Bowden-Armistead House (Not Owned) Historical Report, Block 21 Building 2Originally entitled: "Bowden-Armistead Property (Block 21 Duke of Gloucester Street)"
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1178
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
BOWDEN-ARMISTEAD PROPERTY
(Block 21 Duke of Gloucester Street)
LOCATION:
The property now known as the "Armistead House" is situated on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street and west of Bruton Parish Church. The house stands on a lot which was a part of Bruton Churchyard until 1856. The size of the lot, when sold by the Trustees of Bruton Parish Church, was 53 x 40 feet.
HISTORY:
On February 11, 1856, trustees of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg conveyed unto Lemuel J. Bowden 1 of said city property described below:
. . .that lot of land lying in the City of Williamsburg, on the North side of Main Street, and extending from the South West corner of the Church Wall, in a straight line, West to the Cross Street leading between the lots of Robert H. Armistead,2 on the side, and the lot now occupied by Mildred Bowden and the lot of Robert Saunders,3 on the other side, to the lands of James W. Custis,4 then from the point at which it strikes said Cross Street, on the Eastern boundary of said Street due North until it comes on a line with the North West corner of said Church Wall, then due East, until it strikes the aforesaid North West corner of the Church Wall, then South along the Western side of the Church Wall to the beginning. . .
Prior to 1856, the above noted property is designated on several maps 2 as part of the Churchyard. The maps consistently indicate these lots as a part of Bruton Churchyard. (See Tyler's Map and architectural drawings from the Frenchman's Map and College Map - Illustration #2.)
On June 30, 1858, a notice appeared in the Williamsburg Weekly Gazette (Ewing and Lively, editors) describing a house recently erected for Lemuel J. Bowden:
A Handsome Building-Lemuel J. Bowden building a fine residence Purchased lot 53 x 40 from Episcopal Church. Built of Baltimore stock brick - with granite silles & iron caps to the doors & windows. House contains 3 stories, including a spacious basement- 4 room and two halls or entries on each floor; hall 10 ft wide & without obstruction, the stairways being run up through side entries 8 feet wide; doors & windows are very large, some of them 7 to 10 ft. wide. House surmounted by an elegant hip roof.
Contractor: Henry M. Bowden
Masons: Messrs. Taylor & Womack of Richmond & E. W. Teagle of Gloucester.
The next month, July 23, 1858, Lemuel J. Bowden came into the lot on the north side of the property on which his new residence had been erected:
This deed1. . . between Nathaniel Piggott and Mary Ann Moseley Piggott, his wife, of the first part, and Lemuel J. Bowden, of the second part. . . in consideration of the sum of One Hundred and Eighty Dollars,. . . do grant unto the said Lemuel J. Bowden, all the right, title. . . in and to the lot of land and the buildings and improvements thereon, lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, on the north of Main Street and North of the lot conveyed to said Lemuel J. Bowden by the deed of Robert M. Candlish, Robert Saunders & others, dated the 11th day of February 1856, and recorded in the Office of the Hustings for the City of Williamsburg, which lot, buildings & improvements, the interests wherein are conveyed, are the same whereof William Bowden2 died seized and possessed, and which, since 3 his death, have been occupied by his widow, Mildred Bowden,-- said last named lots, builgs and improvements being all the estate in the City of Williamsburg whereof said William Bowden died seized and possessed-(James City County and the City of Williamsburg Deed Book I, p. 81 - Illustration 1C.)
Williamsburg Land Tax accounts for 1859 list Lemuel J. Bowden as owner of one lot, with value of lot including buildings being $3000, value of buildings being $2000; also a new house valued at $300, including lot. In 1860, Bowden is listed for tax purposes as owner of two lots: one with total value of $3000, as in 1859; the other lot appraised at $6000 which included value of the buildings, specific value of buildings being placed at $5500. (Williamsburg Land Tax Accounts - photostats in Department of Research.) In the Williamsburg land Tax transfers (copied from Virginia State Library Archives) Bowden is noted in 1860 as paying on "new building valued by free-holders and since the court have taken off $2000 the value of lots and buildings $8000." This valuation is different from the Land Tax accounts by $2000.
