Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

1

Block 14 - Moir Property

Since Block 14 is in James City County there is very little available material on the property because the records were largely destroyed.

Since James Moir was the only name definitely connected with this lot, early information on a James Moir, tailor, has been included. Although a period of thirty-three years is covered in this information, it is not unlikely that the tailor of 1777 was the James Moir definitely established as owner of these lots under discussion in 1806 and 1810.

On February 14, 1777, a James Moir had the following advertisement in the Virginia Gazette (Alex. Purdie):

February 14, 1777

James Moir, tailor, begs leave to inform the publick that he has just opened shop above Mr. Robert Nicolson's, and shall be much obliged to those who favour him with their custom.

Later in 1777, James Moir, tailor, was living on the "south side of the Capitol" as he advertised for a journeyman tailor in the following advertisement in the Virginia Gazette (Purdie):

June 6, 1777

Good encouragement will be given to a journeyman tailor by the subscriber, living on the south side of the Capitol.

In the first census taken in 1782, James Moir is listed as the head of a family of five whites and owner of two slaves. (Virginia State Library) In 1783, he is listed as owning a lot or lots in Williamsburg, but it is not known where this property was located. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. XI (1), p. 115)

In 1796, a James Moir insured his buildings on Francis Street in the following insurance policy: -2-

James Moir residing at Williamsburg in the county of James City do hereby declare for Assurance in the Mutual Assurance Society ....My wooden Buildings on Francis Street at Williamsburg now occupied by Mrs. Saunders situated between the Lotts of Carey and that of Mrs. Draper's in the county of James City

Dwelling house

A

$180

The appraisers declare

we are of opinion that it would cost in cash three hundred and eighty Dollars to build the same, and is now actually worth one hundred and eighty Dollars in ready money .......

Block Map

(Insurance Book, Policy No. 120, p. 36)

^{A 32 x 20 ft foundation was uncovered on the Christian Lot on Francis St. J.M.K.}

Although it is impossible to establish Moir on any definite lot on the south side of the Capitol, the report on the "Carter" or "Cary" ^{also shown [illegible]Lacy on Bucktrout's Map. Ch[illegible]original}lot in Block 8-2 suggests that Moir owned that lot in 1796. In 1797, in the James City County Tax Records, James Moir is listed, as owning 1 lot in Williamsburg and in 1801, 2 lots. A plausible explanation of this change is that between those dates he sold his lot on the south side of the Capitol and bought the two in Block 14. The Bucktrout Map (certainly) and the Unknown Draftsman's Map (probably) were made after the date on James Moir's policy of 1796. Neither map shows a Moir on the south side of the capitol; both show a Moir as the owner of two lots in Block 14.

The first evidence found of an owner of the two lots in Block l4 was the name "Moir" placed in these lots on the maps of the Unknown Draftsman and of Bucktrout (c. 1800). The two lots are numbered 40 and 42 on the former map. There are no numbers in these lots on the Bucktrout Map.

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In 1806, James Moir further substantiated his presence on the two lots in Block 14 by the following insurance policy:

February 11, 1806

James Moir residing at Williamsburg in the county of James City do hereby declare for assurance in the Mutual Assurance Society my three Buildings on the main street of sd Williamsburg now occupied by myself situated between a cross street leading from main street to College landing and William Durfeys Lott in the county of James City

Dwelling House	A	$1600
Kitchen	B	100
Stable	C	100

The appraisers declared that

we are of opinion that they would cost in cash two thousand eight hundred & forty dollars to build the same and that now (after the deduction of one thousand Dollars) they are actually worth one thousand eight hundred Dollars in ready money .......
(Insurance Book, Policy No. 620, p. 37)

The Frenchman's Map (1786?) shows a large rectangular building on the lot in the northwest corner of the present Block 14 with three small outbuildings and possibly a fourth. The similarity between the dimensions of the house on the Frenchman's Map and those on the insurance policy is so striking that it seems most likely that the buildings insured by Moir in 1806 were the same as the ones on the Frenchman's Map, but there is no other evidence to substantiate this fact. (See the following drawings)

-4-

The James City County Tax Records give the following property owned by James Moir in Williamsburg:

Date	Name	No. Lots	Annual Rent	Taxes
1785	James Moir	1	11.0.0	0.11.0
1791	" "	1	8.0.0	0. 8.0
1797	" "	1	8.0.0	0. 8.0
1801	" "	2	$40.00	.63
1806	James Moire	2	60.00	.74(2)
1810	" "	2	80.00	1.25
1812	(Not listed)

From the available records it is impossible to find who the owners of these two lots were from 1812 until the early twentieth century, when lot 40 passed to George W. Williams:

September 2, 1919

(Davis, Ida (widow)
(Guy, May &
(Guy, Vernon, her husband
(Griffen, Charles B., Trustee
to
Williams, George W.

