Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

LOCATION:

Lot 350 is noted on the College Map (1791?) as lying to the east of lots 41 and 42 (marked "Moir.) Lot 350 faces upon Duke of Gloucester Street. (See: Tyler's adaptation of the College Map, Illustration #1, Appendix.)

HISTORY:

Because the court records of James City County were entirely destroyed during the period of 1861-65, it is difficult to obtain a clear chain to title to the lots in this area of Williamsburg.

It looks as though William Blaikley, husband of Catherine Blaikley, a midwife by trade, was owner of the lot by 1734. Blaikley owned lot M previous to January 1718/19. At this date Blaikley sold lot M to John Custis. At his death in 1736 Blaikley conveyed by will (written February 10, 1734; probated June 21, 1736, in York County.) "unto my loving wife Catherine Blaikley, all my whole estate of lands, houses, negroes, goods and chattels, meaning my houses and lots in Williamsburg and 50 acres of land … in Powhatan …" (York County Records, Wills, Inventories, Book 18, p. 207.)

It is not known whether Blaikley was living on lot 350 at the time of his death, but circumstantial evidence - which will follow in the report - points to this as a strong probability. In Blaikley's inventory a general plan of his house is given. It seems to have been a one and a half story house with a hall on each floor. The rooms are designated in the dwelling-house and kitchen thus:

June 30, 1736.

Blaikley, William - Inventory

Great Chamber Upstairs

little chamber upstairs

closet upstairs

passage upstairs

chamber below stairs

chamber closet

parlor below stairs

hall

-2-

Mrs. Blaikley's closet

little room by the hall

back passage

kitchen loft

kitchen seller

From 1736 to 1771 the records furnish little as to the whereabouts in Williamsburg of Catherine Blaikley, widow of William Blaikley. Mrs. Blaikley undoubtedly was living in Williamsburg. Only four references have been found in the period 1736-1767 identifying Mrs. Blaikley with the Williamsburg area:

(1) On December 1, 1738 a plantation was advertised for sale in Brunswick County. Those interested should "Enquire of Mrs. Blaikley, in Williamsburg." (Virginia Gazette, Parks, ed.)

(2) In February 1743 Catherine Blaikley received a bequest from her brother, John Kaidyce of York County.
(York County Records, Wills & Inventories, Book 19, p. 168.)

(3) In 1748 Mrs. Blaikley is listed as having slaves baptized in Bruton Parish. (Record of Bruton Parish Church by W. A. R. Goodwin, p. 154.)

(4) In 1765-67 Katherine Blaikely is listed as owner of slaves. (Ibid., p. 154.)

No further information about Mrs. Blaikley has come to light until the notice of her loss of a pocketbook on August 8, 1769:

WILLIAMSBURG, August 8, 1769.

LOST
A RED Morocco POCKET BOOK, containing about seven or eight pounds in paper money, chiefly in 40 and 20 s. bills some small silver, and sundry receipts, and other papers and memorandums. The book has a common clasp, and was tied round with a piece of narrow red tape. The paper money was folded up in a piece of paper, on which was a memorandum about some drugs; and in the book there was a minute made of some pork, viz: three hogs and a half, that I lent some years ago. Whoever brings the book and its contents to me, shall have TEN SHILLINGS reward.
CATHERINE BLAIKLEY. (Virginia Gazette, Rind, ed., August 10th edition.)

Notice of the death of Mrs. Blaikley reveals the fact that for a number of years she had practised midwifery:

October 24, 1771

[Deaths] Mrs. CATHERINE BLAIKLEY, of this City, in the seventy sixth Year of her Age; an eminent Midwife, and who, in the course of her Practice, brought upwards of three thousand Children into the World. (Virginia Gazette, Purdie & Dixon, ed.)

An epitaph on the tomb of Mrs. Blaikley at Bruton Churchyard does not agree entirely with the Virginia Gazette notice of her death, as to her age:

… died an infant Eighteen days Old.
Also the Body of
Mrs. CATHERINE BLAIKLEY late of this
City, Grandmother of the above Named Children
She departed this Life the 25th
Day of October 1771 Aged 73 Years and
Upwards. (Record of Bruton Parish Church, p. 115.)