There is an insurance policy, No. 5052, written form Lemuel J. Bowden by the Southern Protection Insurance Company and date December 22, 1857, which may cover this property. The policy is for the following amounts: "On his Dwelling House in Williamsburg - - - $1800. On his Furniture therein - - - $200. ..."
There are several references to Lemuel J. Bowden in the diary of Miss Harriette Cary:
"May 12th [1862]: . . . The Federal Gun Boats, it is said, have appeared on James River - the Army is fast approaching Richmond was said in my hearing this morning, and just as near, said I, as it will ever get - Bowden, the Traitor, is Mayor of our Town, as reported in this 'Reign of Terror.'. .. "May 14th [1862]: .. . The Band serenaded Mayor Bowden tonight-loud cheering heard in conclusion. Down with the Traitor! if we ever recover our power---" (Tyler's Historical Quarterly Magazine, Vol. IX, pp. 108-09.)3-a.
In 1858, Samuel S. Griffin, writing to his son, James L. C. Griffin, from Williamsburg, mentioned the splendid house Lemuel Bowden was erecting:
[May, 1858]
". . . Our Acquaintance Lemuel Bowden is now building a most splendid Edifice of brick on the vacant lot in front of his mothers house, purchased by him from the Episcopalian Authorities. Its front is to be faced with stock bricks from Baltimore, & looks most beautiful as far as it has progressed. His brother Henry is the undertaker, & is to receive $10,000 for its whole completion, Henry supplying all the materials & workmanship. Lemuel is decidedly at the head of the bar & is making a fortune."
And again:
4"Williamsburg, Sept. 15. 1858.
…
[From: Griffin Letters. MSS William and Mary College Archives. Uncataloged MS Folder 123-B.]
… Lemuel Bowden's Edifice is nearly finished. It is really a magnificent Establishment. No House in the City, public or private, can compete with it. When the Portico, with its marble pillars, is added, it will be still more attractive. He is becoming very rich, & is certainly a man embracing the first order of talents. …"
The Bowden property is described by John S. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" (pp. 26-27) thus:
"The Bowden house now owned and occupied by Judge Armistead is just as it looked in 1861, except that in place of the present outside tin gutters, there was originally a broad inside gutter; and under it were large handcarved brackets forming a very attractive cornice. The house being unoccupied a greater part of the war period, the gutters and cornice went to decay and after the War had to be removed. "The house recently used as a parish house was originally the kitchen of the Bowden house, to which it is very similar in exterior appearance. Before the War, and for some years both during and after it, in this house lived a big bunch of negroes. Afterward it was used as a printing office from which the Virginia Gazette was published by Benj. Long, and then was used as a residence up to the time it was purchased by the Church.
"The only residence once on this square that has been removed within the memory of the writer (which covers a period of nearly seventy years) was a small one-and-half story frame building standing not far in the rear of the Bowden house. This quaint little house with its dormer windows, front and back porch, and shed room attached, together with a vegetable and flower garden in which there were many choice fruit trees, was the home of Mrs. Mildred Bowden, mother of Lemuel J. Bowden, the eminent lawyer, who lived in the mansion right in front of it. This old residence was razed not long after the War.
"The vehicular entrance to the Bowden lot was from Prince George street upon which stood the carriage house and stable."
Mrs. Victoria Lee, in her "Williamsburg in 1861" (pp. 70, 81) noted:
". . .Lem Bowden, at that time, had just built the large, brick house now owned by Judge Armistead. He moved there, and his mother moved into a tiny, frame, story and a half cottage on the back of the lot. She refused to live with her son because of his Union sympathies, as she was an ardent secessionist.
