Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Since receiving the request for further data on the property upon which Robertson's windmill once stood in Williamsburg, I have thoroughly searched the indexes and made a page by page study into the pertinent York County records.

The first account in the York County records of these lots is found in a deed from the trustees of Williamsburg to William Robertson dated November 11, 1714. (A complete copy of the deed is attached to this memorandum.) Robertson was assigned eight lots: 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 207 and 208. There were no buildings thereon and he was allowed twenty-four months to begin to build and finish one good dwelling house on each of the said lots according to the Act of 1705 for building the city of Williamsburg.

The second account in the York County records of these lots is found in a deed from William Robertson to John Holloway dated December 12, 1723. (A complete copy of this deed is attached to this memorandum.) Holloway was conveyed lots 236, 237, 207 and 208 "being the lots whereon ye said William Robertson's Windmill stands together with the said Windmill and all Houses buildings Yards Orchards ways Waters profits Easements & Commodities to the said four lots.. in fee simple... forever..." Houses are mentioned in this deed.

The third account in the York County records of these lots is found in a deed from John Holloway to John Randolph dated July 20, 1724. ( A complete copy of this deed is attached to this memorandum.) In this conveyance Randolph is given only one lot or half acre. This lot, the deed states, was "in the City of Williamsburg adjoining to the lot whereon the said John Randolph now lives which he the said John Holloway lately purchased of William Robertson." Though no conveyance has been located, it is obvious that Randolph had acquired this lot on which he was then living from Holloway and that he also had come into the other two lots. (Subsequent data to follow so indicates.) There is no mention in the deed to a windmill on the lot conveyed to Randolph on July 20, 1724.

Randolph bequeathed such property to his son, Peyton Randolph, who by will devised the property to his wife, Betty Randolph. When Mrs. Randolph died in 1783, she requested by will that "the House 2 and all the lots in Williamsburg given me by my dear Husband... be sold at public auction." Such property was sold to Joseph Hornsby in 1783. (A complete copy of the deed is attached.) From it we can see that Mrs. Randolph's property extended from Nicholson Street through to Scotland Street on the north. Sometime ca. 1803 Hornsby conveyed the property to Thomas Peachy. The maps or plats of Williamsburg give "Peachy" on these four lots.

The lots in question are not numbered on the College Map (1791?); the Bucktrout Map (1807) and the so called "Brown" Map.

The lots (so far as the house history is concerned) were numbered by someone (before my time) as 237, 236, 207 and 208. This was apparently arrived at in relation to other numbered lots nearby.

To sum up: Conveyance of the four lots from Holloway to Randolph should appear in the York County records. Only one conveyance which takes care of one lot has been located. The only possible suggestion as to why the other three do not appear in these records is that the deeds may have been recorded in the Hustings Court (formed in 1722) or in the General Court records. Both of these source records burned.

The following sources in the York County court records have been searched:

• Orders & Will Book #16 (1720-1729) from page 1 through page 424.
• Orders & Will Book #15 (1716-1720) searched entire book by page.
• Orders & Will Book #14 (1709-1716) searched entire book by page.
• Deeds Orders Wills #13 (1706-1710) looked in index.
• Deed Book III (1713-1729) searched page by page, entire book.
• Deed Book II (1701-1713) searched from 1705-1713, by page.

York County Records
Deeds III p 29 (release deed)

[Trustees of Williamsburg
to
William Robertson
Consideration: 6 pounds money of England]

"...Eight certain Lotts of Ground in y^e s^d City of W^msburgh designed in y^e plott of y^e s^d City by these figures 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 207, & 208 with all Woods thereon growing or being & all Manner of Profits Comoditys Emoluments & advantages whatsoever to y^e same belonging... TO HAVE & TO HOLD... for ever under ye limitations & reservations hereafter mentioned & not otherwise that is to Say, that if y^e s^d W^m Robertson his heirs or Assigns shall not within y^e Space of twenty four Months next Ensueing y^e Date of these Presents begin to build & finish upon Each Lott of y^e s^d granted Premisses One good Dwelling house or houses of such dimensions & to be placed in such Manner as by One Act of Assembly made at y^e Capitol y^e 23^d day of October 1705 Intituled an Act continuing y^e Act directing y^e building y^e Capitol & City of W^msburgh... then it shall & may be lawfull to & for y^e s^d feoffees or Trustees or their successors... to have again as of their former Estate... if these Presents had never been made In Wittness whereof Jn^o Clayton Esq^r & Hugh Norvell Gentt Two of y^e s^d Feoffees or Trustees have hereunto Sett their hand & Seals y^e day & Year above written

