Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

THE EWING HOUSE
Colonial Lot #604
May 15, 1939

This Dutch colonial house situated on colonial lot #604 has been mistakenly called the Moody house. The Bucktrout map of 1800 and the town plan map made by an unknown draftsman and dated by Lyon G. Tyler as being made about 1790, show the property as belonging to some member of the Ewing family.

An extract from the will of Ebenezer Ewing, father of the Thomas Ewing who owned the property in 1806, found in the Southall Papers at the College of William and Mary, reveals that Ebenezer Ewing purchased the property from Frederick Myers, but the date at which it was bought is not given. This will, dated 1795, states:

…
I will that Elizabeth Ashton who is the mother of my son Thomas and who lives with me, may have the use of my house that lately purchased from the estate of Frederick Myers, deceased situated in the city of Wmsburg, as long as she continues unmarried…

In his will, Ebenezer Ewing mentions owning only one house in the city of Williamsburg, and in 1806 the Rev. James Henderson, who was named in this will as the guardian of Thomas Ewing, insured this house on the south side of Francis street. It seems probable, therefore, that this is the only house Ewing owned in the city at the time of his death.

As early as 1786 Ewing incurred debts with Humphrey Harwood for repairs on a house in Williamsburg. Harwood rendered the following account to Ebenezer Ewing: 2

Mr E. Ewing Dr
1786 Novemr 25th	To 1 bushel of lime 1/. & mending plastering 1/6	£ . 2. 6
1787 June 12	To white-washing 1 Room 4/6 - & whitewash 0/6	. 5.
August 22	To 6 bushels of lime 6/. & 140 bricks a 3/.	.10. 3
1788 July 8	To repairing Cellar Steps &c. 7/6 & labours work 2/6	.10.
	To Whitewashing 2 Cealings 5/	. 5.
23	To Cash paid you in part of Account £ 7.10. 0	7.10.
1787 April 24	To Cash paid £ 3.10. 7	3.10. 7
Sepr 19	To do pd £4	4.
Octor 21	To Cash to Ballance as pr Receipt with Interest	19. 4. 4 ¼
		£35.17. 8 ¼

(Humphrey Harwood Ledger B - p. 103)

	Mr Ebenezer Ewing Dr
1790 Nov. 15th	To 4 bush: of lime a 9d - mending Kitchen Back grate &c.	6. 6

(Humphrey Harwood Ledger C - p. 18)

On May 28th, 1806, James Henderson, guardian of Thomas Ewing, insured the house mentioned above, and the property is described as follows in the policy:

I the underwritten James Henderson Guardian of Thomas Ewing residing at Wmsburg in the county of James City do hereby declare for Assurance in the Mutual Assurance Society against Fire on Buildings of the State of Virginia my one Building on the south side of —— now occupied by——and situated between the Lott of Josias Moody on the West and the Lott of Antony Robertson on the East in the County of James City…

3

Valuation of the Property:

The Dwelling House A at $800 —Say eight hundred Dolls.

A tracing of the building indicated on the insurance policy is given here.

4

Mrs. Victoria Lee in her recollections, Williamsburg in 1861, states:

…The present Sweeney house which stands next to the Roper house, had at that time no porch. A family by the name of Daughterty occupied this house.

Being situated in James City County, a county of which the great majority of the records were destroyed during the Civil War, no further information regarding this property has been uncovered.