Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

PART I CHAIN OF TITLE.

Prior to 1740 the owner of the property is not known. From a notation in Another Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover one learns that Byrd - then in Williamsburg — had association with Philip Lightfoot: "After dinner I walked to Colonial Lightfoot's where several ladies came." (June 13, 1740)¹ At this date the House of Burgesses was in session. Byrd and Lightfoot were members of the King's Council. It was frequently the case for members of the Assembly to build a "town house" in Williamsburg for their use during attendance. Lightfoot owned "Lots and Houses in the City of Williamsburg" in 1747 with "Furniture in the House at Williamsburg."² As no sources have noted other property in the city as owned by Lightfoot at this period, it seems altogether reasonable to assume that Lightfoot's property was colonial lot 13.

Philip Lightfoot's will (probated in 1748) devised property in Williamsburg to his son, John, and in the event of no male heir such property would be inherited by Armistead, another son. If Armistead had no male heir, the property would come to William Lightfoot, another son of Philip Lightfoot. As neither John nor Armistead had male heirs, the Williamsburg lots and houses came into the possession of William Lightfoot.³

Further proof that the title to the Williamsburg property fell to William Lightfoot is seen in an Act of Assembly of 1769 defining the boundary between York and James City counties within the city. Such line ran "down the middle of the main street to the eastern end of the Market place, thence into the lane which divides the storehouse of James Anderson merchant, from the lots of the orphan of William Lightfoot, esq. deceased, as far as the middle of the palings of said lots, thence through the middle of those lots, and all the other lots on the north side of Francis Street, till it passes through the middle of the lots of the honourable William and Thomas Nelson;…"¹

The above stature locates Lightfoot's property on the east side of the Market Square, adjoining the storehouse of James Anderson, which would identify the lots as Colonial lots 13 and 14.

The Frenchman's Map (1782) provides the next information about the lot (13). On what appears to be lot 13 there is a small house about 130 feet south of the main street and flush to Queen Street; a house of similar dimensions at corner of Francis and Queen Streets and a larger house with an east wing facing Francis Street and set back a few feet.

The College Map (1791?) and the Bucktrout Map (1803) both have "Lightfoot" on lot 13 and 14.

From the Williamsburg Land Tax Records there is evidence that the Lightfoot family were owners of the property in 1782 (first date of land tax records) until 1839 when the lots were conveyed to George W. Southall, Williamsburg lawyer.²

In 1814 there is undoubted proof of a Masonic Hall on the western part of the Lightfoot's lot.

An insurance policy of the Mutual Assurance Society to Robert Anderson (#405) indicates that the Masons Hall was adjoining:

January 7, 1814.

…On the Main Street now occupied by Wilson Cheeks situated between Main Street on the north, a cross street dividing the lot of Charlton's on the east, Francis Street on the south and on the West by Lightfoots lot and the Masons Hall.¹

Anderson had acquired this property in January 1814, via Wilson Cheeks: consideration $1000. "The Masons Hall" is mentioned in the deed as in the insurance policy. See: House History of Lot #15, Research Department for complete copy of deed.

The Southall Ms Papers at William and Mary College indicate that in November 1852 "A lot [was for sale] in the City of Wms^bg with the houses thereon, called the "Lodge Lot" bounded on the North by the lot of William S. Peachy, east by the lot of John A. Deneufville, and S. and W. by the public streets, valued at $750." (Folder 351)

In 1854 the Williamsburg Land Tax Records indicate that W. S. Peachy was the owner of the northern part of lot #13 & #14 and part of Lodge Lot:

W. S. Peachy --Lot & building worth $200 Formerly charged to George W. Southall
G. W. Southall Lodge Lot (part transferred to W. S. Peachy) --$600.

Peachy was still in possession of the lot in 1859.²

Mr. John S. Charles in 1928 described this property as he recalled it during the Civil War period:

South of the Peachy (Nightingale) house on Francis Street there stood, up to a few years ago, the old Masonic lodge. This was a two story frame house with small yard in front enclosed by a picket fence. The writer well remembers when the Masons used the upper floor and a school room was on the first floor.³

It appears from excerpts of conveyances on file in the Research Department that the Williamsburg Masonic order were negotiating to acquire the property known as the "Lodge Lot" in 1902-1906.l Such notes are taken from Deed Book IV, Williamsburg and James City County Records, pp. 507-508, 549, 588, 564, 568.

