Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

LOCATION:

The Tayloe property is situated on the north side of Nicholson Street in Williamsburg. On early-maps of the city it is designated as lot 262. (See Tyler's adaptation of the college map. Illustration #1 of the appendix.)

HISTORY:

The first known evidence of ownership of this lot is noted in a deed from the trustees of Williamsburg to Francis Tyler of date, Nov. 18, 1715:

Trustees City of Williamsburg
to
Tyler, Francis
Consideration: 15 shillings

One certain lot of ground in the City of Williamsburg denoted in the plan thereof by the figures 262, with all woods...
Shall build within 24 months one or more good dwelling houses as according to an Act of Assembly of 1705. (York County Records, Deeds and Orders, III, p. 90)

As there were definite stipulations that some sort of building be erected on the premises within 24 months, it is probable that these rules were complied with by 1717. However, nothing more is known about the property until 1720 when Tyler conveyed the lot with houses to James Roscoe:

June 15, 1720

Tyler, Francis, Gent
to
Roscoe, James
Consideration: 80 Pounds

All that lot of land lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, County of York, denoted is the plan of the
said city by the figures 262, with all houses … (York County Records, Deeds, Bonds, III, p. 333)

The Roscow (Roscoe) family held lot 262 until May 1710, at which time William Roscow conveyed such property to John Collet:

May 31, 1740

Roscow, William
to
Collet, John
Consideration: 25 pounds

All that lot or half acre of land whereon the said John Collet now dwells lying and being is the city of 2 Williamsburg on the north side of Nicholson street joining on the Fast to the lots in possession of John Gladist, and is marked and denoted in the plan of the said city by the figures 262, being formerly the lot of Francis Tyler now deceased and by him sold and conveyed to ------- Roscow brother to the said William party to these presents. (York County Records, Deeds, IV, p. 608)

The Collet family, John and Susannah, his wife, were owners of the property until the death of Susannah in 1752, as excerpts and explanations from the three following court records will indicate.

(1) According to a deed, February 15, 1744, John Collett and wife conveyed to Benjamin Waller a lot designated as 262:

Collett, John
Susannah, his wife
to
Waller, Benjamin
Consideration: 45 Pounds Current Money of Virginia

All that lot or half acre of land whereon the said John Collett and Susannah, his wife, now live, lying and being in the said city of Williamsburgh on the North side of Nicholson Street, joining on the East to the lotts in the possession of John Wall, Gent, and is noted or marked in the plan of the said city by the figures 262, conveyed unto the said John Collett by William Roscow, Gent., by indenture of bargain & sale, York County, 21 July 1740.
And all houses…
Recorded Feb. 18, 1744. (York County Records, Deeds, V, p. 117)

In the light of records which follow (1749), it seems more than probable that Waller did not hold the property in fee simple. Such deduction is clearly proved in 1752 when Waller conveys the lot to James Carter.

(2) Benjamin Waller is devised the real estate of John Collett under certain conditions, as noted in the will of John Collett, city of Williamsburg, December 9, 1749:

…
Item. I give and devise unto my wife Susanna Collett the use of all my estate real and personal during her natural life and after her death, I give … Solomon Davis…all that tract of land containing 50 acres which I purchased of Mrs. Catherine Walker, lying in 3 James City . … All the rest of my estate, real and personal wheresoever lying & being and of what kind and nature, after the decease of my said wife, I give and bequeath unto my friend Benjamin Waller of the city of Williamsburgh, and I do constitute and appoint the said Benjamin executor of this my last will…
Recorded June 18, 1750 (York County Records, Wills, Inventories, XX, p. 174)

The above quoted will of John Collett shows that Collett gave his wife only a life right in his real estate and bequeathed Benjamin Waller "all the rest of my estate, real and personal," except the 50 acres in James City County devised unto Davis.

(3) Susannah Collett's will is significant in that it bears out her husband's will which allows her to convey only personal property:

January 20, 1752.