…
"The present Armistead house, then a new building, had just been occupied by its owner, a Virginia Yankee named Bowden, whose mother, because of his Northern sympathies, refused to live with him. She lived in a small, frame, story and a half house, which is now gone, on the rear of this lot."The small brick building which was later used by the Episcopal Church as a Parish House, was the Bowden's 5 kitchen. Except for the outside steps and porch, which were added by the Church, this building, like the Bowden's home, is unchanged. A small, one story brick building, built for Bowden's office, stood on the lot where now stands Griffen's store."
In 1866, a chancery suit was instituted in the circuit court of Norfolk by Charles H. Porter and Mary, his wife, who was a daughter of Lemuel J. Bowden, deceased, to settle the estate of Lemuel J. Bowden. In 1867, the suite was transferred to the circuit court of James City County and the City of Williamsburg. Along with other property noted in the chancery papers, as being part of the estate of Lemuel J. Bowden, deceased, was "One House and Lot comprising about one acre of land situate on Main Street in the city of Williamsburg." (James City; County and the City of Williamsburg Court Records, Deed Book I, p. 79 - Illustration #1D.)
On April 29, 1874, the court decreed that Porter, as special commissioner, make sale of the real estate of Lemuel J. Bowden, deceased. Robert T. Armistead became the purchaser of "the Brick house & lot in the city of Williamsburg. . .at the price of twenty six hundred and twenty five dollars and paid a part of said purchase in cash." Said deed was delivered to Robert T. Armistead on December 29, 1875, by William H. E. Morecock, special commissioner of the court. Also, on the 13th of November, 1875, Charles H. Porter and wife conveyed unto Robert T. Armistead "all that certain lot or parcel of land with the appurtinences all & singular thereto belonging situate in the City of Williamsburg & bounded as follows North by street known as 'St. George' East by lot belonging to Mrs Sherwill and the western wall enclosing the yard of the Episcopal Church - South by Main or Duke of Gloucester street and West by Nassau street along the lien of the present enclosure of said lot being the same premises lately occupied by L J Bowden decd and his mother Mildred Bowden decd as their respective residences - And purchased by said Armistead at sale made by Chas H Porter special commissioner as aforesaid." (James City County and the City of Williamsburg, 6 Deed Book I, p. 413 - Illustration #1E.) This last named deed takes in the rear part of the property which would face upon Prince George Street.
| Illustration #1A-#1E | - James City County and City of Williamsburg Court Records |
| Illustration #2 | - Maps |
Mary A. Stephens
Department of Research
(Report prepared by Mary A. Stephenson, General Assistant)
February, 1948
Footnotes
Illustration #1A
This deed made this 11th day of February in the year 1856, between Robert McCandlish, Robert Saunders, Robert M. Garrett, Philip M. Thompson, Robert F. Cole, John M. Galt, Charles C. Coleman, John A. Henley, James W. Custis, Goodrich Durfey and William W. Vest, Trustees of Bruton Parish Church, in the City of Williamsburg, of the first part, and Lemuel J. Bowden, of said City of the second part, witnesseth, that, in consideration of the sum of Three Hundred Dollars to them paid by said Lemuel J. Bowden, before the sealing and delivery of these presents, (the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge) the said parties of the first part do grant unto the said Lemuel J. Bowden all that lot of land lying in the City of Williamsburg, on the North side of Main Street, and extending from the South West corner of the Church Wall, in a straight line, West to the Cross Street leading between the lots of Robert H. Armistead, on the one side, and the lot now occupied by Mildred Bowden and the lot of Robert Saunders, on the other side, to the lands of James W. Custis, then, from the point at which it strikes said Cross Street, on the Eastern boundary of said Street due North until it comes on a line with the North West corner of said Church Wall, then due East until it strikes the aforesaid North West corner of the Church Wall, then South along the Western side of the Church Wall to the beginning.
And said parties of the first part hereby covenant that they will warrant xxxxxxxxxxxx specially the property hereby conveyed - [the word "specially" just above, interlined before execution.