In November, about two months after Mrs. Blaikley's death, her houses and lots in Williamsburg were given as a northern boundary for the property of John Blair:

PURSUANT to the last Will of our deceased Father, we purpose, on the 11th Day of next Month, to sell to the highest Bidder four Tenements near the Church, in the said City, and another adjoining the Lot of the late Mrs. Blaikley, on the South… John Blair Executors James Blair (Virginia Gazette, November 21, 1771, Purdie, ed.)

Lot L is directly south of lot 350. The importance of the Blair ownership of Lot L so far as the history of lot 350 is concerned, lies in the description of the lot as "adjoining the Lot of the late Mrs. Blaikley, on the South."¹ On January 7, 1773 an advertisement of a public auction of Mrs. Blaikley's property establishes the exact location of her lot beyond doubt:

To be SOLD by publick Auction on the Premises, on Wednesday the 27th of January, pursuant to a Decree of the County Court of James City,
THE HOUSES and LOT, on the main Street in the City of Williamsburg, where the late Mrs. Catherine Blaikley deceased, lived, adjoining the Lots of Mr. Charles Taliaferro,² and -4- opposite those of John Blair,^l Esquire. Six Months Credit will be allowed the Purchaser, on giving Bond, with Good Security to THOMPSON SWANN. (Virginia Gazette, January 7, 1773, Purdie & Dixon, eds.)

In April 1773, a tailor, Severinus Durfey² was occupying a house on lot 350:

SEVERINUS DURFEY, Tailor,
Williamsburg,
Begs Leave to inform his Friends and Customers, and the Publick in General, that he has removed to the House lately occupied by Mrs. Catherine Blaikley, nearly opposite to John Blair, Esquire's, and next Door to Mr. Charles Taliaferro's, where he hopes for a Continuance of their Favours, as they may depend on their Work being done in the best Manner…
N.B. He will be much obliged to all who are indebted to him more than twelve Months, by Bond, Note, or open Account, to pay off their Balances, as he cannot possibly give any longer Indulgence.
(Virginia Gazette, Purdie & Dixon, eds., April 8, 1773.)

Durfey's location in Williamsburg is further described in the August 28th 1779 issue of the Virginia Gazette:

THE subscriber, at his store in the upper end of this city, opposite the Hon. John Blair's Esq.; purposes taking in goods on commission, to sell by public or private sale, Those who please to employ me may depend on the greatest care, and their orders punctually obeyed, by their very humble servant. SEVERINUS DURFEY
(Virginia Gazette, Clarkson & Davis, eds.)

The Williamsburg Land Tax Records beginning in 1782 list Severinus Durfey or his estate as owner of 1 lot valued at £4. (See: Illustration #3 for full records as copied from Virginia State Archives.)

The Durfey family evidently continued in the ownership of the lot into the nineteenth century. The Land Tax Records show no other Durfey property, and the indications as to valuations seem to indicate that Durfey's widow, Fanny Durfey³, held the property from 1786-1801 when Severinus Durfey's estate is charged -5- with 1 lot valued at $33.34 (same valuation as that of Frances [Fanny] Durfey in 1801).

The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows two small houses flush to the street (the Main Street) with three outhouses to the rear. (See: Drawing from the Frenchman's Map, Illustration #1.)

The College Map (1791?) has "Taliaferro?" on the lot, with "Bryan" to the east, and "Moir" to the west and "Pickett" (Piggott?) to the south. (See: Tyler's adaptation of the College Map, Illustration #1.)

The Bucktrout Map (1803) shows "Durfey" on the lot, with "Bryan" to the east and "Moir" to the west and "Pickett" to the south.

In 1806, William Durfey is noted as being owner of a lot valued at $33.34 which valuation corresponds to the valuation of Frances Durfey's estate (1798), and to Severinus Durfey's estate (1801-2) . Durfey continued to pay the tax on this property from 1806-1817. From 1818-20 the estate of William Durfey holds the property. (See: Illustration #2) Durfey's ownership is further indicated by an insurance policy of James Moir's. In 1802, Moir's lot is described as in James City County part of Williamsburg "between the lot of Coll Travis and Wm Durfy." (Mutual Assurance Policy #591, copy in Research Department.)