Collett, Susan
City of Williamsburgh

…
Item. I give and devise unto George Gilmer (son of George Gilmer Surgeon Apothecary of the city of Williamsburgh) now gone home to England with Hr. King all the goods, utensils and every other thing that shall be found in the last new room (built by John Collett) at my decease …
Recorded May 18, 1752. (York County Records, Ibid., p. 257)

Reference to "the last new room (built by John Collett)" shows us that additions had been made to Collett's house at different periods.

The same day an which Susan (Susannah) Collett's will was recorded in York County, the same court recorded a deed in which Benjamin Waller conveyed lot 262 which had been devised him by Collett:

MAY 12, 1752.

Waller, Benjamin of City of Williamsburgh
Martha, his wife
to
Carter, James¹-Surgeon & Apothecary of the said City 4 Consideration: 200 Pounds.¹

All that lot or half acre of land lying and being in the City of Williamsburg on the North side of Nicholson Street joining on the East to the lotts in the possession of Thomas Everard and is marked and denoted in the plan of the said city by the figures 262, which said lot or half acre of land was sold and conveyed to the said Benjamin Waller by John Collett, February 15, 1744, and was also devised to him by the said John Collett by his last will & testament being date the 9th day of December 1749. The said indenture & will proved & recorded in the Court of York County. Recorded May 18, 1752. (York County Records, Deeds, V, p. 475)

It is evident from the consideration of 200 pounds paid for the property by Carter that additions had been made to the buildings on the lot, or that new houses had been erected within the period 1744 to 1752.

Carter held the property until 1759 when it was conveyed to Colonel John Tayloe of Richmond County:

September 30, 1759.

Carter, James - Surgeon of Williamsburg
Hester, his wife
to
Tayloe, Hon. John² of the County of Richmond
Consideration: 600 Pounds.

Two certain lots of ground lying and being in the city of Williamsburg designed in the plot of the said city by the figures 262 and 231,³ also that part of the street marked with the letter M in the plans of the said city which bounds the west side of the above granted two lots 262 and 231 so as to leave open on the west side of the said street 14 feet in breadth, making the same passable for carriages and sloaping and turfing the West side thereof or such part thereof as he shall cut, dig and carry away for making level ground on his said lots. With all houses…"
Recorded 21 April 1760. (York County Records, Deeds, VI, p. 234 - Bond between Carter and Tayloe for this property found on p. 237, dated 21 April, 1760.)

5

During the seven years of Carter's ownership the property valuation (as noted in the consideration) increased from 200 to 600 pounds. This indicates that considerable building or changes were made.

Tayloe, as a member of the King's Council in 1757 and some years thereafter, was in Williamsburg during parts of each year. As distances were often great it was convenient for councillors to own a home in Williamsburg during their term of office. This house, undoubtedly, was used as his "town house" while he sat in the Council.

Since Colonel Tayloe made no mention in his will (dated May 22, 1773; proved July 5, 1779, Richmond County) of any Williamsburg property, it seems reasonable to believe that he had disposed of the property before his death. The Williamsburg Land Tax records and Personal Property records which begin in 1782 do not list the name Tayloe, nor do the Tax Transfers show that the Tayloe family held property in the city.^l

The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows a square house apparently facing upon the street with two dependencies - one to the east and one to the rear of the house. The lot is inclosed. (See Illustration #1 for copy of this section of the map.)

Unfortunately there are no insurance policies with the Mutual Assurance Society covering this property. The society issued policies on property in the city as early as 1796. It is possible that insurance was carried with another company, or dispensed with entirely.

In 1801 Littleton Tazewell of Norfolk conveyed this property to William Tazewell, by deed recorded in York County. The consideration mentioned was 200 pounds: 6

December 10, 1801

Tazewell, Littleton Waller
of Norfolk
to
Tazewell, William
Consideration: 200 Pounds

A certain house and lot of land lying and being in the city of Williamsburg and County of York, on the North side of the street running from Palace Street to the Jail opposite to the lots of William Lee, bounded on the East by the lot of Joseph Ferguson and on the West by a public lane…
Rec. April 18, 1803. (York County Records, Deeds, VII, p. 405)

Upon examination of the College Map (reputed to be of date 1791) and the Bucktrout Nap (1803) the name "Tazewell" appears on lot 262 and 231 north.

