Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

As requested in your memorandum of November 14, 1950, we have made a very brief day's survey of the readily available data showing the 18th century development in the above-noted area. Our findings are included in the attached memorandum from Mr. Middleton and are illustrated on the attached portion of the Frenchman's Map prepared by Mr. Moorehead. For comparison we attach also a small portion of the town plan showing present conditions in this area.

In Block 14 (Western portion) there was a fairly large house (Moir's) with outbuildings, at the corner of Duke of Gloucester Street and Henry Street. On the next lot to the east there was a smaller residence. Foundations for both of these houses have been uncovered. The 18th century buildings in the Eastern half of this block are in the present Restored Area; hence plans are under way for their reconstruction. The Travis House originally stood at the Southwest corner of this block and faced Francis Street.

In Block 15 there was a rather extensive development during the 18th century, but nearly all of it had disappeared before the restoration started. Old town plats indicate four lots but no owners names are given, so that it is very difficult to trace the lot histories. The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows six fairly large buildings along the Duke of Gloucester Street frontage and undoubtedly they had dependencies and gardens. In view of the fact that most of the business establishments were originally at the east end of town, it seems logical to assume that these buildings were largely residential - possibly the homes of members of the College staff.

In Block 22 (Western portion where now exists Casey's Store and Bruton Parish House there were a number of buildings in the 18th century. A portion of one of the buildings - greatly altered - was still standing when the Restoration commenced, and a small attractive outbuilding was also standing near the middle of the block. It appears that the separate office of John Blair was located on the street just west of the Blair House.

In Block 23 the Frenchman's Map indicates rather limited development in the 18th century. An attractive colonial house, which stood at the Northwest corner of the block, was razed to permit the construction of the Brown Hall dormitory. There is little information available at present concerning the buildings along the Duke of Gloucester Street.

Undoubtedly much more information can be found by additional careful research and study of the history of these areas. Little of this has been done to date because the present development of the area made this seem unnecessary.

I trust that this brief summary of the data we now have at hand will be sufficient for your present needs. If you would like further information we will be glad to extend our search.

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER STREET - PRESENT BUSINESS AREA
Blocks 15, 14 (south); & 23, 22 (North).

Throughout the eighteenth century the business area of Williamsburg was near the Capitol. Merchants situated near the Raleigh Tavern often advertised their locations as being "the best spot in this city for trade." In 1770, James Geddy, in advertising his jewelry store "near the Church" noted that "The Reasonableness of the above Goods ...will remove the Objection of his Shop's being too high up Town."

It is probable that the block below the College, on both sides, contained dwelling-houses with yards and gardens surrounding them. Students frequently lodged and boarded in town, and the block near the College would have been most convenient for them. However, it is impossible to be sure what this area looked like. The south side of the street stood in James City County, and the property records for James City County were destroyed in the Civil War which makes it impossible to trace titles to the lots. Furthermore, the plats of Williamsburg which are extant (for the most part of the 19th century), give no names for the lot-owners on the south side of the street between Boundary and Henry Streets -which is an unusual situation. The following information is all that is available:

Block 15: South side of Duke of Gloucester Street between Boundary & Henry Streets.

The town plats indicate four lots on this side of the street: Nos. 360, 361, 62 [362?] and 63. They give no owners' names on lots.

The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows six fairly large buildings on this block, with considerable space between each of them.

John S. Charles, describing this side of the street between Boundary and Henry Streets, mentioned two buildings only as standing ca. 1862:

"...near the middle of the block there stood, up to about the beginning of this century, a very old house known to the writer as the 'Ware House.' This very old frame structure was a one-and-a-half story building with deep cellar and large shed on the back. It rested on a brick wall about four feet high, with a porch in front . ...This old structure, with dormer windows and a high porch, stood in the middle of a spacious yard in which were shade trees and a single story wooden building used as a kitchen. This yard is now the site of the Imperial Theatre and several other business places in a row. Immediately to the east of the present College Shop, was a small two story frame house which was removed a few years ago. This unpretentious old house was erected long before the Civil War, but it held its original appearance, with little or no repairs, longer than any house of similar construction within the writer's experience. Save for showing a lack of ...whitewash it presented practically the same appearance when pulled down a few years 2 ago as it did when the great Union Army passed its door in 1862."

Block 14: South side of Duke of Gloucester Street between Henry and Nassau:

The town plats give four lots on this block, with names of owners: "Moir" on Nos. 41 and 42; "Durfey" on No. 350; and "Bryan" on No. 351.

The Frenchman's Map shows a long house at the Henry Street corner of the block, and several smaller buildings towards the Nassau Street end, with a blank space in the middle.

A report has been prepared on the Moir property - which was destroyed in the Civil War. Mr. Charles, in his Recollections, ca. 1862, described the house as being about forty feet distant from Henry Street, "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." He said that a "beautiful grass lawn" was to the south and west of the house, at the rear of which 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."