Consideration: $10 and other considerations.

All of a certain lot or parcel of land together with buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, and bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point on Duke of Gloucester Street and running thence in a southerly direction along the line of Hannah Randolph's lot a distance of sixty feet (60 ft.), thence at right angles along the said Randolph's south line a distance of thirty-two feet (32 ft.), thence at right angles in a southerly course a distance of fifty feet (50 ft.) to the corner of H. F. Wynkoup's lot, thence at right angles along said Wynkoup's lot a distance of seventy-two feet (72 ft.) to Henry Street, thence along Henry Street a distance of one hundred and ten feet (110 ft.) to Duke of Gloucester Street, thence east along Duke of Gloucester Street, thence east along Duke of Gloucester Street forty feet (40 ft.) to the point of beginning.

And being the same property conveyed to F. C. Davis by Jane E. Davis by deed dated April 16, 1906 ....the said F. C. Davis having died intestate leaving his sole heir at law and distributee, his widow; the said Ida Davis, and one child, May Davis, who inter-married with the said Vernon Guy.

And being a part of the property conveyed to Tyler Davis, -5- trustee for Jane Davis, by Richard Bassett, trustee by deed dated, February 18, 1867 ....and the said Chas. B. Griffin, having been substituted in the place and stead of Tyler Davis. (See drawing on preceding page.)

(Deed Book VIII, Williamsburg, p. 348)

In Humphrey Harwood's Ledger, the following accounts are listed under the name of a James Moir, but it is impossible to say which lot or lots it refers to -- whether the one lot south of the capitol or the two lots in Block 14 on Duke of Gloucester Street:

1779
May 27th
	To Whitewashing 2 Rooms & Nessacary House a 30/	£ 4.10. 0
	Novr 20
	To 26 Bushs lime a 15/. 170 bricks 83/. Seting up A Grate & layg a harth 150/	31. 3. 0
	To 1 Do of hair 20/. 230 larthes 42/. 300 Nails 60/. & 3 days labr a 30/.	11.11. 0
	To Larthing & plastering your Shop £18. 0. 0	18. 0. 0
Decemr 9th
	To Thitewashing Shop Room 60/	3. 0. 0
	Received the above Feby 22d 1780	£68.13. 0

(Book B, inside flyleaf)

1782
Novemr 14th
	To 10 Bushs of lime a 1/6. & hair 1/6. & 20 larths 9d	£ .17. 3
	To 60 Nails 2/6 & Repairing larthing & plastering 20/	1. 2. 6
1783
March 5th
	To labours Work 6/. (for up Stares)	. 6.
	To 14 bushels of Lime a 1/6	1. 1.
	To 1 bushel of Whitewash 3/. & 70 Bricks a 5/.	. 6.6
	To building up the Brest of Chimney 15/	.15.
	To Whitewashing 2 Rooms, 1 passage & 2 Closets a 5/6	1. 7. 6
	To 1½ Days Labour a 3/. & hair 1/. & mending plasterg, 5/.	.10. 6
	To mending underpining to Smoke House 2/6	. 2. 6
[March] 29
	To 2 bushs of Lime 3/. & ½ Day labour 1/6	. 4. 6
	To Building well Hole in Smoke House 3/. & Repairg Well 1/6	. 4. 6
June 8
	To a Quarter of Veal 6/	. 6.
July 26
	To half Quarter of Veal 2/6. (30th) To A hind Qr Veal 6/	. 8. 6
-6-
1782
Decemr 31
	To 15 bushels of lime a 1/6	£ 1. 2. 6
	To Repairing Larthing & Plastering Down Stairs and Larthing & plastering 2 Closets & 8 Days labour 65/)	-3. 5.
	To ½ bushl of hair 1/3 & 3 Days labour a 4/	.13. 3
1784
April 9th
	To 6 bushs of Lime 6/. & Repairing plastering 5/. & 1 days labr at 2/6	.14. 9
	To setting up a Grate 7/6, & whitewashing 1 Room & a passage at 4/6	.16. 6
	To ½ Bushell Whitewash 1/.	. 1
	(Carried to Folio 64)	14. 5. 3