In 1801 the Williamsburg Land Tax Records list Littleton Tazewell as owner of one lot evaluated at $30. Obviously, this valuation applies to the lot only as the deed of transfer to William Tazewell (quoted above) values the lot and house at 200 pounds. This was the only lot owned by Littleton Tazewell in Williamsburg at this date.¹

Sometime before 1812 Sarah Madison, widow of Bishop James Madison, a president of William and Mary College, had come into possession of this property "via Tazewell." The Williamsburg Land Tax-Records for 1815 indicate that Sarah Madison held 6 lots valued at $100 "via W^m Tazewell and Mary Page his wife a certain House & Lotts of Land in the City of Williamsburg and county of York on the North side of the Street leading from Palace Street to the Jail." (See Illustration #3 for copy of tax records.)

Previous to this, an October 15, 1812, Sarah Madison of Williamsburg conveyed to her son-in-law, Robert Q. Scott, by deed of gift - "in consideration of love, and affection and $1:" - a lot to the west of her home: ² 7

A certain lot of ground in the city of Williamsburg having standing thereon a Granary and Cow house and bounded as follows: On the East by my lot and garden purchased of William Tazewell, on the North partly by another lot of mine and the lot of Mrs. Peachy, on the West by Mrs. Peachy, on the South partly by the Courthouse green and a street running parallel with the Main Street of the said city. (York County Records, Deeds, VIII, p. 223)

Obviously, the lot conveyed to Scott was between the house occupied by Sarah Madison (the Tayloe house) and Mrs. Peachy's house.

On April 20, 1815, Sarah Madison devised her residence to her daughter, Susan Scott:

…I give and devise unto my daughter Susan Scott, the House and lott where I now live in the City of Williamsburg with every out house and convenience belonging to it to her use during her life, and at her death to her son James Scott and his heirs…
Also, $200. for the purpose of making an addition to the kitchen on the lot given to her during her life and completing the well thereon.
Residue divided between Susan Scott and Catesby Madison, her son
St. George Tucker executor. (York County Records. Will Book I, p. 186)

Mrs. Madison paid personal property tax in 1815 on "1 white, 5 blacks, 1 bookcase under $100, carpet, chest of drawers, 1 side board under $100, 7 Tables, 2 Bedsteads, 14 Chairs, & 2 calico curtains." (Personal Property Tax, Williamsburg - microfilm in Research Department)

In 1819 the property was owned by Sazue1 S. Griffin.¹ According to the Land Tax Records of that date Griffin acquired 7 lots valued at $130, "Via Ro G Scott-- certain house and lot where the said Scott formerly resided and which was charged to Sarah Madison." Though Griffin owned the property in 1819, it seems that he did not live in Williamsburg until 1824.
The Personal Property Tax for 1824 lists Samuel Griffin as owner of "1 white, 8 3 blacks, 2 horses, 2 gigs…" This is the first date at which Griffin is listed in the personal property tax records in Williamsburg. In 1843 the property was described by George W. Southall, Williamsburg lawyer of the period, as "all those certain lots of Land, lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, at present held & owned by the said Samuel, embracing the following Lot to wit: the lot whereon the said Samuel now resides, conveyed to him by the deed of Robert G. Scott & wife, dated the first of May 1818 and fronting on Nicholson street…" (Southall Papers, Folder 293, Legal Cases and Estates, Library, College of William and Mary.) Again Southall defines the boundaries thus: "All those certain lots of land and buildings thereon, lying and being in the City of Williamsburg, at present held and occupied by the said Samuel S. Griffin as his residence, bounded North by the land of Thomas G. Peachy; South, by Nicholson street, East by the lot of Robert McCandlish; and west by the lots of Thomas G. Peachy, containing five acres more or less." (Ibid.)

