Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report
Series - 1594
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
Obsolete
June 22, 1944
From the available records, it seems that John Holloway was the
first person to be granted lots on what came to be designated in the eighteenth
century Photo of Williamsburg as "Dean's 4 lots" (Bucktrout-Lively
Map Unknown draftsman's map) was John Holloway who
Holloway was granted two lots by the city trustees in
charge of land as follows:
July 11, 1720
City Williamsburg Trustees of
Two certain lots of ground in the city of Williamsburg denoted in plan of the said city by the figures 331-332.
to
Holloway, John
Consideration: 5 shillings.
Shall begin to build within 24 months upon each of said lots one or more good dwelling houses according to Act of Assembly 1705. (York County Records - Vol. III, p.35[illegible])
A gap in the history of the lots occurs from that date until the record of the dale of the lots on July 20, 1759 of lots from John Robinson to William Carter. (Deed of 1759 referred to in William Carter's et al deed to Elkanah Deane, York County Records Deeds - Book VIII, p. 238)
A dispute over the boundary between 329-331 (William Carter granted all four lots to Deane in 1772, showing that all those lots had been acquired at some time by William Carter) and Robert Carter's four lots, #333-336, (Ibid., Book VI, pp. 357-359) led to the following agreement:
August 11, 1761
Carter, William - Surgeon
Whereas certain disputes and controversies have lately arisen between the said William Carter and Robert Carter of and concerning the true and just dividing line between the lots of the said Robert Carter which he lately purchased of Robert Carter Nicholas, Esquire, and the lots of the said William Carter, which he lately purchased of John Chiswell, gentleman, the said William Carter claiming_______ a certain piece or parcel of ground on the Northside_____ 2 of pales of the said Robert Carter which divides the lots of the said Robert Carter from the lots of the said William Carter from Palace Street to the West end of their said lots and which piece or parcel of ground is now in the possession of the said Robert Carter. Now, therefore, for ending and finally determining the said disputes and controversies, this indenture witnesses that the said William Carter for the consideration aforesaid, also for and in consideration of the sum of 5 shillings to him in hand paid by the said Robert Carter at and before the ensealing and delivery of these present, the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge hath aliened, remised, released, and forever quit, claimed, and by these present doth for himself, his heirs, executors administrators, alien, remis, release, and forever quit claim unto the said Robert Carter his heirs and assigns forever all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand whatsoever which he the said William Carter hath or might have in and to the said piece or parcel of ground above mentioned now being within the said line of pales and in the possession of the said Robert Carter as aforesaid....... (York County Records - Deeds- Book VI, pp. 364-65)
to
Carter, Hon. Robert
Consideration: 5 shillings.
In 1767, Carter mortgaged this property to James and John Carter, who became William Carter's bondsmen for£130 due Thomas Moore. The Mortgage reads:
In 1768, William Carter was advertising the house for sale:June 27, 1767
Carter, William
All those four lots of ground in Palace Street in the city of Williamsburg whereon the said William now lives, and also all that piesce or parcel of ground situate on the South side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the said city, bounded on the North by the last mentioned street, on the East by a cross street running from the said street to Francis Street, on the South by the ground sold by the said William to James Anderson, Blacksmith and on the West by the ground sold by William Withers to William Holt, and is part of the two lots purchased by the said Withers of Dudley Digges. (Ibid., Deeds - Book VII, p. 300)
Williamsburg
to
Carter, James Surgeon
Carter, John - Merchant
Consideration: 130 pounds, due to Thomas Moore - grantees are bondsmen.
On account of the mortgage, it was necessary for James and John Carter to sign the deed in the next legal document:December 15, 1768
To be Sold, on very reasonable Terms, for Cash, or on 3 or 4 Years Credit, paying Interest for the Money.
The Dwelling-House in Palace street, with four Lots of 3 Ground, well enclosed, and in good repair, where the subscriber now lives. There is no situation in this city superior to it, for pleasantness and convenience.
William Carter. (Virginia Gazette, Purdie and Dixon)
July 4, 1772
Carter, William - Surgeon (Gloucester)
All those four lots of land lying in the City of Williamsburg and Parish of Bruton, County of York, on the West side of Palace Street, and bounded on the North by the lots of the Hon. Robert Carter, on the West by Nassau Street, on the South by Prince George Street, and on the East by the said Palace Street, lately in the possession of the said William Carter, except a small piece or parcel thereof adjoining the lots of the Hon. Robert Carter and conveyed him by the said William Carter by John Robinson, dec'd, by deed dated July 20, 1759.