In 1821 William R. Jordan came into the property. Jordan's lot is listed thus: "1 lot $300; $400 for lot and building Via Leod Henley, F. Timberlake & Wm T. Galt commissioners Deed of B & S for all those houses & lots heretofore charged to Wm. Darfey decd" (See: Illustration #2, Land Tax records.)

Jordan held the property only one year. In 1822 Thomas Turner came into the property under the same valuations "Formerly charged to Wm. R. Jordan of whose trustees Thomas Turner purchased." (Ibid.) Turner or his estate held -6- the property under the same valuations until 1840 when Thomas Lindsay is charged thus: "1 lot valued at $450; lot & buildings $450 via Wm. H. Tenerdon & wife one of Thos Turner's heirs." (Ibid.) In 1853 Sally M. Howard is the owner: "1 lot valued at $700; lot & buildings $1000 Formerly owned by Thomas Lindsey." (Ibid.) A newspaper advertisement confirms the transfer of the property from Sarah M. Howard to Jeremiah Bunting:

February 7, 1856

The House and Lot lately occupied by Miss Sarah M. Howard, was sold by Leml. J. Bowden, Esq., Executor, on Saturday to Mr. Jeremiah Bunting, for the sum of $1000 . …The House and lot referred to, we understand, was once sold for $3000. …
(Virginia Gazette, Richmond, Norfolk & Williamsburg Advertiser, J. H. Ewing, ed.)

The land tax records show that from 1857-1861 Jeremiah Bunting held the property: "1 lot valued at $1500; lot & buildings $2000. (Illustration #2)

In 1929-30 Mr. John S. Charles, an old citizen of Williamsburg, refers in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" during the Civil War to this property:

…The house on the adjoining property, now used as a restaurant and dwelling presented very much the same appearance as it did in 1861. This house was known as the Bunting house and was used then as a post office and residence of the postmaster.

Thomas Lindsay and family also lived there. Mr. Lindsay was the father of Rev. D. J. S. Lindsay, a prominent Episcopal clergyman who died in Boston some years ago.

(Copy, Research Department)

The chain to title to the property in the Accounting Department, Colonial Williamsburg, indicates that Jeremiah Bunting and wife in 1865, held real estate - the buildings being valued at $1500, and the lot including buildings at $2000. In January 1866, Bunting conveyed to Thomas Lindsey, as trustee, property described as follows:

A house and lot in Williamsburg, situated on the south side of Main Street, and bounded on the west by the lot of Charles C. P. Waller; on the south by a lot belonging to the Eastern Lunatic Asylum and on the east by the lot of Georgiana Clark.(Williamsburg Deed Book I, pp. 13-14.)

Previous to this date, a deed of trust dated February 2, 1856, originally -7- recorded February 9, 1856, and subsequently re-recorded on April 23, 1868 (Williamsburg Deed Book I, pp. 125-7) conveyed the property from Jeremiah Bunting and wife to Henry M. Bowden:

A lot of land on the south side of Main Street in the City of Williamsburg, with the houses thereon, being the same lot and houses conveyed to said Jeremiah Bunting by Lemuel J. Bowden, Executor of Sarah M. Howard, deceased, …

[NOTE: The re-recordation of the deed of trust above mentioned, in 1868, after its first recordation in 1856 was necessitated by the destruction of the records in 1865.]

On December 12, 1870, Henry M. Bowden conveyed the property to Robert F. Cole:

A lot of land on the south side of Main Street in the City of Williamsburg, with the houses thereon, being the same lot and houses conveyed to said Jeremiah Bunting by the said Lemuel J. Bowden, Executor as aforesaid, by deed bearing date on the 2d of February, 1856, and duly recorded. (Williamsburg Deed Book I, p. 241. )

The Cole family were in possession of the property until January 1907 when the property was conveyed to T. D. Saunders. The property was described as "the Bunting House and lot," and was bounded thus: "On the north by Duke of Gloucester Street; on the south by the property of the Eastern State Hospital formerly known as the Eastern Lunatic Asylum; on the west by the lot of John W. Jones and the lot of Mrs. James E. Davis, and on the east by the property of Wm. T. Douglas, formerly owned by James M. Brooks, the same being the lot conveyed to R. R. Cole by deed from Edward P. Cole and wife, bearing date on the 6th day of January 1901, and recorded in the Clerk's Office of the County of James City and City of Williamsburg. (Williamsburg Deed Book 2, pp. 599-602.) The sale proved to be a deed of trust and the Cole family took over the property again in April 1908.