In 1820 a different system of evaluating lots and buildings in Williamsburg was put into effect. The Griffin property is noted thus in the land tax books: "1 lot in fee…value of lot $1100; sum added on account of buildings $1000. Formerly charged to Ro: G. Scott." From 1820 to 1860 Griffin is listed as the owner. In 1860 it is listed as follows: "S. S. Griffin Williamsburg …Residence [value of] lot including buildings $3000… [value of] buildings $1800." (See Illustration #3 for full listing of land taxes on this property from 1800 to 1860.)

The Griffin property is described by Mr. John S. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" (pp. 36-37) during the period of the Civil War:

The lot on the east side of Queen Street and facing on Nicholson was known as the "Griffin" lot (now owned and occupied by Miss Coleman). Time has wrought little change in the appearance of the buildings on this lot in the last sixty-five years or more. When the War began 9 Old Dr. Sam Griffin lived there. He was a leading spirit in all the affairs of this city. He died in 1864 and was interred in Bruton Church Yard.

In 1869 James L. C. Griffin¹ and F. M. Griffin, his wife, and Mary L. Wright conveyed to P. M. Thompson, trustee of Cynthia B. Coleman and her children, land described as follows:

A certain lot of ground situated and lying in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, fronting and bending on the north side of Nicholson Street, a street running parallel with the Main Street of said City on the north and boded on the east by Vest's lot, on the north by Armistead's lot and on the west by Hansford's lot, improved by a frame dwelling house and outbuildings… (Williamsburg Deed Book #1, pp. 219-21)

In 1923, by deed dated April 21, 1911, recorded August 20, 1923, Williamsburg, N. B. Tucker Coleman and Ella, his wife, conveyed to Elizabeth B. Coleman one fourth of this property:

One undivided fourth interest in that certain house and lot located on Nicholson Street in the City of Williamsburg, on the north side thereof, and bounded as follows: On the north by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway property; on the east by what is known as the old "Bouwers Lot"; on the south by Nickolson Street and on the west by the Nickolson School property and the lot now owned by E. W. Warburton and the Ice Plant lot, which lot is the same as was the residence of the late Cynthia B. Coleman. (Williamsburg Deed Book #10, p. 90)

In 1923 by deed dated July 18, 1914, and recorded August 20, 1923, Williamsburg, George P. Coleman and Mary Haldane, his wife, conveyed to Elisabeth B. Coleman one undivided fourth interest is the property. (Ibid., p. 92.).

In 1924 by deed dated January 30, 1923, and recorded April 12, 1924; Charles W. Coleman conveyed to Elizabeth B. Coleman one undivided fourth interest in the home property. (Ibid., pp. 193 94.)

10

From the above three transfers, it is seen how Elizabeth H. Coleman came into possession of the property. Such property is noted in the Land Tax Book of Williamsburg for 1928 as "a house and lot on East Nicholson Street," the lot being assessed at $1100 and the buildings at $3000, making a total assessment of $4100.

In September 1928, Elizabeth B. Coleman conveyed to Dr. William A. R. Goodwin, representing Colonial Williamsburg, the property with life tenure reserved. The same agreement contains a grant to Jeanette S. Kelly for life tenure under certain provisions.

Further legal details of title for this property since the Coleman occupancy and ownership can be found in the chain of title prepared by C. M. Hall, attorney at law, now filed in the Accounting Department, Colonial Williamsburg.

Notes made by Mr. Singleton Moorehead after talking to members of the Tucker-Coleman family in 1948 give information as to floor plan of the house, outbuildings and building materials in the house. (See Illustration #4.)