Witness the following signatures and seals
R. McCandlish (seal)
Ro: Saunders (seal)
Robt. M. Garrett (seal)
P. M. Thompson (seal)
Robert F. Cole (seal)
John M. Galt (seal)
C. W. Coleman (seal)
John A. Henley (seal)
Jas. W. Custis (seal)
G. Durfey (seal)
W. W. Vest (seal)
City of Williamsburg to wit,
I Jno. H. Barlow a justice of the peace for the corporation aforesaid, in the state of Virginia, do certify that Ro: McCandlish, Robert Saunders, Jas. W. Custis, Ro: M. Garrett, W. W. Vest, G. Durfey, Rob. H. Cole, Jno. A. Henly, Jno. M. Galt, P. M. Thompson & C. W. Coleman whose names are signed to the writing above bearing date on the 11th day of february 1856, have acknowledged the same before me in my corporation aforesaid. Given under my hand this 25th day of february 1856.
J. H. Barlow, J. P.
In Williamsburg Hustings Court Clerks office March 7th A. D. 1856.
This day the foregoing deed of Bargain and Sale, was received in the office aforesaid, with the certificate of the acknowledgment of Ro. McCandlish Ro. Saunders Robert M. Garrett P. M. Thompson Robert F. Cole John M. Galt Charles W. Coleman John A. Henley James W. Custis Goodrich Durfey and William W. Vest - parties thereto before J. H. Barlow a justice of the peace for the City of Williamsburg: thereon endorsed and together with the said Certificate admitted to record -
Teste
Wm H. Yerby C. H. C.
[On back]
To
( _____________ )
( )
( Deed of B & S )
( _____________ )
Lemuel J. Bowden
1856
March 7th Received in the
office and A. R.
Recorded & Examined
(Page 510)
Illustration #1B
This Deed made this 22d day of January in the year 1858, between Henry M Bowden and Henryetta S. Bowden, his wife, and Mildred Bowden, all of the City of Williamsburg, of the first part, and Lemuel J. Bowden, of said City, of the second part, witnesseth, that said parties of the first part, for the consideration to wit, the said Henry M. Bowden and Henryette S. Bowden, in consideration of the sum of One Hundred and Eighty Dollars, to them paid or secured to be paid by said Lemuel J. Bowden, before the sealing and delivery of these presents, (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged) and the said Mildred Bowden in consideration of the sum of Sixty Dollars, secured to be paid or paid before the sealing and delivery of these presents, (the receipt whereof is hereby also acknowledged) do grant unto said Lemuel J. Bowden all the right, title and interest, legal and equitable, reversion and remainder of said parties of the first part, in and to the lot of land and the buildings and improvements thereon, lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, on the North of Main Street and North of the lot conveyed to said Lemuel J. Bowden by the deed of Robert McCandlish, Robert Saunders & others, dated the 11th day of February 1856, and recorded in the office of the Hustings Court for the City of Williamsburg, which lot, buildings and improvements, the interests wherein are hereby conveyed, are the same whereof William Bowden died seised and possessed, and which, since his death, have been occupied by his widow, the said Mildred Bowden, said last named lot, buildings and improvements being all the real estate in the City of Williamsburg, where of said William Bowden died seised & possessed: The interest of said Henry M Bowden & Henryetta, his wife, in said last named lot, buildings and improvements is three tenths thereof in remainder, expectant on the life estate of said Mildred Bowden, for her own life, in the whole of said last named lot, buildings and improvements; and the interest of said Mildred Bowden in said last named lot, buildings and improvements, which interest she intends hereby to convey and does hereby convey, is one tenth thereof in remainder, expectant on an estate for her own life in the whole 2 of said last named lot, buildings and improvements; For it is distinctly & expressly understood that nothing in this deed contained is intended to convey or to affect in any manner the interest of said Mildred Bowden, for and in regard to her life estate therein, in and to said last named lot, houses and improvements, to wit, the lot, houses & improvements whereof William Bowden died seized & possessed; but the object of this deed, so far as said Mildred Bowden is concerned, is merely to convey unto said Lemuel J Bowden, all the interest which said Mildred Bowden has acquired in said last named, lot, houses & improvements by descent from her deceased children, but not to affect in any manner or degree the life estate which she holds therein as widow and dowress of said William Bowden.
