Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

BLAIKLEY - DURFEY LOT
BLOCK 14

The loss of the James City County records makes the history of this lot and its building difficult to trace.

In the following pages, strong but not conclusive evidence points to the ownership and occupation of a house on this lot in 1771 by the widow Catherine Blaikley, a midwife by trade. The evidence of her husband's ownership of this property is entirely circumstantial: William Blaikley lived in James City County in 1734; he left houses and lots in Williamsburgh to his wife, Catherine; and she seems to have lived in 1771 on this lot, possibly one of those left to her by her husband. In his will dated February 10, 1734, Blaikley gave to his "loving wife" Catherine Blaikley, all his "whole estate of lands, houses, negroes, goods and chattels" meaning, as he explained, his houses and lots in Williamsburgh. (York County Records, Book 18, Wills, Inventories, p. 297)

Blaikley died before June 21, 1736 for his will was probated in York County Court on that date (Ibid.). If his house was located on this lot, then the house had been built before 1734 and was a two-story or a one-and-one-half story one with a hall on each floor, for in the inventory of his personal effects, the following picture of his house is given:

Book 18 - Wills, Inventories.
Blaikley, William - Inventory:

June 30, 1736.

In the Great Chamber Upstairs.

• 2 beds with all furniture
• 1 large black trunk
• 1 white table with a muslin twilite upon it.
• 5 rush bottom chairs with red frames
• 2 pr. old white window curtains
• 1 stone chamber pot
• 1 small Japan box

2

In the little chamber upstairs

• 1 bed with all furniture
• 1 stone chamber foot
• 1 Japan tea table
• 5 rush bottom chairs with black walnut fraims
• 6 small pictures with gilt fraims
• 10 hair trunks
• 1 red chest with a parcel of books
• 1 pr. white window curtains

In the closet upstairs

• 1 old deal box with no lid
• 1 childs wicker cradle and basket

In the passage upstairs

• 1 large quilting fraim
• 1 small ditto
• 1 hair trunk
• 1 deal chest
• 2 old pictures
• 1 eight day clock

In the chamber below stairs

• 1 bed with all furniture
• 5 rush bottom chairs with black walnut frames
• 1 Cain elbow chair
• 1 oval table.
• 1 pr. white window curtains
• 1 corner cupboard, 1 pr. iron dogs
• 1 old fire shovel, 1 pr. iron tongs
• 1 stone chamber pot
• 1 large picture black fraim
• 4 small ditto
• 1 looking glass
• 1 earthern sillibub pot

In the chamber closet

• 1 copper tea kettle
• 1 copper chocolate pot
• 1 coffee pot
• 1 old coffee mill with a small stone jar
• 1 copper pot
• 1 warming pan
• 3 Indian baskets
• 1 meal barrel, 1 old search

3

In the parlors below stairs

• 1 bed with all furniture
• 6 rush bottom chairs - black fraims
• 1 black walnut dressing table
• 1 small chest of drawers
• 1 dressing glass black fraim
• 1 Duck table
• A pair of white window curtains
• 1 stone chamber pot
• 1 small red trunk
• 5 pictures

In the hall

• 1 large oval table
• 1 small do
• 9 chairs, black walnut bottoms
• 1 desk
• 1 Japan tea table and 1 tea board
• 1 pr. bellows
• 1 pr. iron dogs, fire shovel and tongs
• 1 iron trevet
• 1 pr. old green window curtains
• 1 large picture, 14 small pictures
• 1 large looking glass
• 1 chimney glass
• 1 large black walnut bofett which is a movable
• Whats in the boffett
  • 6 Chaine plates
  • 10 delph plates
  • 6 Chine cups and saucers
  • 1 chine slop bacon
  • 1 puter tea pot
  • 1 stone tea pot
  • A crackt stone milk pot
  • 1 stone slop bason
  • 2 glass salts, 1 glass decanter, 2 glass cruetts
  • 1 salver, 3 silver casters, 6 large silver spoons
  • 12 silver tea spoons, 1 silver cup
  • 1 pr. silver tea tongs
  • A cork scrue, a wine glass
  • An earthern punch bowl and some broken stone ware
  • A punch ladle
  • 1 doz. case knives and forks

In Mrs. Blaikley's Closet

• 1 Hamburg chest
• 1 old clock
• 1 looking glass, a little box
• 1 old box, 3 new hilling hoes
• 4
• 1 new hatchet, 1 tin lamp
• 1 pr. pistols, holster, sword, gun
• 2 baskets, 1 parcel of watchmackers things
• An iron crow with other lumber
• A mans cain in the desk, some raisers and other small things

In the little room by the hall.

• 1 small bedstead, bed, bolster, green rug, 4 old chairs

In the back passage.

• 1 crackt stone tea pot, a stone drinking mug
• 1 butter dish, 2 hair brooms, a scrubing brush
• A childs chair, a white poronger without a handle

In the kitchen.

• 4 iron pots, with hooks
• 1 large brass kettle
• 1 copper skillet
• 1 copper sauce pan, tea kettle, 2 iron pots
• 3 spits, 1 iron trevet, 1 grid iron, 7 scures
• 1 old jack, 1 hominy mortar an iron pestle
• 1 large pair of iron doggs with hooks
• 1 iron dripping pan
• 1 old frying pan, 2 pr. smoothing irons
• 2 box irons and 3 heaters
• 5 brass candlesticks, 1 pr, brass snuffers
• 1 pr. iron snuffers, 1 pr. tongs, 1 iron flesh fork and brass skimmer
• 1 tin basting ladle, 2 pails, 1 stone jug
• 1 wooden chair, 2 knives and some old forks
• 13 pewter dishes, 2 old pewter basons
• 4 ½ doz. pewter plates, some earthern pots
• 1 meal sifter, a basket, 1 old brass kettle to put ashes in
• 1 mush stick, 1 pewter chuse plait and pewter pey plate

