Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

LOT 23

According to Waller's plat (1749), lot 23 was 8 poles wide. No dimension was given for the length.

In 1777 Benjamin Waller gave deed to David Morton, a tailor, for 400 pounds current money of Virginia. The lot was described as "bounded on the South by the Main Road leading to Yorktown on west by the street leading to the Capitol Landing on the North by the lots of Christiana Campbell and on the East by the lot of George Jackson and all Houses, Buildings, Gardens…"

It appears from Harwood's Ledger that Morton had repairs made to the house, kitchen and dairy during his ownership. There were dormer windows, a cellar and outhouses.

The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows three buildings flush to Waller Street, a small outbuilding to the rear of one, and a large building on the lot flush to the York Road. The College Map (1791?) has "Morton" thereon and the Bucktrout Map (1800) and sketched by Lively in 1867 indicates "Mort" on Lot 23.

According to Land Tax Records Morton held the property until ca 1803 and Morton's estate still held it in 1816.

LOTS 22 & 21

These two lots were conveyed by Benjamin Waller on September 2, 1751 to Alexander Finnie, tavern-keeper. The consideration noted was 40 pounds. The description was "Beginning at the lot no. 23, thence along the said street North ½ degree East 10 poles to the lot No. 20 thence along the lot No. 20 South 89 ½ degrees East 15 poles to the end of the said lot in the line of the lot No. 42, thence along the line of the said lot and the lot No. 25 South ½ degree West 10 poles to the corner of the lot No. 24 in the line of the lot No. 25, thence along the lines of the lots 24 and 23 North 89 ½ degrees West 15 poles to the beginning, which said lots are denoted in the plan thereof annexed to the deed recorded in the said Court from the said Waller to Stephen Brown by the figures 21, 22 and is part of a tract of land purchased by the said Waller of Mann Page…. Provided he build 2 good dwellings 16 ft x 20 ft or one good dwelling house 50 ft long 20 ft. broad at least with brick chimneys thereto, the said houses to front in a line with the row of lots in which they stand at the distance of 6 ft. from the extreme western bounds of said lots…"

In August 1752 Finnie conveyed to Lewis Hallam, "comedian," for 150 pounds 10 shillings current money of Virginia, "The Play House together will all those two Pieces Parcels or Lotts of Land Scituate lying and being on the East side of the Eastern Street of the City of Williamsburgh… and as the same is described and bounded in a certain Indenture of Bargain & Sale between Benjamin Waller & Martha his Wife… and the said Alexander Finnie, September 2, 1751."

From 1752 to 1757 there were several mortgages involved. By that date John Stretch printer, conveyed to Alexander Finnie for "annuity of 40 pounds" those "two pieces parcels or lots lying on the East side of the Eastern Street being those lots of land conveyed to the said John Stretch by Benjamin Waller and Martha his wife, September 16, 1754." On December 15, 1757 Nathaniel Walthoe was the owner via Finnie. The consideration paid was 450 pounds current money. Walthoe held the property until his death. In 1774, his heirs, Henrietta Marmillod, Mary and Martha Hart, of Great Britain, conveyed to Christiana Campbell tavern keeper for 598 pounds 10 shillings current money "All those two pieces parcels or lotts of land lying and being on the East side of the Eastern Street… between the two lotts of land Conveyed to John Stretch by Benjamin Waller… and by the said John Stretch conveyed to Alexander Finnie and by the said Alexander and Sarah his wife conveyed unto Nathaniel Walthoe, Esqr deceased, and by the said Nathaniel devised to the above Henrietta, Mary and Martha in Fee simple… with all houses and buildings…"

According to Harwood's Ledger of 1782-3 Mrs. Campbell's house had 8 rooms, 3 passages, a bar and 2 porches. Repairs were made by Harwood at this date for Mrs. Campbell.

The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows a large rectangular house flush to the street on this lot with a kitchen behind the house and a small dependency north. This house is on what appears to be lot 21 (on Bucktrout or College Map).

The Williamsburg Land Tax records show that Christiana Campbell held 2 lots from 1782 (date of first land tax records) to 1798.

We know that the latter years of her life were not so prosperous as hitherto and that she told a traveller who applied to her in 1783 for room and board "I don't keep a house of entertainment, nor have not for some years." Macaulay, the traveller, recalls the "cold, poverty struck appearance of the House."

It seems probable that Mrs. Campbell was forced to sell off a small part of lot 22 — subdivide the two lots into three — but the land tax records still carried her property as two lots. The two deeds to follow seem to substantiate this theory.

In 1778 Morton conveyed to Isham Goddin for 200 pounds current money "all that lot… lying and being in the city and county… containing by estimation ½ acre more or less, bounded as follows: Beginning on Christiana Campbell's line running South 35 ½ feet from thence East 119 ½ feet to the line of George Jackson, and from thence to the line of Christiana Campbell 35 ½ feet, and from thence along said Campbell's line 119 ½ feet to the place first begun at…" Goddin held the property until 1783 when he conveyed same for 90 pounds current money. The dimensions of the lot mentioned in the deed are the same as Morton's deed to Goddin in 1778.

In 1783 the property had passed to George Jackson with consideration noted 90 pounds current money. The description of the lot is identical with the description quoted in Morton's deed to Goddin of 1778.

We have not been able to find the deed of Campbell to Rowsay, but a deed of April 1785 from Rowsay to James Innes — consideration 90 pounds current money give these boundaries: "…Beginning on Christiana Campbell's line, running South 35 ½ ft. from thence East 119 ½ ft. to the line of George Jackson from thence to the line of Christiana Campbell 35 ½ ft., thence along said Christiana Campbell's line 119 ½ ft. to the place of beginning… Together with all houses and buildings…"

In 1801 an insurance policy of the Mutual Assurance Society indicates that a house 60 feet by 24 feet with brick underpinning 2 feet above ground and cellar kitchen 20 by 16 and a blacksmith shop were located on lot 21. In 1809 a revaluation of this policy notes the house 60 feet by 25 feet with kitchen, outhouse to east, with another outhouse distant 22 feet north of the house. In 1815 the house of same dimensions was noted with kitchen. In 1823 Benjamin Waller (grandson of Judge Benjamin) was the owner. (See: policies #485, 988, 1713 and 5044 Research Department)

Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" has this reference to a house on this property:

The next house on Waller Street was a very large old dutch-roof frame building, known in the writer's time, as the "Ben Waller House." This house stood about one hundred feet in rear of the present residence of Mrs. Kelly, and an old man Ben Waller lived there within the recollection of the writer. This "Ben Waller" may have been the son of the man for whom the "Morecock" residence is named. This old house disappeared many years ago.

(Page 61)

Lot 20

Benjamin Waller seems to have owned and kept possession of lot 20 until February 1772 when he conveyed to Elizabeth Carlos for 130 pounds current money of Virginia. The property is described as "All that piece parcel or lot of land lying in the City of Williamsburg… and is numbered in the Plan thereof, by the figures "20" and bounded as followeth towit: Beginning at the Northwest corner of the Lot No. 21, thence along the street leading to queen Mary's Port, North ½ degree East 5 poles to Wallers Street, thence along the same South 89 ½ degrees East 15 poles, thence South ½ degree West 5 poles to the Northeast corner of the lot No. 21, thence along the Northern Bounds of that lot North 89 ½ West 15 poles to the beginning…"

In 1777 Elizabeth Carlos conveyed to Bartholomew Dandridge, for 225 pounds current money, this property, numbered "20' and bounded as in above quoted deed.

NOTE: For data on Lots 18, 19, 43 see: Robert P. Waller House History.