Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

THE TRAVIS HOUSE - BLOCK 13 2 ¹⁴
No. 24, Map 1940^{Should be re-worked}

The former location of the Travis House is described by two Williamsburg citizens:

The Travis House, a long, frame building with a gambrel roof stood on the northeast corner of Francis and Henry Streets, Dr. Galt [Dr. John Minson Galt d. 1862--see report on the Galt House], Superintendent of the Eastern State Hospital, made his home there. (Mrs. Victoria Lee, "Williamsburg in 1861", p. 4.)

On the square bounded by the Duke of Gloucester, Nassau, Francis, and Henry Streets. . .is the dutch-roof house at S. W. corner of the square and known as the Old Superintendent's House. This house is in a good state of preservation and was occupied by Dr. John M. Galt, who was Superintendent of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum when the War began. It is said to have been built by Mr. Travis, but now belongs to the State of Virginia. (Mr. Charles, "Recollections", p. 20.)

The house was built about 1765, although the only proof of the approximate date is the act that follows:

[Session October, 1765]

I. WHEREAS it is represented to this present general assembly, by the minister and vestry of the parish of Bruton, in the counties of York and James City, that one Jonathan Druitt, deceased, did by his last will and testament, which was established by decree of the general court, the thirtieth day of April one thousand seven hundred and thirty five, give and devise unto one Richard Stayton, and the issue male of his body, three lots or half acres of land in the city of Williamsburg; but if he should die before he attained the lawful age, or without issue, then to objects of charity belonging to the said parish, and made the vestry of the said parish his executors: That the said Richard Stayton is since dead without issue, and that it would best answer the charitable intent of the donor if the said vestry were empowered to dispose of the said lots, and apply the interest of the purchase money towards the relief of the poor of the said parish.

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II. And whereas Edward Champion Travis, gentleman, hath contracted and agreed with the vestry of the said parish for the purchase of two of the said lots, denoted in the plan of the said city by the letters I K; and James Blair, gentleman, hath also agreed for the purchase of one other of the said lots, denoted in the plan of the said city by the letters L; and they are now severally and respectively in possession of the said lots, and have built dwelling-houses, and made other improvements thereon.

III. Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governour, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act the said Edward Champion Travis shall be, and he is hereby vested with the absolute property and fee simple estate of and in the said lots, or one acre of ground, denoted in the plan of the said city by the letters I K; and the said James Blair shall be, and in like manner is hereby vested with the same estate of and in the lot denoted in the said plan by the letter L; they the said purchasers paying to the said vestry the consideration money which they were respectively to pay for the said lots.

(Hening's Statutes at Large, Vol. VIII, pp. 171, 172.)

The title of "Colonel" seems to have been given Edward Champion Travis because he was colonel of the militia of James City County. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 18 [1] p. 142.) He seems to have been the fourth Travis named Edward, at least in Virginia. (Ibid., p. 141-143.)

The statement that Colonel Edward Champion Travis was a member of the House of Burgesses representing Jamestown in the colonial Assembly from 1752 until his death some twenty-five years later seems from the references in Stanard's Colonial Virginia Register and the Journals of the House of Burgesses to need considerable revision. Some statement might be made about three generations of Travises serving in the House of Burgesses. The first Travis to represent James City County was Edward Travers [sic] who sat in the Assembly from March 1643 to June 1644 and again in October, 1644. (Journal of the House of Burgesses, 1619-1658.)

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Edward Champion Travis, his great-grandson, was a representative from Jamestown in the House of Burgesses for the first time in 1752. His seat was contested by Lewis Burwell, but a new election returned Travis. (Journal of the House of Burgesses, 1752-58, pp. 12, 41.) Travis represented Jamestown continuously until 1759. In that year, although elected a burgess for Jamestown, he had accepted the office of coroner of James City County. (Journal, 1759-61 p. 135.) A new election brought John Ambler in as representative for the old town. (Journal, pp. viii, footnote 4; also 145, 149, etc.) Ambler continued to represent Jamestown in the sessions of 1760 and 1761. (Ibid, index.) In 1761, Travis was again elected and continued to represent Jamestown until 1765. In the years 1763 and 1764, the Journal reports in footnotes (pp. 169, 201) "Not shown by the Journal to have been present during the Assembly". This might mean non-attendance or failure to be named on a Committee.

In 1765 and 1766, John Ambler was chosen to represent Jamestown. In November 1766, [John Ambler had died, Stanard, p. 173] Edward Ambler represented Jamestown and continued to do so in 1767 and 1768. (Journal 1766-69.) A footnote in 1768 reports that he was "shown not to have been present by the Journal". (Ibid., p. 135.)

In 1769, Champion Travis, Jr., son of Edward Champion Travis, was the representative for Jamestown and continued to represent the town through the year 1776. (Journals 1766-69, 1770-1772, 1773-1776; Stanard, pp. 203, 205, 207, 209.)