IN SUMMARY:

The first known evidence of the ownership of lot 262 is noted in 1715 when the trustees of Williamsburg conveyed one lot thus numbered to Francis Tyler. Tyler held the lot only five years. In 1720 Tyler conveyed the property to James Roscoe, naming a consideration of 80 pounds. Such consideration would seem to indicate that Tyler had complied with the Act of Assembly of 1705 which required that a house be erected on premises within twenty-four months after purchase. In 1740 William Roscoe, brother of James Roscoe, sold the house and lot to John Collett. When Collett and wife died (1749 and 1752 respectively), it was noted in their wills that Benjamin Waller would inherit Collett's Williamsburg property. A previous deed from Collett to Waller, dated February 1744, had conveyed this property but records 11 seem to indicate that Waller did not possess the lots in fee simple until the death of Collett's wife. In May 1752, Waller transferred the lot designated as "lot 262" to James Carter, surgeon, "which said lot or half acre of land was sold and conveyed to the said Benjamin Waller by John Collett, February 15, 1744, and was also devised to him by the said John Collett by his last will & testament being date the 9th day of December 1749." Hon. John Tayloe obtained the property in September 1759 via James Carter. The consideration named was 600 pounds, showing that major changes either in building or repair work had been made during Waller's and Carter's tenure. A phrase from the will of Susan Collett, "the last new room (built by John Collett)," indicates that Collett had made changes to the original house before Susan Collett's death, and therefore some years before the ownership of Carter. Tayloe, who lived in Richmond County, was a member of the Council and doubtless used the building as a "town house" when in Williamsburg. The exact date of sale of the property to Littleton Waller Tazewell is not known. However, in 1801 Tazewell conveyed the property by deed to William Tazewell for a consideration of 200 pounds. The Frenchman's Map (1782) shows a house on the lot apparently facing south with two outbuildings on the lot. The Bucktrout Map (1803) shows the name "Tazewell" on lot 262. In 1815 Land Tax Accounts record that William Tazewell had sold the property along with other lots to Sarah Madison, widow of Bishop Madison. In 1819 Samuel S. Griffin had come into possession of the property via Robert G. Scott, son-in-law of Mrs. Madison. Griffin held lot 262 until his death in 1864. In 1860 his residence and lot were valued at $3000 in the tax records. In 1869 James L. C. Griffin and wife, and Mary L. Wright conveyed the property to Cynthia B. Coleman and her children. In 1924 Elizabeth B. Coleman, daughter of Cynthia B. Coleman, had acquired the property by gift from the other heirs. In 1928, through Dr. William A. R. Goodwin representing Colonial Williamsburg, 12 the property came into possession of Colonial Williamsburg under certain restrictions and reservations.

APPENDIX

Illustration #1	- Maps
Illustration #2	- Biographical material
Illustration #3	- hand tax records
Illustration #4	- Architectural notes

Illustration #1

A drawing from the Frenchman's Map of this lot with archaeological findings will be included in the report after archaeological report is completed.

Photostat Copy of the Williamsburg Plat in "Williamsburg the Old Colonial Capitol" by Lyon G. Tyler

Illustration #2
BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL ON COL. JOHN TAYLOE

Illustration #3

WILLIAMSBURG LAND TAX RECORDS

1782-1800	blank as to Tayloe family
1801	Littleton Tazewell .	l lot	$ 30
1815	Sarah Madison.r	6 lots	$100	Via Wm Tazewell and Maxy Page his wife a certain House & Lotts of Land in the City of Williamsburg and county of York on the North side of the Street leading from Palace Street to the Jail.
1819	Samuel Griffin	7 lots	$130	Via Ro G Scott--certain house and lot where the said Scott formerly resided and which was charged to Sarah Madison
*1820	Samuel S. Griffin	1 lot in fee	$1100	value of lot
	Gloucester		$1000	sum added on account of buildings Formerly charged to Ro: G. Scott
1828	Samuel S. Griffin	1 lot	$1100	value of lot including buildings
	Williamsburg		$1000	value of buildings
		1 lot . :	$ 300	value of lot Via Sidney Ferguson and charged heretofore to Joseph Ferguson's Estate
1851	Samuel S. Griffin	l lot	$1200	value of lot including buildings
	Williamsburg		$ 900	value of buildings
		1 lot	$ 150	value of lot
1858	Samuel S. Griffin	l lot	$3OOO	value of lot including buildings
			$1800	value of buildings
		1 lot .	$ 150	value of lot
1860	S. S. Griffin	1 lot	$3000	value of lot including buildings
	Williamsburg		$1800	Value of buildings

Illustration #4