Rebecca, his wife
Carter, James
Carter, John - Gentlemen
to
Deane, Elkanah - Coachmaker
Consideration: 700 Pounds.
And all houses, buildings. (York County Records - Deeds- Book VIII, p. 238)
Evidently it was necessary for Deane to mortgage the property or to complete the title, for on July 14, 1772, a deed of some sort appears in the York County Records:
Deane, Elkanah - Coachmaker
Elizabeth, his wife.
Williamsburg
to July 14, 1772
Carter, John
Same property as conveyed on Page 238. (Ibid., p. 242)
Here Deane lived and carried on his business in a shop near by from 1772 until his death in 1775. (Virginia Gazette, John Pinkney, October 26, 1775)
Many facts about Deane can be gleaned from his first advertisement in 4 the Virginia Gazette (William Rind) May 21, 1772:
THE subscriber, having served a regular apprenticeship to the noted Mr. JOSEPH CARNCROSS, of the city of Dublin, coachmaker, and for many years past carried on the coachmaking trade, in all the different branches, in Ireland, and in New York, where he has had the honour of making a coach, a phaeton, and chaise, for his Excellency the Right Honorable Earl of DUNMORE, is now removed, with his family, from New York, to Palace Street, in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he proposes to make and repair all sorts of chaises, curricles, chaises, and chairs with harness of every sort, relative to the coachmaking trace. Likewise painting, gilding, and Japanning. The subscriber being determined to do all his work in the best manner, and on the lowest terms, humbly hopes those Gentlemen that are pleased to employ him will pay cash, at least for any piece of new work, on delivery of the same; and will be truly thankful to every Gentleman or Lady who will employ him to repair carriages, even if the repairs do not exceed half a bit. The utmost care and dispatch of business, shall be the constant study of the public's most humble servant.
ELKANAH DEANE.The Subscriber having two or three spare rooms, would be glad to accommodate Gentlemen with private lodgings.
Although Deane advertised for three or four journeymen chairmakers on April 22, 1773 (Virginia Gazette, Rind), the picture of a very flourishing business may be doubted for two reasons: in October of the same year, he advertised again, indicating that the articles for sale were due to his "having now procured as good a hand as he had met with since his residence in America". Then in 1775, he called on his "gentlemen" debtors to pay in order that he might support his credit and carry on his business. He further declared "The many disappointments I have met with put it out of my power to give any credit in the future". The advertisements from which these facts are drawn are quoted below:
October 28, 1773
ELKANAH DEANE, COACHMAKER, HAS FOR SALE,
A NEAT POSTCHAISE and HARNESS almost as good as new; also a neat single CHAIR and HARNESS, entirely new, which he will 5 sell cheap, for ready money, at his shop in Palace street: Where gentlemen may be supplied with carriages and harnesses of every kind in the coach or chair way, completely finished, and agreeable to appointment. He likewise repairs carriages and harnesses, and the PAINTING BUSINESS is done in the most elegant manner, having now procured as good a hand as he has met with since his residence in America........... (Virginia Gazette, Clementina Rind)
March 23, 1775
TO BE SOLD CHEAP, FOR CASH,
AT my shop in PALACE street, a neat new post chariot, a phaeton, and a great variety of chairs, double and single, of different forms and prices. I request those gentlemen that are indebted, to pay me in April next, that I may thereby support my credit, and be enabled to carry on my business. The many disappointments I have met with has put it out of my power to give any credit in future, unless upon bond, with approved security, to bear interest from the day the work is delivered...... (Ibid., John Pinkney)
Deane's boasting with other qualities referred to and guessed at from the various advertisements that appeared in the Virginia Gazette from 1772 to 1775 probably account for his troubles with those who worked for him. He became involved in a published controversy with Peter Hardy, a former journeyman. The following items in the Gazette tell their own story:
6October 28, 1773