John Clayton (Seal)
Hugh Norvell (Seal)

[Recorded York County Court
November 15, 1714]

[York County Records, Deeds III p 412]

[William Robertson to John Holloway:]

THIS INDENTURE made the twelfth day of December in y^e tenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George by the Grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender of y^e Faith &c and in y^e year of our Lord Christ One thousand Seven hundred twenty and three BETWEEN William Robertson of y^e County of York Gent of the one part and John Holloway of y^e City of W^msburgh in y^e same County Esq^r of the other part WITNESSETH that the said William Robertson for and in Consideracon of y^e Sum of Eighty pounds Currant Money of Virginia & Do him in hand paid by y^e said John Holloway before the Ensealing & delivery of these presents the receipt whereof the same William Robertson doth acknowledge And thereof & of every part and parcel thereof doth fully clearly and absolutely acquit enumerate & discharge the said John Holloway his Executors & Adm^rs by these presents HATH granted bargained sold aliened Confirmed & by the presents doth grant bargain sell alien & Confirm unto the said John Holloway and his heirs all those four lots of Ground lying & being in y^e City of W^msburgh denoted in y^e plan of the said City, by the figures 286, 237, 207, 208 being the lots whereon y^e said William Robertson's Windmill stands together with the said Windmill and all Houses buildings Yards Orchards, ways Waters profits Easements & Comomodities to the said four lots and other the premisses belonging and the Reversion and Reversions remaindr & remaindrs Right & Title Estate claim & demand of him the said William Robertson of in and to the said Lots of Ground and other y^e above granted premisses and every part and parcell thereof TO HAVE & TO HOLD the four lots & Windmill and all and Singular other y^e premisses herein before menconed and intended to be hereby granted with their and every of their Appurtenances unto the said John Holloway his heirs and Assigns for ever to the only use and behoof of him the said John Holloway his heirs and Assigns for ever AND the said William Robertson for himself his heirs executors & administrators doth covenant grant and agree to and with the said John Holloway his heirs Admrs & Assigns in manner & form following that is to say that he the said William Robertson at the Ensealing and delivery of these presents is and stands lawfully Seized of and in the above granted premisses and every part thereof of a good sure absolute and indeseizable Estate of Inheritance in fee simple And also that he the said John Holloway his heirs & assigns shall & may peacably and quietly have hold and enjoy the said granted premises with the Appurtenances and every part thereof without the lawful Let Suit Eviction or molestation of him the said William Robertson his heirs or Assigns or any person or persons whatsoever having or claiming or that shall or may have or claim any Estate Right title or Interest from by or under him the said William Robertson his heirs or Assigns or any of them in or to the s^d granted premisses or any part or parcell thereof and that for any Act or Acts by him the s^d William Robertson or any other person claiming by from or under him committed done or suffered the said granted premisses and every part thereof now are and for ever hereafter shall remain freed & discharged of and from all other bargains Sales Gifts Grants feofm^ts Entails Dowers Mortgages and all other incumbrances whatsoever had made done executed or procured or to be had made done executed or procured by him y^e said William Robertson his heirs or Assigns or any of them AND lastly the said William Robertson for himself and his heirs the said granted premisses with the appurtenances unto the said John Holloway his heirs Assigns against him the said William Robertson his heirs & Assigns and all other persons whatsoever shall & will warr^t and ever depend by these presents IN WITNESS whereof the said William Robertson hath hereunto set his hand & Seal the day & year first above written

Wil Robertson (Seal)

Sealed & Delivered
in the presence of
Wil Toplis
John Randolph
Graves Pack

[Recorded York County Court
December 16, 1723]