Champion Travis, by his father's will inherited the property in James City County. The will was drawn up December 15, 1778 and probated September 20, 1779. (York County Records, Wills, Inventories, Book 22, p. 458.)

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No Travis was listed as a head of a family in Williamsburg in 1782. [First census of the United States, Virginia State Library.] This is fairly good proof that Champion Travis did not yet live in Williamsburg ^{at that time}. In 1785, Champion Travis is shown as possessing 2038 acres valued at £1851. 3. 8. in James City County; in 1813, his holdings had decreased to 802 ¾ acres valued at $2,432.34. (James City County Tax Records.) In 1801 and 1806, he was taxed for two lots in Williamsburg.

On September 5, 1809, in insurance policy #957, p. 58, he insured his two buildings on Francis and Henry Streets, occupied by him, situated between the lot of Mary Charlton [formerly Piggots] and Henry Street and the lot of James Moir. The dwelling house was insured for $2,666 2/3 and the smoke house for $150. [See Exhibit A.]

There can be no question that this was the house under discussion. On the Frenchman's map, a long narrow house is shown located at the northeast corner of Francis and Henry Streets. On both the Bucktrout and the unknown draftsman's map, Travis is shown in possession of two lots at this location between Moir on the north and Pickett [sic] on the east.

In 1810, he acquired another lot "via Roberts". (Williamsburg Land Transfers.) From 1812 through 1819, his estate was taxed for three lots. In 1820, Samuel Travis was taxed for two lots "heretofore charged to the [estate?] of Champion Travis." On one lot was a house valued at $1,000., on another, a house worth $200. Whether the property on which the Travis house stood went to some one else or the Travis property was devalued on account of the panic of 1819, or for some other cause, is not evident from the records. From 1825-30, Samuel Travis' Estate was taxed for two lots. In 1831, William Edloe got one lot "via Charles L. Wingfield, Marshal -5- for the superior court of Chancery for Williamsburg district the property belonged to Samuel Travis dec'd." (Williamsburg Land Transfers.) [See Exhibit B for genealogy of the Travis family.]

After 1835, no Travis name appears on the tax records. In that year, Richard M. Bucktrout got one lot via John D. Travis and wife, value of home $400.

The house was moved and placed by the Restoration on the lot designated "Greenhow" on the Bucktrout and unknown draftsman's map.

Sometime between 1750-1755, or perhaps even earlier, John Greenhow established himself in Williamsburg as a merchant. ("Narrative of George Fisher," in William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 17, (1), p. 149.) He becomes very wealthy and prosperous as the following list of his effects shows:

WILLIAMSBURG, September 24, 1787.

Agreeable to the last will and testament of Mr. JOHN GREENHOW, late of this city, will be sold at public sale, on Thursday the 18 of October.

THE Store and four lots, beautifully situated on Shockoe Hill in Richmond, a likely young Negro fellow and a Negro woman and on the Monday following, will be sold, all the real and personal estate of the deceased, (except the store Goods) in and about the city of Williamsburg, consisting of a large and commodious Dwelling house on the main street, 6 or 8 Houses and Lots on the back street, about 300 acres of Land adjoining the Town, and lying on each side of the road to the College Landing, and about 100 acres of well timbered Land 3 miles from Town, a number of valuable slaves, 12 or 14 milch cows, 2 old cart Horses, and a parcel of elegant household Furniture, among which is a beautiful keyed chamber Organ and a Spinnet - three months credit will be allowed the purchasers for all sums above £10, on giving bond with approved security...
ROBERT GREENHOW, sole executor.

(Virginia Gazette and Independent Chronicle, John Dixon, October 6, 1787.)

LOTS I AND K, BLOCK 14

The first owner of lots No. L, I and K according to the available records was Jonathan Druitt (sometimes spelled Drewit, Druet and Drewett.) In his will probated in the General Court on April 30, 1735, he gave lots I, K and L to Richard Stayton and his heirs with the proviso that if Stayton died before attaining the lawful age or left no heirs the property was to be used for charity in Bruton Parish. He made the vestry his executors. Since Richard Stayton died without issue the vestry was empowered by an act of General assembly to dispose of the lots and use the interest on the money for the relief of the poor of the parish.

By October 1765, Edward Champion Travis had purchased I and K and had built a dwelling-house or dwelling-houses and made other improvements on these lots. The statute in which all the above information was found is quoted in full:

An act to vest certain lots in the City of Williamsburg in the purchasers thereof, and for other purposes therein mentioned.