......In my former advertisements I mentioned where I served a regular apprenticeship, namely, to Mr. JOSEPH CARNCROSS, in the City of Dublin, and carried on the Coachmaking trade for several years at home; also that on my coming to America, I made, in the city of New York, for his Exellency the Right Honourable the Earl of Dunmore, a coach, phaeton, and chaise, which may now be seen by any particular gentlemen who has an inclination. I chuse to be thus particular, as their is a certain Canadian who resides near the Madhouse, and tells of his long experience in Europe, but never was one yard nearer to it than he now is, nor in his life ever saw three four wheel carriages made till within these two or three years, and the whole of his knowledge, I can venture to say, without any presumption, he gained in my shop. I return my most sincere thanks to the gentlemen and ladies of Virginia, who have favored me with their commands, and they may be assured I will always make it my study to please. (Ibid., Clementina Rind)
November 11, 1773
To the PUBLIC
There having appeared a sentence or two in the conclusion of an ADVERTISEMENT in this Gazette of the 28th of October, which hint at a certain Canadian, the same must acknowledge, that at first the language seemed strange to him but after a moments reflection on that short paragraph, he plainly perceived, both by its meanness of diction, and poorness of stile, to have come from some awkward and uncouth HIBERNIAN COTTAGER, and who, on account of that passion called envy, hath thought proper, to question him concerning his abilities in his business..........he shall entreat it as a favour of his well wishers..to listen to an observation or two, which in all probability, will serve to remove the doubt of the unguarded assertion of his most revered master THE PALACE STREET PUFFER.
And first of all, he would be glad to ask that ingenious and skilfull Irishman, who repeatedly makes his boast and so much values himself on having served a regular apprenticeship in his own dear country, and thereby sufficiently enabled to have taught him his business, whither it were not lucky for him, nay, he might venture to say extraordinary, to have met with an apprentice, whom he was just going to initiate into the knowledge of his art, that finished and compleated, as far as comes within the limits of his profession, the last of the three carriages which he makes mention may be seen at the palace....
(Ibid.)
Peter Hardy
November 18, 1773
TO the P U B L I C.
P E T E R H A R D Y was indeed the Canadian I meant to shew in his true light, that he might not impose on the public. It is to him, not to his clerk, I address myself. In his advertisement of the 19th of August last he flatters himself he is well acquainted with the different branches of coach and chaise making, having studiously endeavored to obtain them by a long course of practice in Europe; he means he would flatter the Gentlemen of this colony to believe his notorious lies, as I can prove he never saw one yard of Europe; neither did he ever work for any coachmaker but me. Quere, where then did he get his knowledge in the coach and chaise way? Not in Canada, as there never was a coach seen there but one. My stile may be poor, but it is honest; such as you, or your clerk, cannot answer, but as lawyers commonly do, when they have a bad cause, by endeavouring to evade coming to the point. I think you have furnished me with a just appellation for yourself, of being a puffer. What I have inserted is truth. Learn to be hones, and speak truth, and then I will answer when you please. 7 Till then adieu. From yours
AN HIBERNIAN. (Ibid., Clementina Rind)
December 2, 1773
THE concientious Elkanah Deane, doubting of his own integrity and veracity, has got an officious monitor, who makes bold to admonish me by telling me to be honest: How justly he may be authorized so to do I leave to the determination of the public, however, I thank him kindly for his unasked for admonition. But it is to you I address myself, not your monitor. You urge me to declare, what I have yet never denied, that is, my not having been in Europe. I thought i had sufficiently given you to understand how it came about, but, since you will have a public declaration, it was a mistake of the person who wrote the advertisement for me; because I had mentioned to him that my father had served his time there, he did not know but what I had also. I hope you will no longer accuse me of not coming to the point. I think your monitor has lead you astray by introducing the court term pettifogger; and query that is neither resolvable by him or you. No matter where this Canadian got his trade,; though you falsely will have it, in your shop. But let us come to the point, which shall be, since you will have it I am not a workman, to make, each of us, a coach, and stipulate any certain sum, to be depending on the best finished of the two, in every respect, as well for the goodness of the work as the ornamental part, which shall be decided by those who are judges, that they and everyone may impartially say THE WORK HAS CROWNED THE WHOLE, Farewell. From your's
A CANADIAN. (Ibid.)