And said Henry M. Bowden & Mildred Bowden hereby covenant that they will warrant generally the property by them respectively hereby conveyed.
Witness the following signatures & seals
Henry M Bowden (Seal)
Henryetta S Bowden (Seal)
Mildred Bowden (Seal)
(Seal)
City of Williamsburg, to wit I J. H. Barlow, a justice of the peace for the City aforesaid in the State of Virginia, do certify that Mildred Bowden whose name is signed to the writing hereto annexed, bearing date the 22d day of January 1858, has acknowledged the same before me in my Corporation aforesaid.
Given under my hand this 22d day of January 1858
J. H. Barlow J.P.
State of Virginia ) to Wit --
City of Williamsburg )
I William H. Yerby Clerk of the Hustings Court for the City of Williamsburg and State of Virginia aforesaid, do certify that Henryetta S
3
Bowden the wife of Henry M Bowden, whose names are signed to the writing above, bearing date on the 22d day of January 1858, personally appeared before me in my office, and being examined by me privily and apart from her husband and having the writing aforesaid fully explained to her, She the Said Henryetta S Bowden acknowledged the Said writing to be her act and declared that She had Willingly executed the Same, and does not wish to retract it -
Given under my hand & Seal this 22d day of January 1858
Wm H Yerby C H C (Seal)
In Williamsburg Hustings Court Clerk's Office January 22d 1868.
This day the foregoing deed of bargain and Sale was acknowledged before me in the office aforesaid by Henry M. Bowden a party thereto to be his Act - and deed, with the certificate of the privy examination and acknowledgment - of Henryetta S. Bowden the wife of the Said Henry M Bowden before me in my office and the certificate of the acknowledgment of Mildred Bowden another party thereto before a justice of the peace for the City of Williamsburg. Thereon endorsed and there upon together with the said Certificates admitted to record -
Teste
Wm H. Yerby C H C
[On Back]
Henry M Bowden & ux & al
To ( Deed of Bargain & Sale
Lemuel J Bowden
1858
January 22d, Acknowledged
in the office & AK
Recorded & Examined
(Page 54)
Illustration #1C
This deed made this 23d day of July - in the year 1858, between Nathaniel Piggott and Mary Ann Moseley Piggott, his wife, of the County of James City, of the first part, and Lemuel J. Bowden, of the second part. Witnesseth, That said parties of the first part, in consideration of the sum of One Hundred and Eighty Dollars, to them paid or secured to be paid by said Lemuel J. Bowden, before the sealing and delivery of these presents (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged) do grant unto the said Lemuel J. Bowden, all the right, title and interest, legal and equitable, in possession, reversion and remainder of said parties of the first part, and of each of them, in and to the lot of land and the buildings and improvements thereon, lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, on the North of Main Street and North of the lot conveyed to said Lemuel J Bowden by the deed of Robert M. Candlish, Robert Saunders & others, dated the 11th day of February 1856, and recorded in the Office of the Hustings for the City of Williamsburg, which lot, buildings & improvements, the interests wherein are hereby conveyed, are the same whereof William Bowden died seized and possessed, and which, since his death, have been occupied by his widow, Mildred Bowden, -- said last named lots, builgs and improvements being all the estate in the City of Williamsburg whereof said William Bowden died seised and possessed -
And said Nathaniel Piggott hereby covenants that he will warrant generally the property hereby conveyed.
Witness the following signatures and seals
Nathl Piggott (seal)
Mary A M Piggott (seal)
(seal)
State of Virginia, City of Williamsburg, to wit: We J. H. Barlow. &. Peter. T. Powell, justices of the peace for the City aforesaid in the State of Virginia, do certify that Mary A. M. Piggott, the wife of Nathaniel Piggott, whose names are signed to the writing hereto annexed, bearing date on the 23d day of July 1858, personally appeared before us in the City aforesaid, and being examined by us privily and apart from her husband, and having the writing aforesaid fully explained to her, she, the said Mary A. M. Piggott, acknowledged the said writing to be her act, and declared that she had willingly executed the same, and does not wish to retract it. Given under our hands this 23d day of July --- 1858.
