sands; and Johnson Sands...$250 sold to Robert R. Roper and deducted." 4 (Tax Transfers for Williamsburg, Copy in Research Department.) Roper was the owner of the property in 1861 according to the land tax records: "Robert R. Roper...1 lot: buildings $850; lot and buildings $1000."

Mrs. Victoria M. Lee in recalling Williamsburg as it was at the time of the Civil War period, states that this property was owned by the Roper family at that period:

...Across from the Southall house, on the south side of Francis Street, was the Roper house. This building with its small front porch, looked then as it does today. The Ropers owned and lived in this house. ("Recollections of Williamsburg in 1861," p. 69, Copy in Research Department.)

Robert Roper owned the house until his death. His will probated in 1893 devised the property to his daughters. C. D. Lee who married Ludie E. Roper, was the last owner before the Restoration came into possession. (See: Abstract to Deed prepared by V. M. Geddy for Williamsburg Restoration, Accounting Department.)

IN SUMMARY:

The Frenchman's Map (1782) of Williamsburg shows two houses on the lot, side by side on a line with the street and nearly opposite to a wide cross street (apparently Botetourt Street on later maps). The lot is not enclosed. An Architectural Report (1939) states that the Moody House has "gone through a number of changes...however, indications are that the house was thought to have been built between the first and the middle of the [eighteenth] century. The main house was originally a story and a half dwelling, 18 feet by 32 feet, with a small entrance hall and a room on each side..." The Galt Map (1780?) drawn by Browne, and the Bucktrout Map (1803) note "Moody" on the lot. Land tax records for the city, and insurance policies for adjoining property indicate evidence which is conclusive that Josias Moody was the owner of the property in the late eighteenth century coming into possession 5 via William Bland. An effort to clear the chain to title via Bland has not been altogether satisfactory. Josias Moody held the property from 1794 to 1820. In 1820 William Moody seems to be the owner: "Heretofore charged to Josias Moody Estate." In 1845 D. S. Cowles through Ferdinand S. Campbell his agent, came into the property. In 1854 Cowles conveyed the property to Johnson Sands. In 1856 Robert R. Roper had come into the property or a part of the lot. Roper continued to hold until 1861 (last date of the land tax records.) Further title to this property can be found in the Accounting Department, Colonial Williamsburg, Incorporated.

Illustration #1
Moody Lot
Francis Street
#246

PHOTOSTAT COPY OF THE WILLIAMSBURG PLAT IN "WILLIAMSBURG, THE OLD COLONIAL CAPITOL" BY LYON G. TYLER

Illustration #2