We do not know the result of this unseemly quarrel before the public eye. Perhaps the challenge to make a masterpiece so that all of Williamsburg could see and know which one was a master craftsman had the desired effect. Deane continued his ingratiating advertisements and his search for journeymen as the following advertisement shows:
May 19, 1774
.......Being in want of a few more JOURNEYMEN, he will give the following prices, provided they are good hands: For every chair body, single or double, according to my directions, I will give four pounds, for every chair carriage eighteen shillings, for every pair of wheels 22 shillings, and so in proportion for all other work. I would willingly take two or three apprentices who have been genteely brought up, and tolerably educated; 8 no others need apply....... (Ibid., Clementina Rind)
Robert Carter, now living at Nomini Hall considered Deane's shop a better method of locating his property, which he offered for sale, than an ancient Virginia name:
May 26, 1774
For S A L E ,
The improved SQUARE of LOTS adjoining the lots belonging to Mr. E. Deane, coachmaker in Palace street, Williamsburg. JOHN TAZEWELL, esquire, of this city, is empowered to sell--
If the purchaser, or purchasers, do not pay ready money, his bond, with approved securities, made payable to ROBERT CARTER, will be satisfactory. (Ibid.)
In 1775, Deane lost two of his servants, an apprentice and a journeyman. In advertising for them, he wrote:
February 2, 1775
RUN away from the subscriber, in Williamsburg, an indented servant man, named JOHN HUNTER, a native of London, about five feet high, and has a comical, sly, squinting look, and a bushy head of hair; had on, when he went away, a dark drab short coat. Whoever secures the said servant in any of his majesty's gaols, so that I may have him again, shall have TEN SHILLINGS, or TWENTY SHILLINGS for bringing him home.
ELKANAH DEANE. (Ibid., John Pinckney)
March 23, 1775
......Ran away the 18th instant (March) OBADIAH PURYER, a journeyman chairmaker, who engaged under a certain written agreement to serve the subscriber for one whole year, from the 29th day of August last. I do hereby forewarn all persons from employing or harbouring the said Puryer, being determined to put the law in force against him, unless he returns to his service. I suspect he may be lurking somewhere about Richmond. (Ibid.)
Not even Peter Hardy could describe Deane's last advertisement as the statement of a "puffer":
June 22, 1775
9 Mr. PINCKNEY,
PLEASE to let those gentlemen know who are indebted to me that unless they discharge their respective balances this meeting, their names will be inserted very shortly in all the Williamsburg papers, that the world may know how tradesmen are treated in Virginia.
ELKANAH DEANE. (Virginia Gazette, John Pinckney)
After Deane's death, his wife advertised the property for sale or for rent:
October 26, 1775
To be S O L D or R E N T E D,
THE HOUSES and LOTS of the late Elkanah Deane, pleasantly situated in Palace Street, in this city. There is a well of good water in the lot belonging to the dwelling-house, and a fine garden and pasture at the back of the same. All well paled in; also several springs and a run of water throughout the land. The houses are in good repair, and some of them but lately built. And on Tuesday the 7th of next month will be sold for ready money, the HOUSEHOLD and KITCHEN FURNITURE, a large quantity of coachmakers, joiners and blacksmiths TOOLS. There are on hand, and will be sold, very cheap, an elegant PHAETON, single and double CHAIRS of several sorts, finished in the best manner. All persons indebted to the said estate are requested to make immediate payment; and all those whose accounts are not settled at the next meeting of the merchants, it is expected will give bond. Those also who have demands against it are desired immediately to bring in their accounts to the subscriber, who is authorized to settle the same.
ELIZABETH DEANE. (Ibid.)
Perhaps the property, or only a part of it, including the shop was rented. The first two advertisements below sound as if the men formed a partnership, or used the shop jointly, or were located in separate shops. Of these suppositions, the second seems more reasonable. The quick succession of craftsmen leads to the conclusion that the coachmaking business was not a great success in Williamsburg. Deane's successors located their shops in the following advertisements:
Williamsburg December 15, 1775
THE subscriber continues to carry on the business of 10 SADDLING, CAP, and HARNESS making, at the late Mr. Elkanah Deane's shop, near Palace street.
EDWARD ROBERTS. (Ibid., Alex. Purdie)
Williamsburg December 15, 1775
THE subscriber still continues to carry on the PAINTING business of COACHES, CHARIOTS, &c. at the late Mr. Elkanah Deane shop, near PALACE street.