(Book B, p. 46)

	Per Contra	Cr
1783
Septemr 2d
	By Cash for Veal 8/6	£ . 8. 6
	Caried to Folio (88)
	(Book B, opposite p. 46)
1784	Dr Brought from Folio b (?) (46)	£14. 5. 3
May 28th
	To 1½ bushs of Lime 1,/6. & repairing 2/6	. 4.
Octor 22
	To 2½ bushs of Corn 10/	.10.
	To 40 bricks ¼ & 1 bushl of lime 1/	. 2. 4
	To bricking up under the Stove 2/6	. 2. 6
1785
May 9th
	To 3 bushels of lime a 1/. & repairing plastering & working up Jambs to Chimney 3/.	. 6.
	To whitwashing 4 Rooms & passage a 4/6	1. 2. 6
	To 1½ bushel of white wash a 2/ & 30 bricks 1/	. 4.
Augt 9th
	To 6 bushels of lime 6/. & 200 bricks 6/.	.12.
	To A days labr a 2/6, & contracting Chimney 7/6	.11. 3
	To laying an Harth 3/. & repairing Kitchen Wall 3/.	. 6.
Decemr 3
	To 300 lb of oats a 7/6	1. 2. 6
[Decemr] 16
	To 80 bushels of lime a 1/. & 1900 bricks a 3/	6.17.
	To 9 days labour a 2/6	1. 2. 6
	To pulling down Chimney & cleaning Bricks 22/6	1. 2. 6
	To carting 6 loads of sand a 2/6	.15.
[Decemr] 18
	To 1400 Bricks a 3/ & 5 days labour a 2/6	2.14. 6
[Decemr] 20
	To 550 do a 3/. & 4 clays labour a 2/6	1. 6. 6
	To building Chimney £5.0.0, & layg 2 Harths & trimming 9/	5. 9.
-7-
[1784]
[Decemr] 22
	To 6 bushels of lime 6/. & hair 9d & 75 larthes 1/	£ . 7. 9
	To 70 bricks 2/. & repairg larthg & plasterg 12/. & lar work 4/.	.18.
	Caried Folio (88)	£39. 1. 1

(Book B, p. 64)

	Per Contra	Cr
	settled posted

(Book B, opposite p. 64)

	Dr Brought from Folio 64)	£39. 1. 1
1786
January 14th	To 12 bushels of lime Repairing Kitching wall, & oven 28/.	2. 8.
	To 3 days labour a 2/6	. 7. 6
February 15
	To 4 bushels of lime 4/. 100 bricks 3/ & Seting up A Grate 7/6	.14.
	To 1 Days labour 2/6. (16th) to 20 bushels of Oats a 2/6	2.12. 6
June lst
	To 4½ bushels of lime a 1/. & hair /6d	. 5.
	To repairing Larthing & plastering 10/	.10.
[June] 14
	To ¾ of a Bushel of White-wash 1/6	. 1. 6
	To white-washing 4 Rooms & passage a 4/6	1. 2. 6
Octor 20
	To Cash lent 4¼	2. 1. 4.
		49. 3. 5
	To 13/3. Not Charged in Ledger in Decr 82	.13. 3
		49.16. 8
1787
May 19th
	To 3½ bushels of lime 3/6 & 100 Laths 1/3	. 4. 9
	To ½ days labour 1/3 & lathing & plastering a Dormant Window 4/6. & Hair /3d	. 6.
June 6
	To 2½ bushels of lime 2/6 & 166 bricks 4/10	. 7. 4
	To labours Work 1/6 & building pair of Steps 5/	. 6. 6
[June] 15
	To 2½ bushels of Wheat at 6/.	0 15.
-8-
1788
Februy 4
	To 3 barrels of Corn a 15/	£ 2. 5.
[Februy] 16
	To 2½ bus of lime 2/6 hair 4d & Repairing plastering 2/6	. 5. 4.
March 20
	To 2 bushels of Oats 6/	. 6.
April 12
	To 12 do lime 1/6. hair 4d & Repairing plastering 2/6 & Whtwashg 1 Room & passge & Thr work	.14. 4
August 5
	To 1 bushel of Wheat 5/	. 5.
[August] 7
	To 8 bushels of lime 8/. & 500 bricks 15/	1. 3.
	To 2 days labour a 2/6 & building up Jambs to Chimney & repairing the Creast of do 10/	.15.
	To laying an Hearth 3/. & painting up Stairs 2/	. 5.
[August] 12
	To 2½ bushels of Wheat a 5/	.12.6
Octor 7
	To 2½ do of Corn 7/6	. 7. 6
[Octor] 13
	To 12 bricks 3 & bushel of mortar 6d	. 9
	To mending Back 1/. & whitewashing Ceiling 2/6	. 3. 6
[Octor] 20
	To 8 lb of Beef a 2d/2	£ . 1. 8
decr 10
	To 4 bottles of Claret a 2/6 pr Bottle	£ .10.
		58.19.11
	To 4 barrels of Corn a 10/	2.
1789
Jany 14
	To 2 bushels of lime 2/. & 106 Bricks 3/. & setting up a Grate 5/.	.10.
		61.19.11
	To an order accepted on yr College	10.18. 5
		£72.18. 4