J. H. Barlow, J. P.
Peter T. Powell J. P.
In Williamsburg Hustings Court Clerk's office August 9th 1858
This day the foregoing deed of bargain and Sale. Was acknowledged before me in the office aforesaid by Nathaniel Piggott a party thereto, to be his act and deed - with the certificate of the privy examination and acknowledgment of Mary A. M Piggott the wife of the said Nathaniel Piggott before two justices of the peace for the City of Williamsburg thereon endorsed and thereupon together with the said certificate admitted to record --
Teste
Wm H. Yerby C. H. C.
[On back]:
Piggott & wife
To
L. J Bowden
1858
August 9th Acknowledged in the office & A R
Deed
Recorded & Examined
Page 81
Illustration #1D
Deed Book I, page 79, Williamsburg and James City County Records May 9, 1867NOTICE
The clerk of James City County and City of Williamsburg will record in the Deed Book of his office the following memorandum of a suit pending in the Circuit Court of the City of Norfolk.
Charles H Porter and Mary his wife who was Mary A Bowden, one of the children of Lemuel J Bowden deceased
against In Chancery
Thomas R Bowden, Executor and devisee of Lemuel J Bowden, deceased,
Lemuel G. Bowden and Henry M Bowden.The general object of this suit is to have the real and personal estate of the said Lemuel J. Bowden, deceased, administered under the direction of the said court and to restrain and enjoin the said Defendant Thomas R Bowden as Executor from selling without the order of this court, any lands of which the testator died seized in James City county and in the city of Williamsburg.
5 Acres situated in James City county called the "Jimmason's" Lot. One House and Lot comprising about one acre of land situate on Main Street in the city of Williamsburg.
One other House and Lot comprising about four acres situate on Francis St. in Williamsburg.Chiswell Sold 1889
Charles H. PorterDated Norfolk Virginia, May 9th 1867.
In Williamsburg Hustings Court Clerks Office May the 11th 1867 This day the foregoing notice was recorded in the office and at the request of Charles H. Porter admitted to record
Teste
Wm H Yerby C
Illustration #1E
Whereas in the year 1866 a chancery suit was instituted in the circuit court of the city of Norfolk in the style of Porter & wife in Bowden's Exor the object of which was to settle up the estate of the late L J. Bowden; and whereas afterwards to wit on the day of an order was entered therein transferring the said suit to the Circuit Court of James City County and the City of Williamsburg; and whereas after the taking & reporting of an account of the Debts of the said L. J. Bowden decd & an account of the real estate whereof the said L J. Bowden died seized & possessed its annual & fee simple value & sundry other accounts & enquiries; And whereas on the 29th day of April 1874 the court among other things decreed that Charles H Porter special commissioner make sale of the said real estate of L J. Bowden decd upon the terms mentioned in said decrees; And whereas Robert T. Armistead became the purchaser of a part of said real estate to wit the Brick house & lot in the city of Williamsburg, at the sale made under said decrees by said Special Commissioner on the 24th day of November 1874 & which sale was confirmed by decree of said court pronounced in said writ on the 27th day of November 1874; And Whereas the said Ro. T. Armistead is a fiduciary creditor of the estate of said L. J. Bowden as appears by the proceedings in said suit and confirmed by decree therein pronounced on the 13th day of November 1875 Wherein among other things after reciting that said "Ro T Armistead as assignee of William A Durfey who was assigned of Albert Crawley and R L Waltrep and Victoria his wife is now and was on the 1st day of May 1875 entitled to $257643 eighty six per centum of which amounts of $221583 and which is a fiduciary claim against the estate of L J Bowden decd is indebted upon said fiduciary claim in a greater amount than said