Sketches have been prepared by the architectural department for the buildings on lot No. 350 - Blaikley - Durfey lot. And the Bryan House has, of course, been reconstructed (lot 351).

The Travis House (built c. 1765) originally stood at the SW corner of Block 14.

Block 23: North side of Duke of Gloucester Street between Boundary and Henry Streets:

Williamsburg town plats show four lots on this block and give owners' names as follows: No. 32 "Middleton"; No. 33 "Meade"; No. 34 "Lively"; and No. 39 "Abell."

The Frenchman's Map shows very little on the north side of the street between Boundary and Henry Streets: At the Boundary Street end of the block are two small buildings, back from the main street, and probably facing on Boundary Street. About one-third of the way down the main street from this is a building, a little back from the street. And at the Henry Street corner several buildings are indicated.

Even though this property is in York County, records concerning the lots are few. Between the York Records and 3 Mr. Charles' Recollections, ca. 1862, we have the following information:

Lot 32:

"Middleton": In 1751 Sarah Packe, a. widow, sold to David Middleton, a carpenter, lot 32 with the "house thereon" for £30. Until his death, ca. 1800, Middleton owned the property - in 1753 Robert Carter Nicholas held a deed of trust on the lot, house, and Middleton's furniture in the amount of £67. Middleton's lot is mentioned in the York Records concerning adjoining property in 1800, when it was described as "a lot formerly the property of David Middleton, deceased."

Mr. Charles described the building on the lot where the new Methodist Church stands as being a small, two story framed house, owned by the heirs of a respected colored blacksmith.

A picture of the Duke of Gloucester Street from the college ca. 1875 shows a two-story frame house with small porch, on this corner site (see picture from the Century Company - ca. 1875.

Lot 33:

"Meade": Information on this lot is very sketchy. In 1719, trustees of the City deeded lot 33 to John Holloway. There is a long gap in the records concerning it -until 1800, when Caleb Spann and Priscilla his wife sold the lot to the east of "David Middleton, deceased" to Josiah Davis for $200.

Charles describes the next house to the east as being owned by Mrs. Lively, so he probably refers to lot 34. The Century Co. picture mentioned above, shows a house immediately adjoining the corner house.

Lot 34:

There is no "Lively" in the York Co. Records.

Mr. Charles describes a house, at the time of his writing owned by Mr. Stringfellow, which "was built several years before the Civil War and was owned by a Mrs. Lively, both of whose sons were printers, and the older one was Editor of the Virginia Gazette, which was for several years after the war printed in the basement of this house, now used as a restaurant." This house stood to the east of the house on the Boundary Street corner.

Lot 39:

"Abell" - The York Records have no information on lots belonging to "Abell." A Samuel Abell was living in Williamsburg in 1782 and is listed in the personal property tax records. Nothing is known as to his house.

Charles states that extending from the house described above (Mrs. Lively's -built shortly before the Civil War), was an eleven foot rail worm fence up to an old story and a half frame house at the Henry Street Corner.

He described this corner house as having dormer windows, and being the residence of an old bachelor "who was an ardent devotee at the shrine of Bacchus." He said it was known as the 'Wise House' and bore every evidence of having been one of the original dwellings in Williamsburg. It was "pulled down by the Yanks and others."

Block 22:

North side of street between Henry and Nassau Streets:

Town plats give three lots on this block, fronting on Duke of Gloucester Street: No. 35 "Cocke", Nos. 36 and 37 "Andrews"

The Frenchman's map shows a small building at the Henry Street Corner, with two others below it, back from the street, and a large house at about the middle of the block - doubtless the "Andrews" - or John Blair property.

Lot 35:

"Cocke" - In 1762, Charles Jones, tailor, sold to James Cooke for £260, lot No. 35 with all houses. The deed stated that the lot had been purchased by the said Jones from Henry Browne in 1756. James Cocke was mayor of Williamsburg in 1768, and died in 1789.

In 1930 a house known as the "Casey House" stood on this site. Mr. Charles described the Casey building as follows:

"...The three story building (now Casey's Grocery) was up to the latter part of the seventies only a two story frame dwelling fronting on Duke of Gloucester Street with an L on Henry Street, with a basement that was once used...as a liquor shop. This house was called the "Rudd" property. Across the line between it and the "Hurt" lot there was ...a. very old brick kitchen, one half of which was on each lot. This old kitchen was pulled down in 1866 and the bricks used in the construction of a small grocery store erected between the Casey residence and their present grocery store..."

Lots 36 & 37

"Andrews": A report has been prepared on the building on this site - the "John Blair House" owned in the latter part of the eighteenth century and well into the nineteenth by Mary Blair Andrews, John Blair's daughter, and her heirs.

^{M. Goodwin's to A. P. M.
Nov. 17, 1950
G. P. Middleton}