(Book B, p. 88)

	Per Contra	Cr
1786
	By Cash received 28/	£ 1. 8.
	By Do for Veal 8/6	8. 6
	By Old Bricks in the Play House	6. 0. 0
1787
January 26th
	By His account to this Day	44.10. 5
		52. 6.11
-9-
	Contra	Cr
1789
March 24th
	By his acct eaclusive of yr above Credit	£20.11. 5
		£72 .18. 4

(Book B, opposite p. 88)

1789
May 2sd
	To 1 barrel of corn 12/. (lent)	£ .12.
July 22
	To 12 bushels of lime a 94 & 420 Bricks 12/	1. 1.
	To working up cellar cap Wall - mending yr underpining and cutting and working in window frame 12/.	.12.
Sept 17
	To 2 bush. of Wheat a 4/6 by S. Hatton	. 9.
	To an order on me in favr of Matt: Pearson	.16. 9
		3.10.9
Decr 30
	To cash to ballance	7. 6.
	To a deduction of his acct	.16 3
	(See folo 35 - post.)	£11.13.

(Book C, p. 11)

	Per Contra	Cr
1789
Decr 30th
	By your acct	£11.13.
		£11.13.

(Book C, opposite p. 11)

1790
March 26th
	To 2 bushels of oats a 2/3 (lent)	£ . 4. 6
April 8
	To mending the fireplace in the House & Kitchn back	. 3. 6
[April] 28
	To 1 bushel of whitewash 9d	. 0. 9
	To whitewashing a Room & passage 7/6	. 7. 6
July 11
	To - do a Ceiling & Closset 3/. & whitewashd 42	. 3. 4½
1791
January 6
	To-Hire of waggon 10/.	.10.
[January] 26
	To 10 barrels of Corn	£ 5.
-10-
[1791]
June 18
	To quarter of Shoat 2/	£ . 2.
July 27
	To quarter of Mutton 3/6	. 3.6
Octor 10
	To 6 bush. lime a 9d & setting up a grate & Mending plaistering 7/6	.12.
Decr 6
	To 300 bundles of Fodder a 2/6	. 7. 6
1792
Jan. 10
	To bundles of do a 2/6
	(Carried to folo 66 postea)	£ 7.14. 7½
	66 folo

(Book C, p. 35)

1792		Dr	Cr
Jan: 10
	To amount of a/c brt from folo 35	£ 7.14.7½
	To 200 bundles of fodder a 2/6	. 5.
Febry 21
	To 10 barrels of Corn a 10/	5.
March 3
	To cash won at Cards at Mr Travis's	.14.6
July 16
	To 8 bush of lime a 9d - Hair 7;, & mending plaistering &c 8/	.14.
	To 5 pecks of Whitewash 1/7 & whitewashing 3
	Rooms 1 Closset & passage 11/	.12. 7
	To scantling in May	. 3. 2
Decr 7th
	By Mr Moir's a/c to Decr 1792		£18. 3. 4
	By his do agst Humphrey		7. 9. 5
	To my Note this day	£10. 9. 0½
		£25.12. 9	£25.12. 9
[Decr] 15
	To 450 lb of Fodder a 5/	£ 1. 2. 6
	(carried to Folio (74)