I. WHEREAS it is represented to this present general assembly, by the minister and vestry of the parish of Bruton, in the counties of York and James City, that one Jonathan Druitt, deceased, did by his last will and testament, which was established by decree of the general court, the thirtieth day of April one thousand seven hundred and thirty five, give and devise unto one Richard Stayton, and the issue male of his body, three lots or half acres of land in the city of Williamsburg; but if he should die before he attained the lawful age, or without issue, then to objects of charity belonging to the said parish, and made the vestry of the said parish his executors: That the said Richard Stayton is since dead without issue, and that it would best answer the charitable intent of the donor if the said vestry were empowered to dispose of the said lots, and apply the interest of the purchase money towards the relief of the poor of the said parish.

2.

II. And whereas Edward Champion Travis, gentleman, hath contracted and agreed with the vestry of the said parish for the purchase of two of the said lots, denoted in the plan of the said city by the letters I K; and James Blair, gentleman, hath also agreed for the purchase of one other of the said lots, denoted in the said plan by the letter L; and they are now severally and respectively in possession of the said lots, and have built dwelling-houses, and made other improvements thereon.

III. Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governour, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act the said Edward Champion Travis shall be, and he is hereby vested with the absolute property and fee simple estate of and in the said lots, or one acre of ground, denoted in the plan of the said city by the letters I K; and the said James Blair shall be, and in like manner is hereby vested with the same estate of and in the lot denoted in the said plan by the letter L; they the said purchasers paying to the said vestry the consideration money which they were respectively to pay for the said lots.

IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said vestry, or the major part of them, shall lend and place the money, when by them received for the sale of the said lots, in the hands of some responsible person, taking bond with good and sufficient security, in the penalty of double the money so lent, payable to themselves and their successours, the vestry of the said parish for the time being, with condition for the repayment of the said money, together with legal interest thereon, whenever the same shall be demanded; and the said vestry shall apply the interest arising on the said money from time to time to the relief of such objects of charity belonging to the said parish as they shall think proper, and to no other use or purpose whatsoever,

V. Provided always, That the execution of this act shall be, and the same is hereby suspended until his majesty's approbation thereof shall be obtained.

(Hening's Statutes, Vol. 8, pp. 171-2)

It is impossible to tell how Druitt retained possession of his lots without building houses on them. In fact, it cannot be said that use be made of the lots; whether he built house on them or not, or whether he lived in such houses, if built, or leased them as tenements. It 3. seems that he was an innkeeper. This fact is borne out by the fact that his wife, Martha, was an innkeeper after his death. Druitt got four lots - location unknown - in the city of Williamsburg from the trustees on December 17, 1716. (York Co. Records, Book 15, Orders, Wills & Bonds, pp. 206, 402, 405.) Sometime before 1728, Jonathan Druitt died and his widow Martha, kept a tavern, called the Swan at Queen Mary's Port. (Ibid., Vol. III, Deeds, Bonds, p. 512.) Nothing could be learned about Richard Stayton.

Although Edward Champion Travis represented James City in the House of Burgesses (meeting at Williamsburg) from 1752 through 1759 and from 1761 until 1765 (Journals of the House of Burgesses, 1752-1759; 1761-65), no record that showed his use of the house on lots I and K as his dwelling could be found. The available facts seem to point to his use of this property as tenements to let. In his will, written December 15, 1778 and probated in York County September 20, 1779, he left Timson's Neck^* "whereon I now live" to his son John. This proves that he was not living on Francis Street at that time. Another clause in his will reads:

I give and Devise to my son Champion Travis all my Lands and Tenements with the -- Appurtenences lying and being in the County of James City to my son Champion and to his heirs forever. . . ." (York County Records, Book 22, Wills, Inventories, pp. 458-9)

Champion Travis, son of Edward Champion Travis, was the representative for Jamestown from 1769 through 1776 (Journal of the House of Burgesses 1766-69, 1770-72, 1773-76; Stanard, Colonial Register, pp. 203, 4. 205, 207, 209) He was not among those listed as heads of families in Williamsburg in the census of 1790. (Begun in 1782 - Information from Virginia State Library, Card 962, York County Records) His name appears in the Williamsburg land tax records for the first time in 1801 when he was taxed for two lots. Just when he moved to Williamsburg is uncertain, but he was living in the "Travis House" on September 5, 1809. At that time, he insured his two buildings on Francis and Henry Streets, occupied by himself, and situated between "the lot of Mary Charlton (formerly Piggots) and Henry Street and the lot of James Moir." (Policy No. 957, p. 58)

The dwelling-house was insured for $2666-2/3 and the smoke house for $150. This location of his buildings with reference to the neighboring lots is verified by the drawings that accompanied the policy:

5.

Travis's location of his property on Block 14 is borne out by the location of lots on the maps of the Unknown Draftsman and that of Bucktrout.

There seems a strong probability that the house illustrated on the insurance policy was the one built before October 1765 and mentioned in Hening's Statutes quoted on p. 1 of this report. The Frenchman's map (1782? or 1786?) shows a long, narrow house located in the southwest corner of this block.