York County Records
Deeds III pp 423-424 THIS INDENTURE made the twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and twenty four BETWEEN John Holloway of the City of W^msburgh Esq^r of the One part And John Randolph of the Same City Esq^r of the other part WITNESSETH that the said John Holloway for and in consideration of the Sum of thirty pounds of lawfull money of Virginia to him by the said John Randolph in hand paid before the Sealing and delivery of these presents the Receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge HATH granted bargained and Sold And by these presents doth grant Bargain and Sell unto the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns All that Messuage and Lot or half Acre of Lands Situate and lying and being in the City of W^msburgh adjoining to the Lot whereon the said John Randolph now lives which he the said John Holloway lately purchased of William Robertson of the City of W^msburgh Gent And the Reversion and Reversions Remainder and Remainders thereof and of Every part thereof And all the Estate Right title and Interest of him the said John Holloway in and to the Same and every part thereof TO HAVE & TO HOLD the said Tenement and half Acre of Land and all and Singular y^e premises with their and every of their appurtenances to him the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns forever And the said John Holloway for himself his heirs Extors and Admtors do grant Covenant and agree to and with the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns in manner following that is to Say That he the said John Holloway now at the Sealing & delivery of these presents hath good right and lawfull Authority to Sell and Convey the premisses in manner of aforesaid And that the Same shall for Ever hereafter remain unto him the said John Randolph his his heirs and Assignes freed & discharged of and from all and all manner of former and other Grants Bargains Sales Estates Rights titles troubles and incumbances whatsoever had made committed done or Suffered or to be had made committed done and Suffered... by the said John Holloway or any other person or persona whatsoever lawfully claiming or to Claim by from or under him And also that the said John Holloway shall and will at any time within the Space of twenty years next Ensuing the date hereof at the proper Costs and Charges of him the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns make Execute & acknowledge such other Conveyance or Conveyances for the better assuring and Conveying the premises to the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns as by the said Jn^o Randolph his heirs and Assigns as by the said John Randolph his heirs and Assigns or his or their Councils learned in the law shall be devised advised or required IN WITNESS whereof the parties to these presents first above named their hands and Seals hereunto Interchangeably have Set the day and year first above written
John Holloway (Seal)

Sealed & Delivered
in presence of
Phi: Lightfoot

July 20^th 1724 Recd of John
Randolph the Sum of thirty
pounds Curr^tt Money of Virg^a
the Consideracon within Menconed

Jn^o Holloway
...admitted to record
Test Phi Lightfoot Cl Cur

At a Court held for York County July 20th 1724 John Holloway Esq^r in open Court presented & acknowledged this his deed for land lying in W^msburgh in This County unto John Randolph Esq^r at whose mocon the Same is admitted to record

Test Phi Lightfoot Cl Cur

Benjamin Harrison, Sr.
Harrison Randolph
Benjamin Harrison, Jr. Executors
Betty Randolph - widow of Peyton Randolph
to
Joseph Hornsby of the City of Williamsburg

Consideration: 1800 Pounds Current Money of Virginia

... All those lots or half acres of land with the tenements and appurtenances thereunto belonging lying and being in the city of Williamsburg whereon the said Betty Randolph lately resided and bounded by the lot of John Paradise and Lewis Burwell on the East side, by the street denoted and called ---in the plan of the said city ---- and dividing the tenement of John Blair now in the occupation of James Madison from the said lots on the West, by the street called and known by the name of Scotland Street on the North and by the Market Square on the South side... together with six half Acre Lots denoted in the plan of the said City by the figures 179, 180, 181, 182, 183 and 184 which were conveyed to Peyton Randolph by William Robertson and Elizabeth his Wife of the County of King and queen and Peyton Randolph of Wilton in the County of Henrico as by reference being... which said Lots were devised to Betty Randolph by her deceased Husband, and by the Said Testratrix devised to be sold... and the Reversion... and all the Estate Rights Title to the said Benjamin Harrison the elder, Harrison Randolph and Benjamin Harrison Junior or either of them... to him the said Joseph his Heirs and Assigns...

Benjamin Harrison S
Harrison Randolph S
Benjamin Harrison Jun^r S

Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of us
Carter B. Harrison
Archibald Denholm
Thomas B. Dawson
David Jameson
William Nelson Jun^r

"At a Court held for York County July 21, 1783" the above deed was recorded.

I have just read Mr. Leclere's memorandum of June 29th to Mr. Cocke concerning the Robertson Windmill, and agree that we cannot establish the exact location of the windmill. However, I do feel that we can establish two points with which he and Mr. Cocke seem to disagree: (1) the location of the square of eight lots deeded by the trustees for Williamsburg to William Robertson; and (2) the fact that the Robertson windmill stood on four adjoining lots in this square (or on a two-acre tract). We can also eliminate at least three lots in this square as possible sites (3). And we feel that it would be safe to assume that the windmill would have stood on the highest print on a two-acre tract of the remaining lots. If it could be proved by a topographical survey that there was a rise of land somewhere is the square, that would have been the only logical site, for obvious reasons. The points numbered above are based as the following:

(1) The deed of 1714 from the Trustees for Williamsburg to William Robertson, by not stating that the lots were in different locations, indicated that they were adjacent: a trait of eight half-acre lots--or a four-acre tract. Such tracts were granted to one person in other instances, and the lot numbers did not always run consecutively, though they often did. In this instance six of the lots were numbered consecutively, and the other two were shown to be adjoining two of the six -- making a square of eight lots.