In the kitchen loft

• 1 small ladder, 1 pewter still
• 1 childs go cart
• 1 pr. old bellows, 3 old spiining wheels
• 1 small iron curtain rod, a beef hide
• 1 garden rake, 2 old hoes
• 1 parcel old iron and other lumber

In the seller

• 2 stone jugs, 3 -old tubs
• some butter pots, 3 earthern milk pans
• a little pan to rost coffee
• 1 old table, a little box, a candle box
• a parcel of bottles and vials
• 5
• 6 pair sheets, 14 pr. pillow cases, 14 table cloths, l3 towels
• 6 brown ozn. towels, suit of white cotton bed curtains,
• 2 ozn. wallets, 2 counterpains, parcel old gimp lace

(p. 312-316)

No further information on the Blaikleys has come to light until the notice of Mrs. Blaikley's death 35 years later reveals the fact that she hard been practicing midwifery during those years. The obituary notice reads:

October 24, 1771

[DEATHS] Mrs. CATHARINE 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)

She was buried in Bruton Parish Churchyard (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, (1), p. 212.)

The available evidence points to the location of Mrs. Blaikley's house in the lot marked "Durfey" by Bucktrout and "Taliaferro?" by the unknown draftsman.

An advertisement of the sale of John Blair Sr's property mentions the lot of Mrs. Blaikley as north of a Blair lot. It reads:

Nov. 21, 1771

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)
James Blair) Executors (Virginia Gazette, Purdie & Dixon)

The report on lot No. L shows a Blair in the possession of that lot in 1765. The illustrations below show the respective positions 6 of the lots in Block 14.

Unknown Draftsman's Map, Bucktrout Map

Two years after Mrs. Blaikley's death, her property was advertised by one Thompson Swann as follows:

January 7, 1773

To be SOLD by publick Auction, on the Premises, on Wednesday the 27th of January, persuant 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, and opposite those of John Blair, Esquire. Six Months Credit will be allowed the Purchaser, on giving Bond, with Good Security to
THOMPSON SWANN. (Virginia Gazette, Purdie & Dixon)

The location of John Blair's house (See John Blair House report) in Block 22 opposite Block 14 according to the Archaeological & Research Key Map, 1932, further confirms the location of Mrs. Blaikley in the lot marked "Durfey" by Bucktrout and "Taliaferro?" by the unknown draftsman.

7

It is not known who purchased Mrs. Blaikley's house and lot at the sale in 1773, but the evidence points strongly to the tailor, Severinus Durfey, who on April of that year advertised:

April 8, 1773

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 . . . . . (Virginia Gazette, Purdie & Dixon)

Durfey continued his tailoring business in Williamsburg and was still in his old location in 1779 as the following advertisements indicate:

June 1, 1776.

ONE OR TWO JOURNEYMEN TAILORS, WHO understand their Business well, will meet with Encouragement by applying to
Severinus Durfey

I Intend to leave the Country immediately

(Virginia Gazette, Dixon & Hunter)

August 28, 1779.

Williamsburg, August 21, 1779.

?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, bar their very humble servant.
SEVERINUS DURFEY. (Virginia Gazette, Clarkson & Davis)

8

He is listed as a proprietor of a lot in 1753 (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. Xi, (1), p. ll4)

The following facts about the Durfeys were found in the Williamsburg Land Tax Records:

Year	Owner	No. of Lots	Annual Rent or Annual Value	Tax
1785	Fanny Durfey	1	£ 7
1791	Frs Durfey	1	£10
1797	Frances Durfey's Estate	1	£10
1801	Sefarinnus Durfey's' Est	1	$33.34	.53
1806	William Durfey	1	$33.34	.53
1810	William Durfey's Estate	1	$30	.47
1812	Do	Do	$30	.47

These figures continue until 1820 when the house was valued at $300 and the house and lot at $400. In 1825, no Durfey was listed.

A reasonable interpretation of these facts and figures is that Wm. Durfey's lot was in the hands of his ancestors throughout the last quarter of the eighteenth century. The use of the name Severinus as owner of one lot in the tax records in 1801 after the lot had been listed three times in the name of Frances Durfey seems to indicate that they were husband and wife. William Durfey may have been their son. A comparison of the figures in 1801 and 1806 seems to indicate an inheritance.

Confirmation of William Durfey as the owner of the lot is found in James Moir's insurance policy (No. 620, p. 37) dated February 11, 1806. Moir described his three buildings as situated on the main street "between a cross street leading from main street to College landing and William Durfeys Lott in the county of James City." (Policy No. 620, p.37) (See illustrations on page 6 for location of Moir's and Durfey's lots)

Since the one lot was attributed to William Durfey's "Estate" in 1810, it is evident that Durfey had died before that date. Although 9 the name "Durfey" disappeared from the tax records after 1810, the lot continued to be spoken of as Durfey's in 1815. (See Bryan House Report, p. 3)

The Frenchman's map (1782?, 1786?) shows the following location of buildings on what appears to correspond to the lot marked "Taliaferro?" by the unknown draftsman and "Durfey" by Bucktrout.

[Map]

After describing the house located in the Bryan lot, Mr. Charles in his Recollections of Williamsburg in the nineteenth century makes the following comments on the property farther west:

The next house on this square was an old carpenter's shop on Duke of Gloucester street, which stood on part of the site of Person's automobile place, which likewise disappeared owing to the existence of the War.

Douglas' bake shop was a residence at the time about which we write, but somewhat changed in appearance. It then had only one shed and that was on the western side, the other shed was built after the War. There was a small platform with railing at the front door.

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. [sic]

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.

(p. 21)