In 1921, R. R. Cole conveyed the property to Bozarth Stores, Incorporated. The frontage is noted as being 88 feet 3 ¾ inches on Duke of Gloucester Street and running back to Francis Street.

IN SUMMARY:

It appears from the court records that William Blaikley, husband of Catherine Blaikley, midwife, was owner of the lot by 1734. It is not known whether Blaikley was living on lot 350 at the time of his death but circumstantial evidence points to this as a strong probability. Blaikley bequeathed in 1736 to his wife "all my whole estate of lands, houses, negroes, goods and chattels, meaning my houses and lots in Williamsburg and 50 acres of land … in Powhatan." The inventory shows that the house was a half story house with a hall on each floor with rooms designated as Great Chamber Upstairs, little chamber upstairs, closet upstairs, passage upstairs, chamber below stairs chamber closet, parlor below stairs, hall, Mrs. Blaikley's closet, little room by the hall, back passage, kitchen loft, kitchen, seller. Mrs. Blaikley is identified with Williamsburg from 1736 to 1771 (time of her death). Her epitaph at Bruton Churchyard notes that she was "late of this City" and "departed this Life the 25th Day of October 1771 Aged 73 Years and Upwards." The Virginia Gazette states that "Mrs. CATHERINE BLAIKLEY, of this City, [died] in the seventy sixth Year of her Age; an eminent Midwife, and who, in the course of her Practice, brought upwards of three thousand Children into the World." Less than two months after Mrs. Blaikley's death her houses and lots were given as a northern boundary for a lot of John Blair [Lot L]: "adjoining the Lot of the late Mrs. Blaikley, on the South." In January 1773 an advertisement of a public auction of Mrs. Blaikley's property establishes the exact location of her lot beyond doubt: "THE HOUSES and LOT, on the main Street … where the late Mrs. Catherine Blaikley, deceased, lived, adjoining the Lots of Mr. Charles Taliaferro, and opposite those of John Blair …" In April 1773, Mrs. Blaikley's lot is described as "nearly opposite to John Blair, Esquire's and next Door to Mr. Charles Taliaferro's" by Severinus Durfey, tailor, who was occupying the property then. The Durfey family became owners and held the -9- property until 1821. The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows 2 small houses flush to the street with 3 outhouses to the rear. The College Map (1791?) has "Taliaferro" on the lot; the Bucktrout Map (1803) shows "Durfey" on the lot. By 1821 William R. Jordan was the owner. He was followed by Thomas Turner in 1822. In 1853 Sally M. Howard had acquired the property valued at $1000 formerly owned by Thomas Lindsey who acquired it via the Turner heirs. From Sally Howard the property came into the ownership of Jeremiah Bunting in 1856 who held until 1868 conveying to Henry M. Bowden. Shortly (in 1870) Bowden conveyed the property to Robert F. Cole. The Cole family held the lot until 1907 when T. D. Saunders acquired the property still known as "the Bunting House and Lot" bounded "on the north by Duke of Gloucester Street; on the south by the property of the Eastern State Hospital formerly known as the Eastern Lunatic Asylum; on the west by the lot of John W. Jones and the lot of Mrs. James E. Davis, and on the east by the property of Wm. T. Douglas, formerly owned by James M. Brooks, the same being the lot conveyed to R. R. Cole by deed from Edward P. Cole and wife, bearing date on the 6th day of January 1901 …" Bozarth Stores gained the property in 1921 through R. R. Cole. Further chain to title can be found in the Accounting Department, Colonial Williamsburg, who acquired the property in 1927.

APPENDIX