In 1714 the Trustees granted William Robertson eight half-acre lots: numbers 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 207, and 208. In 1715 William Robertson sold Philip Ludwell two of these half-acre lots, described in the deed as "lying on the North side of the Market Place and denoted in the Plan of ye said City by the figures (233, 234)..." these two lots continued in possession of the Ludwell family into the nineteenth century, and are shown on early nineteenth century maps of the city as being at the corner of Nicholson and what would now be an extension of Queen Street, north of the Market Place. The location of two of the lots in the square of eight, plus the obvious location of a third (the Peyton Randolph house site), seems to me to completely identify the square as that bounded by Nicholson, England, and an extension of Scotland and Queen Streets. A survey would be necessary to divide it into the original eight half-acre lots, which are shown on early nineteenth century maps, four fronting on Nicholson Street and four on Scotland Street. (See section of map under No. 3 following.)

(2) From the wording of the deed of 1723, by which William Robertson sold his windmill property to John Holloway, it is apparent that the windmill and its adjoining houses and outbuildings stood on a two-acre tract made up of the four lots noted in the deed: "...all those four lots of Ground ...denoted in ye plan of the said City by the figures 236, 237, 207, 208 being the lots whereon ye said William Robertson's Windmill stands together with the said Windmill and all Houses buildings yards..." I don't see how the wording of this deed could be interpreted otherwise. Mr. Leclere admits the probability that six of the lots were located in one block, and suggests that the two not consecutive numbered might by elsewhere in the city. The definite location of two of the eight lots (233 and 234) at the east corner of Nicholson Street in the square in question, plus the fact established by Robertson's deed to Holloway that the out-of-sequence lots adjoined those in the sequence, seems to me to prove both our first and second conclusions.

(3) If we admit that the four lots, or two acres, on which Robertson's windmill stood in 1723 was a part of the square now bounded by Nicholson, England, and an extension of Scotland and Queen Streets, and if we admit that Ludwell owned the two eastern half-acre lots in this square (233 and 234), fronting on Nicholson Street from 1715 throughout the century, that leaves six lots for the possible two-acre tract on which the windmill stood in 1723. This tract could have been the four lots fronting on the extension of Scotland Street (see lots marked in red below) or the two lots at the western corner of Nicholson Street and the two backing them fronting on Scotland (see lots marked is green).

[Map]

We know that Peyton Randolph owned and occupied the house and four lots marked in green at the time of his death in 1775. The bounds of his property were given in a deed to Joseph Hornsby, when it was sold by the executors after his widow's death in 1783.

We know that Sir John Randolph owned the present "Payton Randolph House," but how he got the lots involved--with the exception of one lot--we do not know. In July 1724, when he purchased a half-acre lot (one of the windmill lots sold by Robertson to Holloway) from Holloway, Sir John Randolph already occupied a house adjoining the lot he purchased. We believe that he then occupied the older portion of the present "Peyton Randolph House," which was on the Nicholson Street lot adjoining the Ludwell lots. Although we cannot prove that Sir John Randolph owned more than two lots (the one he occupied when be purchased another from Holloway in 1724, we believe that he owned the four lots which Peyton Randolph subsequently owned. We know that Sir John Randolph maintained a town house, and kept "a coach chariot and chaise" and "coach horses riding horses mares and colts" in town at the time of his death in 1737. It would have taken a fairly large area to comfortably accommodate such an establishment, and we do not feel that the four lots, or two acres, which Peyton Randolph owned would have been more than enough for it. Sir John left the vehicles and horses, etc. in town to his wife outright, and be left her life-right in his town houses and lots, with "all the furniture ...of what kind soever... plate and linnen of all Sorts"; and the profits from his plantations. The plantation on the outskirts of town (later "Tazewell Hall") he purchased ca. 1732, some years after he bought and occupied the town house. After his wife's death the town house and lots (Sir John also owned lot 175 adjoining the Palace land, which he may have used as a pasture for his horses in town), and the plantation adjoining the town, went to his son Peyton. He left his son John a plantation of the Chickahominy River. Peyton kept the town houses and lots for himself, and deeded his brother John the "Tazewell Hall" plantation in 1758. Peyton Randolph was speaker of the House of Burgesses for many years, and his town house was a landmark in Williamsburg. In 1770-1773 the Ludwell lots (233 and 234) were located as the "Tenement adjoining Mr. Speaker" and the house "next Door but one to Mr. Speaker's." (The latter--"Ludwell's Mansion"--has not been reconstructed.)