Armistead is indebted upon his aforesaid purchase (said Armistead having 2 purchased said "Brick house & lot for & at the price of twenty six hundred and twenty five dollars and paid a part of said purchase in cash)" therefore the court doth adjudge order and decree, that Wm H. E Morecock, who is hereby appointed a special commissioner for that purpose execute & deliver to the said Ro T Armistead a duly acknowledged deed with special warranty conveying to him the said "Brick house" and lot in this decree above alluded to "Therefore this deed made this 29th day of December in the year 1875 between Wm H E Morecock special commissioner acting under the decree of the circuit court of James City County & City of Williamsburg pronounces in the suit therein pending in the name & style of Porter & wife to Bowden's Exor &c on the 13th day of November 1875 of the first part and Ro T Armistead of the city of Williamsburg of the second part Witnesseth that the said party of the first for & in consideration of the above recited premises & in obedience & in execution of said decree of the 13th November 1875 doth by these present grant & convey with special warrant unto the said Ro. T. Armistead all that certain lot or parcel of land with the appurtinences all & singular thereto belonging situate in the City of Williamsburg & bounded as follows North by street known as St. George" East by lot belonging to Mrs Sherwill and the western wall enclosing the yard of the Episcopal Church - South by Main or Duke of Gloucester street and West by Nassau street along the lien of the present enclosure of said lot being the same premises lately occupied by L J Bowden decd and his mother Mildred Bowden decd as their respective residences - And purchased by said Armistead at the sale made by Chas H Porter special commissioner as aforesaid
Witness the following signature & seal
Wm H. E. Morecock (seal)
Spl: Commr.
State of Virginia (
(
City of Williamsburg (
I. John H Barlow Jr. a Justice of the peace. for the City aforesaid. do Certify that William H E Morecock whose name is signed to the writing above, bearing date, 29th day of December 1875. has acknowledged the same before me, in my City aforesaid.
In the Clerk's office of James City County and the City of Williamsburg
December 29th 1875
This day the foregoing Deed was received in the office aforesaid, and having thereon endorsed the certificate of the acknowledgment of Wm H. E. Morecock Spl: Comr a party whose name is signed thereto, before John H. Barlow Jr. a Justice of the peace of the city of Williamsburg, was admitted to record.-
Teste,
Wm H. E. Morecock.
[On back]:
W. H. E. Morecock Spl Comr
)
To ) Deed B & S. [?]
)
R T Armistead
1875. December 29th
Recod in the Clerks Office and A to R.
C. C Dixon D. D.
Recorded & Examined
D Book. Page 413
C C Dixon D. C.
Given under my hand this 29th day of December 1875.
J H Barlow Jr. J. P.
Illustration #2
Bowden-Armistead Lots
From Frenchman's Map
Tyler Map
Answer to Letter of June 17, 1955 from Miss Gustin (see General Files) asking that name of house be changed from Armistead to Bowdin House. Also sending information on Lemuel Jackson Bowden, who "married Martha Shackleford, daughter of Dabney Shackleford of King and Queen County. He was elected U.S. Senator and died Jan. 2, 1864. He was buried in Congressional Cemetery and his wife and children interred in the family burial plot in Cedar Grove Cemetery, King and Queen County. William Owen Bowden was a soldier of the War of 1812. A more remote ancestor, William Bowden, was His Majesty's Attorney-General of the Virginia Colony." [From Miss Gustin's letter.]
Miss Marion Bowden Gustin
935 East 8th Ave.
Denver 18 Colorado
Dear Miss Gustin:
Your letter of June 17th to Dr. Arthur Pierce Middleton has been forwarded to us, as he is no longer with Colonial Williamsburg. Dr. Middleton is now rector of St. Paul's Church in Brookfield, Connecticut. Dr. Edward M. Riley is now director of research here.