There are three accounts in Humphrey Harwood's Ledger with Colo. Champion Travis:

• Ledger B, p. 120
• Ledger C, p. 32
• Ledger D, p. 7

5-b.

1787 th	Dr	Cr
Octor	30	To 5 bushels of lime 5/	£ 5
1789	To building a Cabuce 5/. & do Chimney 10/	15
Feb. 25	To 400 lb Fodder a 4/	16
		£1.16

(Ledger B, p. 120)

1790
Feb. 27	To amount of acct prior to 23 Novr 1789 (?)
	--------------	£1.
	To amt of do subsequent thereto
	(from folo 120 ante)	.16
	£1.16	£1.16
	To 6 bushels of lime a 9d turng ) a large arch - mending Chimney)
	Back &c 4/6	. 9
Sept. 24	To 20 Bricks 8d - 5 bushs lime a 9d & Buildg Chimney on Board 4/.	. 8.5
1791
Nov. 20	To 11 bushels of lime a 9d Setting up a) grate mending plaistering &c 8/6 . . )	.16.9
1793
June 17	To 2 days Hire of Nat @ 4/. Pr day & 4 Buls Lime @ 9d - - -	.18

(Ledger C, p. 32)

1793 st
Octor 31	To 1 days Hire of Nat @ 4/. & 2 Bushls Lime @ 9d	. 5.6
Novr 2	To Whitewashing 1 Room 2/9 & 1 Closet 1/6-1/2	. 4.3
th	To ½ Bushl Whitewash @ 2/.	. 1
June 17	To 2 days Hire of Nat @ 4/. & 4 Bushls Lime @ 9d	.11
	By cash - - - - - -	1. 1.9	1. 1.9

(Ledger D, p. 7)

6.

It cannot be asserted with any degree of certainty that this was work done on the present Travis house. The "Cabuce" is difficult to explain. One definition is, "cooking-oven erected on land."

The tax history of the Travis lots and buildings (Williamsburg Land Tax Records and Transfers) is as follows: Champion Travis was taxed for 2 lots from 1801 through 1810 when he acquired "1 via Roberts." From 1812 through 1819, his "estate" was taxed for 3 lots - indicating that between 1810 and 1812, he had died. In 1820, Samuel Travis, his son, (See Genealogy Table, William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 18, (1), pp. 141-44) was taxed for two lots "heretofore charged to the [estate?] of Champion Travis." One of the lots had a house of the value of $1000, the other of the value of $200. Whether this house was the one valued at $2666-2/3 on the insurance policy and now greatly devalued, on account of the panic of 1819 or for some other reason, could not be ascertained. From 1825 through 1830, Samuel Travis's "Estate" was taxed for two lots. In 1831, William Edloe got one lot "via Charles L. Wingfield, Marshal for the Superior Court of Chancery for Williamsburg district the property belonged to Samuel Travis dec'd." (Williamsburg Land Transfers) The tax records from 1830 to 1850 when the name Edloe disappears from the records shows the following facts:

Owner	Year	Value of Lot and Buildings	Value Due to Buildings	Yearly Rent	Tax at Legal Rate
Samuel Travis	1830	$1150	$1000	$70	1.43
William Edloe	1835	1150	1000	70	1.40
Do	1838	Do	Do	Do	Do
Do	1840	1700	1500	Do	Do
	1843	Do	Do	Do	Do
	1847	Do	Do	Do	Do

(Williamsburg Land Transfers)

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Incomplete Travis Genealogy

(William and Mary Quarterly, Vol 18, (1) pp. 141-44.) 7.

In 1850 William Edloe's name disappears; it is impossible to say to whom the Travis property passed.

After 1835 no Travis name appears on the tax records. In that year, Richard M. Bucktrout got "one lot via John D. Travis and Wife," value of home $400 (Williamsburg Land Tax Records - See Travis Genealogy)

Citizens of Williamsburg remember the appearance and location of the Travis house in 1861 as follows:

The Travis House, a long, frame, building with a gambrel roof stood on the northeast corner of Francis and Henry Streets, Dr. Galt [Dr. John Minson Galt d. 1862--see report on the Galt house.] Superintendent of the Eastern State Hospital, made his home there. (Mrs. Victoria Lee, "Williamsburg in 1861," p.4)

On the square bounded by the Duke of Gloucester, Nassau, Francis and Henry Streets. . . is the dutch-roof house at S. W. corner of the square and known as the Old Superintendent's House. This house is in a good state of preservation and was occupied by Dr. John M. Galt, who was Superintendent of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum when the War began. It is said to have been built by Mr. Travis, but now belongs to the State of Virginia. (Mr. Charles, "Recollections," p. 20)

The house was moved by the Restoration to Greenhow's lot on the northwest corner of Block 13-1. (See Greenhow House report and Greenhow Shop report for location of those buildings.)