In 1931 the Williamsburg Masons built a Lodge on the site of an early building thereon — which early building may have been the one rented from the Lightfoot family in 1782-1786.

During the period 1740-1906 the Lodge lot was never owned in fee simple by the Masonic order. There was evidently a long lease.

PART II MASONIC LODGES IN WILLIAMSBURG:

A Minute Book of the Williamsburg Masonic Lodge has a double page of Lodge Minutes and Accounts of 1762-1763.¹ Such data reveals the fact that there was a lodge of some kind operating in Williamsburg by 1762 and that they met at the Crown Tavern with Peyton Randolph, Grand Master, and Nathaniel Walthoe as Treasurer:

D^r The Lodge at the Crown Tavern in Account with Nathaniel Walthoe Treasurer
…

Dr	Cr
1762, 21st Decr	1762, Decr 17
1763	…
Feb. 22
…
Sept. 26
…

This account is placed in the book among pages of date, 1779. It indicates that there was a minute book of 1762 and that the recording secretary in 1779 inserted a page (loose) from the 1762 book.

On June 29, 1773 a Lodge Meeting was held "at the New Lodge Room in Williamsburg." It was "Ordered That the Treasurer send to England a sum of money not exceeding four pounds ten shillings Sterling in order to Defray the expence in obtaining a constitution if necessary." This statement indicates that the Masons had been meeting in another room somewhere in the city, and at this date were installed "at the New Lodge Room."

The Treasurer's Book 1773-1784 indicates that a charter had been granted by 1774 and that the Lodge was paying by installments the fee required. In June 1774 the Lodge meetings were held in a room or house of Gabriel Maupin, a member. The Feast of St. John the Baptist (June 24th) was held and Maupin "was paid £20 for the use of the Lodge the last Year." Two months later (August 2, 1774) at a meeting of the Lodge, a committee was asked to prepare a petition to the House of Burgesses to hold a lottery to raise money "for Building a Lodge Room and other Conveniences for the same."

The Committee of the Lodge do prepare a Petition to be presented to the Hon. The House of Burgesses at the next Session of the Assembly praying leave to have a Lottery to Raise a sum of Money for the purpose of Building a Lodge Room and other Conveniences, for the same.¹

No record was found of the presentation of the petition of the House of Burgesses nor of any further action on a lottery to raise money for a Masonic building. Perhaps the Revolutionary War put a stop to such plans.

In October 1776 Dr. William Richman, Director-General of the Continental Hospital, "Rented the low Rooms in the Lodge from the first of September at Twenty Pounds p^r Annum…"²

Her is indication that the Masons had a house with rooms down stairs and upstairs.

The Masons were, evidently, renting from Gabriel Maupin. The records of the Treasurer's report show that in June 1777 Maupin was paid£55.11.3 for the rent of the Lodge from May 29^th 1775 to June 24^th 1777.¹

In 1777 certain repairs made to the Lodge during the year were settled by the Treasurer:

At a Lodge held on June 3, 1777 it was "Resolved that the Ceilen of the Lodge Room be taken down and that there be an Arch'd Ceiling to it, also Blinds made to the Windows."² Another Minute Book 1774-1779 for this Lodge date adds that "Windows [be made] for the admission of fresh and cool air."

1777 Sept^r 24^th By Cash paid Phil Moody for Rep^rs to the Lodge£15.7.11
Oct^r 7^th By do pd Humphrey Harwood for Reprs to the Lodge£ 3.0.6³

In 1779 December the Treasurer of the Lodge paid out: "By Cash p^d John Lamb for repairs of y^e lodge£28.2.0."⁴

It was not until 1782 that the Masons seem to have leased or rented from William Lightfoot. An account of David Morton, Treasurer at this time, notes:

1782 July 6^th

By Cash pd the Master for M^r Lightfoot £25. -.-
1783 May 23^rd

By Cash p^d Ball^s of the Lodge Rent for this year 5.18.-⁵

In January 1786 the Treasurer's account shows:

By Cash p^d for Cartage of the Lodge furniture £ -. 3.-
May 29th 1786

By 57-2/3 Doll^s Int^s p^d Bro^r John M. Galt, for M^r Lightfoot for Rent 17. 6.-⁶

At this date the Treasurer's Book of the Williamsburg Lodge of Masons ends.