As we do not own the house now known as the "Armistead House," it is not included in our present guidebook. However, we have had for some years a history of this property, and know that the house was built by Lemuel J. Bowden. He purchased the property from the vestry of Bruton Parish Church in February, 1856, and completed the brick house, built for him by his brother, Henry M. Bowden, contractor, in 1858. Bowden was mayor of Williamsburg in 1862 during the Federal occupation of Williamsburg. In 1866 Charles H. Porter of Norfolk, and Mary, his wife, daughter of Lemuel J. Bowden, deceased, instituted a suit in the circuit court of Norfolk to settle Bowden's estate. The Williamsburg house was not sold until 1874, when it was purchased by Robert T. Armistead, whose descendants have owned and occupied it ever since. Our history of the property refers to it as "the Bowden-Armistead House."
Judge Frank Armistead, the late owner of the house, died a year or so ago, but his widow continues in the house, which will doubtless pass to her son, Robert Armistead, a young lawyer in Williamsburg. If they should sell the property to Colonial Williamsburg, which is very unlikely, it is probable that the house would be removed, as it was built in the mid-nineteenth century, and has no place in the restored eighteenth century picture.
If you wish to present Lemuel Bowden's diploma, the Phoenix medal, and Phi beta Kappa key to the College of William and Mary, I am sure they would be happy to have them. That would be the most suitable place for these interesting articles, and a safe depository for them.
Thank you for your information on the Bowden family. We will add it to our file.
Sincerely, (Mrs. Rutherfoord Goodwin) Research Department MG:JC
To: Dr. Riley
From: Mary R. M. Goodwin
Re: Bowden-Armistead marker and Bruton Churchyard.
I have just read the proposed marker for the Bowden-Armistead House, and suggest deleting the following:
AFTER A SUCCESSION OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIPS THIS SITE WAS ACQUIRED BY BRUTON PARISH CHURCH IN THE LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. IT WAS MADE A PART OF THE WALLED CHURCHYARD AND -
We know of no owner, other than the Church, prior to Bowden's purchase from the Trustees of Bruton Parish Church by deed dated February 11, 1856. The lot to the rear of the 53 x 40 feet of land, purchased by Bowden, had been owned by William Bowden, his father, and was occupied by his mother in 1856. It was subsequently acquired (only a month after his purchase from the Church) by Bowden. [See Miss Stephenson's report on the "Bowden-Armistead House, Bock 21.] Lemuel J. Bowden's "most splendid Edifice of brick" was completed in 1858, according to newspaper accounts. Robert T. Armistead acquired the property in 1875.
Unfortunately, deeds conveying the land to the Church have not been found. The original gift of land for the church and churchyard promised by Col. John Page was recorded in the Bruton Parish Vestry Minutes for November 14, 1678. The Vestry Minutes subsequently recorded that the land given by Page was "sixty feet... every way" from the brick church, which was completed in the winter of 1683. I do not know the dimensions of the present churchyard, but it is certainly larger than that. No deed conveying additional land to Bruton Parish has been found in the York County records, nor was Page's gift there recorded. The Vestry Minutes have disappeared prior to 1827 - only excerpts from the first book (1874-ca.1769) have survived, and although these excerpts fortunately include the record of Page's gift of land, they containing nothing concerning additional land for the churchyard.
It is probable that a certain amount of land was set aside for the churchyard - possibly the whole square bounded by Duke of Gloucester, Nassau, Prince George and Palace Streets - by the feoffees or trustees for building the City of Williamsburg, or by the Williamsburg Court of Hustings, after the City was incorporated in 1722. If so, no record has been found. The early Hustings Court records were burned in Richmond during the Ware Between the States, and, other than the deeds for the feofees and trustees for building Williamsburg recorded in the York County deed books, no records of the directors have survived. However, the fact that original deeds to the Wythe House property, and the two lots owned by John Blair (prior to his death in 1771) back of the Wythe property on Prince George Street, have never been found may be due to the above. In any event, when John Blair's executors sold the two lots fronting on Prince George street in 1772, they were described as being bound on the south by (lot 239) "the Church Square," and (lot 241) by "the Church Wall." This indicates that the property sold to Bowden in 1856 was owned by the Church in 1771, and probably long before.
M. G.