JOHNHAWARD. HOWARD (Ibid.)
Williamsburg January 12, 1776
The subscriber begs leave to inform the publick, that he has opened the late Mr. Elkanah Deane's shop near Palace Street, where he intends to carry on the COACH and CHAIR making business in its various branches.
WILLIAM HOLLIDAY (Ibid.)
July 13, 1777
Samuel A. Beall, coach-maker, begs leave to inform the publick that he carries on his business at the shop lately occupied by Mr. Dean in Palace Street, where gentlemen may have their work done in the most eloquent and substantial manner, and with punctuality. --- He is in want of 3 or 4 good hands, to whom suitable wages will be given. (Ibid.)
Deane's (spelled "Dean" in the advertisement ) brother, William, was publicly denounced by the coachmaker's widow, Elizabeth:
11December 13, 1776
WHEREAS Elizabeth Dean, Widow of the late Elkanah Dean, Coachmaker of the City of Williamsburg, administered to the Estate of her deceased Husband, and sold, by public Sale, to the Amount of two Hundred and forty odd Pounds of said Estate, which money was collected, and feloniously carried off, by a certain William Dean, Brother to the said Elkanah Dean, who likewise put the Books, with several Bonds and Notes, into the Hands of Mr. James Hubbard, for the Recovery of such Sums: This is to forewarn all Persons concerned not to pay any money to said Hubbard, as his Receipts cannot be good against any Payments to him on Account of the Estate, the Books, Bonds, and Notes having been taken from me very much against my Will.
ELIZABETH DEAN. (Ibid., Dixon and Hunter)
Evidently Elizabeth Deane died before 1785, for in that year the 4 lots appear in the name of "Elizabeth Deane's Estate". (James City County Tax Records) From then through 1810, 4 lots are attributed to Elizabeth Dean (or Deane); from 1812 to 1819 to Elcanah Deane's estate. From 1820 through 1850, 1 lot with a house worth $400 is attributed to Elcanah or to Elizabeth Deane. Sometimes the lot is marked as leased; sometimes "in fee". It seems that in 1820 a block or part of a block of lots was marked "1 lot". (See the Williamsburg land Tax Record and the Marshall House report)
Elizabeth Deane was listed among the proprietors of lots in 1783. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. XI (I), p. 114) In 1783, she owned one tithable slave, George. (Ibid., Vol. XV (1), p. 134) On December 4, 1775, Elizabeth Deane was paid by the Commonwealth of Virginia£2 3s. 6d. for "Steel furnished the Public". (Virginia Magazine, Vol. XXVI, p. 187)
The following references to the property on Palace Street seem to indicate
that little if anything of Carter's and Elkanah Deane's houses
and outhouses were left:
The only dwelling then on the square bounded by Scotland, Nassau, Prince George, and Palace Streets was the "Saunder's House", with its numerous out houses, such as kitchen, servants' quarters, etc...........Nearly on the site of the Presbyterian Church, there was a big barn and carriage house and to the westward of it, up to recent years, was a small wooden house, used as the coachman's abode. Mr. Saunders owned the entire square at the northwest corner of which was a "burying ground" for the colored. (Mr. Charles, "Recollections", pp. 26-27)
.......On the site of the old Presbyterian Church was the large, frame, barn, part of the Saunders property. Mrs. Saunders owned and lived here in '61. (Mrs. Victoria Lee, "Williamsburg in 1861", p. 24)
18.28
1746 Deed-- Charles Carter deeds lot to Robert Cary, merchant for 3 pounds, 8 S. Already had houses on it. Impossible to say why deeded to Robert Cary. One possibility is for debt.
1747-- Cary to Mr. Kenneth McKenzie. Notice great increase in purchasing power. Was the present house built during that period.
1747-51 - 4 years -
House must have been one of consequence else it would not have been considered for the lieutenant governor.
1751 - Occupied by Governor Dinwiddie for a year.
1753 - House sold to Robert Carter Nicholas who retained it until 1761. Believed that he lived there. The only proof on this point is that he built the palings.
R. C. Nicholas, 1756-58, 1758-61, York Co.
1766- James City Co.
Elected Treasurer.