(Book C, p. 66)

1792
Decr 7th		Dr	Cr
	To amount brought forward (66)	£ 1. 2. 6
1793
Jany 4th
	To 7 Barrells Corn a 15/	5. 5.
Novemr 25th
	To 8 Barrells Corn a 15/	6. 0.
			12. 7. 6

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March 17th 1797 this day I have settled the above Accot with Mr Moir and recd full satisfaction for the above a[mt]
J S

Vide H. Harwoods acct Led: D Folio 9th
(Book C, p. 74)

		Dr	Cr
1792
Augst 1st
	To 1/3 won at Lambsquinnes at Hughes	. 1. 3
	To setting up Grate 5/ & 4 Bushes Lime a 9d	. 8.
	To setting up Stoave 3/ & 2 Bushes Lime a 9d	. 4. 6
Octor lst
	To Plastering Grate 1/. & 15/. Fee vis Whiteaker	.16.
1793
Jany 25th
	To 2/. won at Mr Davis's at Whisk	. 2.
	To 1/. won a Lambscauinnes at do	. 1.
	To 9d advanced for Porter	. 9
1793
April 3d
	To ½ days Hire of Jerry a 9/ & ½ Bushl Lime a 9d	. 2. 4½
July 19th
	To Whitewg 1 Room & Passage a 3/9	. 7. 6
	To Closet 1/6 & 15 Bushl Whitewash a 2/	. 2. 6
	To do in 2 Rooms a 3/9	. 7. 6
	To 1 Bushl Whitewash a 2/	. 1.
	To 5 Bushls Lime a 9d & Plaistering	. 6. 9
Decr 23d
	To 2 days Hire of Jerry a 4/. & 5½ Bues Lime a 9d	.12. 1½
		£ 3.13. 3	£ 3.13. 3

By Settlement March 17th 97 I have this day settled the above amot in full
J S

(Book D, p. 9)

These accounts seem to refer to repairs being made on previously erected buildings and not to the erection of new ones. In one account in 1779, "the shop" is mentioned so it is probable that these repairs were made on this building. It is impossible to be definite about the matter though. Credit was given Moir by Harwood for "Old Bricks in the Play House" on his account for six pounds. The play house was near the Capitol and so was Moir's tailor shop in 1777 which leads one to believe the accounts refer to Moir's shop on the south side of the Capitol instead of his property on Block 14.

-12-

Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" said a house in this lot was still standing in 1861 and gave the following description of the house at that date:

On the lot, extending from within a few feet of the Bunting lot to the corner of Duke of Gloucester and Henry streets, thence southward along Henry street to the property of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum (then the legal title of the Eastern State Hospital) stood a very large and attractive frame dutch-roof house, with platform along the side and end with substantial railing, with its front on side facing Duke of Gloucester street. The western end of this big house was distant about forty feet from Henry street. To the south and west of this house was a beautiful grass lawn. On the rear of this lawn was a large kitchen and servants' quarters. At the eastern part of this lot was a vegetable garden, right on the street and enclosed with a five foot fence made of cypress palings, which were much used here at that time. The front yard was enclosed by an attractive picket fence with cap. Along henry street there were three frame buildings. The one nearest the corner was a single story structure; the other being two stories.

These houses were spoken of as "offices" and fronted on Henry street and also with back doors on the lawn and were used as lodging rooms for the students.

The widely known Rev. Scervant Jones once owned and lived in this house, and many are the stories told about the unique character; a man of exalted piety and recognized ability. This property was owned and occupied when the war began by Mr. Charles P. Waller, who was then an officer of the asylum, and also conducted a students boarding house, at which many of the students of old William and Mary were royally entertained. This grand old home, being vacant during the War, like nearly all unoccupied houses, it fell a prey to the vandals and was not rebuilt.

After the Year, the lot was divided up and sold. One of the offices just described was, not long since, on the back part of the lot in which it formerly stood; having been removed to make room for the more modern building which occupies the site of this old structure which once sheltered so many of Virginia's noble sons. The single story office stood next to the corner and has been long since removed; while the other two-story office is still on its original site, near the hospital line, fronting on Henry street, and now owned and occupied by negroes.