The deeds to Sir John Randolph's dwelling-house lots may have been recorded in the General Court; or they may have been recorded in the records for the City of Williamsburg, which city was incorporated in 1722 with John Holloway as first mayor, and Sir John Randolph as an aldermen. We do not know, nor can we suggest, why one deed only was recorded in York County, when we know he owned adjoining property. As both the General Court and Williamsburg records were burned, this point cannot be cleared, unless new records come to light.

If all of the four Randolph lots were purchased from John Holloway, that would place the Robertson windmill in the area marked in green on the attached map section. It is unlikely that the windmill would have been on the Nicholson Street line, that being the most likely site for a dwellinghouse; and as before noted, the most reasonable place for a windmill would have been on the highest available point in the area. If Sir John Randolph purchased the four windmill lots from Holloway (admittedly at different times), it is probable that he would have removed the windmill as he was developing a dwelling-house and its necessary outbuildings, and would not want the business connected with the mill so close to him. The windmill had been erected by William Robertson between 1714 and 1723, but we have no reason 4 to think that Holloway, who purchased the tract of four lots, continued its operation. We know that he sold one of the lots to Randolph within a year, and he may have sold others before that.

Another point adds to the possibility that the four Robertson windmill lots, purchased by Holloway in 1723, were sold Randolph. Two of the eight lots originally granted Robertson in 1714 reverted to the trustees for lack of buildings, and were again granted by the trustees in 1717 and 1719 (lots 235 and 232). Of course these could have been purchased by Randolph subsequently, and the lot he bought out of the Holloway group of four might have been adjacent to one of them. But as we know the Holloway windmill lots were adjacent to each other (236, 237, 207 and 208), and as we know the location of the Ludwell lots (233 and 234), which could not have been involved, and we know that Peyton Randolph inherited his house and lots from Sir John Randolph, and we know the bounds of Peyton Randolph's property, it seems more likely that the two lots which reverted were behind the Ludwell lots. Little is known of these lots, but the numbering would not have been too out-of-order; the Ludwell lots 234 and 233, with the reverted lots 235 and 232 behind them. If 232 was the easternmost lot, it would have adjoined 231, the back of the two Tayloe lots to the east. (The Tayloe lots were another example of confused numbering: the front lot on Nicholson Street was 262, the lot adjoining it to the rear was 231.) All the information we can find concerning the two lots, which reverted to the trustees out of the original eight granted Robertson in 1714, is that in 1717 the trustees again deeded lot 232, with building clause, to John Tyler. We can follow it no further. In 1718 the trustees deeded, with building clause, lot 235 to Samuel Cobbs. In 1723 Cobbs sold lot 235 to Christopher DeGraffenreid for 22 pounds 10 shillings with buildings. We can follow that lot no further. DeGraffenreid had a house near the Palace, but we do not know that it was on this lot.

We cannot explain the numbering system, but call attention to a number of examples of this same sort of things: In some blocks of lots the numbers ran consecutively, although the arrangement varied. (See McClurg's lots--originally "Custis Square"--on the block bounded by Ireland, Nassau, France and an extension of Palace Street on Tyler's map; see also the block on which the Deane and Carter-Saunders buildings now stand.) In other instances the numbers jumped about amazingly. (See the St. George Tucker block with lot 174 on England and Scotland Street, and lot 175 picking up immediately to the east of the Palace on the North side of Scotland Street.) There seems no logical way of determining the system, but numbers did often follow in sequence. The Robertson block of eight lots, including the windmill lots, could have run as follows, and that would have made the windmill lots the subsequent Randolph lots. It seems the most logical explanation:

4 lots facing Scotland St.:	:237: 236: 235: 232:	with :231 ) Tayloe
4 " " Nicholson St.:	:207: 208: 234: 233:	:263 )

I'm sorry this is such an involved memorandum, but an attempt to piece together a picture with so few facts is difficult. I do think that we can definitely establish the block in question, and that the four wind mill lots were in the block and adjacent to each other. They could not have been the four front lots, because of the Ludwell lots. They could not have been the four lots on the eastern half of the block for the same reason. They might possibly have been the four lots along the Scotland Street extension, but that is unlikely because of the two lots which reverted, and the Tayloe back-lot number. That they were the four lots which made up the western half of the block, which lots were later owned by Randolph, seems the moat reasonable conclusion--although we admit that this last point is a conclusion. If it is considered reasonable enough, the windmill would have been at the high point on the site.

The Tyler map is attached. It gives a wrong number for the back Tayloe lot which we have corrected: earlier plats show the Tayloe lots plainly as 262 and 231, as does the text of the deeds.

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