Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Although research has uncovered no eighteenth century written data on the Orrell House, the Unknown Draughtsman's map shows the name of Orrill in the lot on the south side of Francis Street between the lots of J. Carter on the west and Pearson on the east. (See Illustration #1.) On the Frenchman's map, no name is written in this lot; but there is a drawing of a dwelling house at the location in question, with a building (which, the Architectural Department suggests, might be a kitchen) southwest of the house, and another building (which, the Architectural Department suggests, might be a stable) at the extreme southeastern corner of the lot. (See Illustration #2.) The Abstract of Title mentions a well "in the northwest corner of lot."

Previous research has associated this lot with Thomas Orrell, tailor, who advertised his business in the Virginia Gazette at intervals from 1776 to 1779; but there is no evidence at all that this lot ever belonged to him. The only available evidence of Thomas Orrell's property indicates that it lay on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street in York County (Records - Deeds - Book VI, p. 50; and York County Clerk's Office, File B, p. 100.)

However, there is definite evidence that this lot was acquired by John Orrill (relationship, if any, between Thomas Orrell and John Orrill unestablished) after 1800. In the Robert Anderson Account books of 1806-1808 (Virginia Historical Society, No. 3-78),¹ there is a memorandum of a "Merchandise Cr. to John Bracken for his lot of about half an acre situated on the back street between Carters and Pearsons lots purchased of him this day at £10." In the Robert Anderson Account books of 1808-1812 (Virginia 2 Historical Society, No. 4, p. 44),² under the account of John Orrill, there is the following entry:

"August 1810
"Bills Receivable for his own notes given in to him of Merchandise the remaining part of the lot which I purchased of John Bracken on Francis Street ... $80
"On the 26 July last I sold to Orrill 32 feet square of the above lot and took his note payable 15 feby next for it. We this day cancelled that bargain, and agreed for the whole lot at $100. payable in 6. 12. 18. & 24 months, for which I took his notes of $25 ea. and gave up old one."³

This establishes Orrill as an owner of the lot after 1800, but it is difficult to prove ownership before the date at which the lot passed from John Bracken to Robert Anderson. And although the house now standing on that site shows evidence of having been built in the third quarter of the eighteenth century (information from the Architectural Department), no recorded proof of the existence of the house has been discovered before 1816 when Richard Coke received, via Robert Anderson, trustee., "The house and lot in Williamsburg formerly owned by John Orrill." (Williamsburg Land Tax, Virginia State Archives. Land Transfers.)

Besides this one bright spot of clear-cut evidence of Orrill ownership, there is nothing positive that can be stated about the house. No unequivocal statement can be made about the previous owners, but the tax records show that John Bracken received a single lot from Richard Crump in 1795 and two single lots from Richard Crump in 1794. (The records reveal no other transfer of a single lot to John Bracken.) If it could be assumed that one of these was the lot on which the Orrill House now stands, then Richard Crump would be an earlier owner of the property. Although it is impossible to prove which lot he owned, there is the fact that Richard Crump is listed under "Proprietors of Lots in Williamsburg in 1783" (William and Mary Quarterly, First Series, Vol. XI, p. 114) and under "A List of Taxable Articles in the City of Williamsburg Taken by Robert Nicholson for the Year 1783 Under the Revenue Act" (Ibid., First Series, Vol. XXIII p. 134). John Bracken (established as an earlier owner of the property than Orrill) does not appear on these lists.

After 1816, when John Orrill sold the property in question to Richard Coke, the evidence again becomes circumstantial. Richard Coke's name continues to appear on the tax records until 1828. (See Illustration # 3.) In 1829, in the Williamsburg Land Transfers, there is the entry: "Elizabeth Coke - 1 via Richard Coke, Jr.,⁴ to William M. Moody trustee for Elizabeth Coke." Henceforth, the name of Richard Cokes Sr., appears no more in the records, while Elizabeth Coke's name appears on the tax 4 record of 1830 with a lot of exactly the same value as one charged to Richard Coke, Sr., in 1828. From the Southall Papers (Folder 131), it is determined that one Elizabeth Coke was the wife of one Richard Coke living in Williamsburg during the time in question.

If, then, we may assume that Richard Coke gave or bequeathed the Property to Elizabeth Coke, she continued as its owner until 1847; for her name continues to appear on the records until that year. In 1850, Alexander Powell's name appears on the records with the lot "Formerly chd to Eliz. Coke."

And here is the end of the chain, for there are no tax records to study between 1851 and 1854, and according to the Abstract of Title for this property, William H. Lee had become the owner by 1854. William H. Lee evidently received this property (or part of it) from Jesse Cole (See excerpt from Deed Book #1, p. 150 with this report, Illustration # 4)

There seems to be no way to forge a link between Alexander Powell and Jesse Cole; but at least it may be safely stated that there was time for Alexander Powell to sell it in 1850 or 1851 to Jesse Cole who may have sold it immediately to William H. Lee. The Abstract of Title traces the history of the property from that time on.

In describing the Orrell House just before the Civil War, Mr. Charles says: "The houses on Francis street east of Queen street appear today very much as they did many years ago, with the exception of the old dutch roof house next to the Camm property, which is now very much dilapidated. This house in 1861 was in good repair, with pretty flower garden in front and rest of the premises in good shape. This property was then owned by Mr. Richard Gilliam, who and flowers." (John S. Charles, Recollections, p. 56. 1933. Copy in Research Department.)

Mrs. Lee., in speaking of the property as it was in 1861, says:

"... Next to the Bracken house was a tiny one and a half story cottage in which negroes lived. This is now called the Emily Christian house. A large frame house with a gambrel roof, stood beside this cottage. This house, which is now called the McCandlish house, was called then the Gilliam house, taking its name from the people who owned it and lived there."⁵(Mrs. Victoria Lee, Recollections, p. 69, 1933. Copy in Research Department.)

The Abstract of Title, page 1, bounds the Orrell House property thus:

"North by Francis Street east and south by the lot known as Camm lot; and on the west by lot of R. B. Gilliam, the said western boundary being a straight line north and south from the west side of the well in the northwest corner of lot hereby conveyed and running parallel with the eastern boundary, and sixty-nine feet and six inches (69 ft. 6 in.) distance therefrom to the southern boundary as now indicated by the fence on Camm lot."

This appears to be less property than the lot consisted of when John Bracken sold it to Robert Anderson ("about half and acre"--See page 1 of this report).

Summary:

The table below will serve to summarize the history of the ownership of the Orrill property. The question marks show the spots where the evidence is not positive.

Other owners listed in Abstract of Title.

Hunter D. Farish, Director
Department of Research and Record

Report prepared by
Eleanor Graham
May, 1944