Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Dear Mr. Shurcliff,

In reply to your letter of July 22nd asking for information about the Byrd or "Allen-Byrd" house, we sent you the two reports on this house, one dated January 12, 1932 and the other an addenda to that report dated April 8th, 1932. These reports included all the historical data on this property and a tracing of the insurance policy. On the chance that you may not be able to 1ocate these reports, We are sending you under separate cover blue print copies from our back carbon copy.

The house at one time stood on eight lots and had a complete layout of outbuildings. The one shown on the Frenchman's map is probably the kitchen. Dr. Goodwin's house stands on part of the Byrd land. Queen Street was originally four poles wide or sixty-six feet wide. It is my opinion that this sixty-six feet would probably measure from the western corner of the Bracken House sixty-six feet west.

HB:JL
copies to
Mr. Chorley-NY
P. S. & H.-Boston

The Allen-Byrd House

The Allen-Byrd house was evidently built sometime prior to 1770 by William Allen, as in that year Allen advertised this house and property for sale in the Virginia Gazette describing it as follows:

To be SOLD at seven years credit, or longer if required, A Square of 8 lots in the city of Williamsburg, with the following improvements, a new brick dwelling-house, with four rooms below and three above, a good Kitchen, grainery, and stables, with every other house necessary for a family, also a well of good water. The lots are all inclosed, and: the garden well paled in; the situation is near the College, and very pleasant. The premises may be entered upon the lst of May next. The price will be made known by
WILLIAM ALLEN.

William Byrd III apparently bought this property from Allen shortly after this advertisement appeared, for in Byrd's will, dated July, 6, 1774, he provided that his house in town be sold "to pay Mr. William Allen for it." The will states:

...My will is also that my house in town be sold & a thousand pounds of the money be applied to pay Mr. William Allen for it; & the overplus to the payment of my Debts.

In 1777, the executrix of Byrd's estate advertised for sale in the Virginia Gazette Byrd's "good Brick Dwelling House with 4 Rooms on each floor, situated is the city of Williamsburg, lately occupied by the said William Byrd, Esq; and at present by the Reverend John Bracken. The Dwelling house has all convenient Out-house and several inclosed Lots adjoining; also the very valuable Library of the said Deceased, consisting of near four Thousand Volumes. The House and Library will be disposed of either by private or public Sale as may be most agreeable to the purchasers."

As this advertisement shows, John Bracken was occupying this property 2 at the time this notice appeared. Apparently bracken purchased the property at some later date, for on the map by an unknown draftsman of about 1790, he is listed as the owner of the square of 8 lots upon which the present "Byrd Residence" stands.

Bracken was the rector of Bruton Pariah from 1773 to 1818 and during that time was first master of the grammar school of the College of William and Mary and afterward became president of the College.

Samuel Tyler acquired the property in 1806, at which time the dwelling was valued at $7,000. Fry then on there is little information, since the bulk of the James City County records were destroyed or scattered during the Civil War.

BYRD OR COKE HOUSE
Block 3 - #10
January 12, 1932

This large brick house on Francis Street is in James City County and as the bulk of these records were destroyed the historical record of the property is very fragmentary.

It is known to have been town house of William Byrd III of Westover, who probably built it.

The following records from the Virginia Gazette establish the ownership of this property by William Byrd III, and later by Coke. William Byrd III was residing in Williamsburg just prior to the Revolution and then retired to Westover, hence this house was built before that date by several years:

1777 - March 14 (Dixon and Hunter, Eds.)
To be Sold Agreeable to the last Will and Testament of the Hon. William Byrd, deceased, at Westover in Charles City County, about 25 miles below Richmond Town, on the 24th of April next, 100 Virginia born Slaves...
THE EXECUTRIX
N.B. The Executrix has also for sale, a good Brick Dwelling House with 4 Rooms on each Floor, situated in the city of Williamsburg, lately occupied by the said William Byrd, Esq; and at present by the Reverend John Bracken. The Dwelling house has all convenient Outhouses, and several inclosed Lots adjoining; also the very valuable Library of the said Deceased, consisting of near four Thousand Volumes. The House and Library will be disposed of either by private or public Sale as may be Most agreeable to the purchasers.

1777 - May 16 (Alexander Purdie, Ed.)
To be SOLD by auction, before the Raleigh door in Williamsburg, agreeable to the last will and testament of the late Hon. William Byrd, esq., on the 20th instant, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, A brick house in the said city with four rooms on each floor, now inhabited by the reverend Mr. 2 Bracken, together with all convenient outhouses, and six lots adjoining enclosed. The premises are in good tenantable repair, and will be shewn to such persons as incline to become purchasers, any day till the sale. The terms of the sale are for ready money, but those who have demands against the estate, by bill of exchange protested, or judgment will have the same allowed by
THE EXECUTRIX.

1778 - May 15 (Dixon & Hunter, Eds.)
To be sold on Thursday the 29th instant (May) at 4 o'clock in the afternoon before the Raleigh door in Williamsburg, agreeable to the last will cad testament of the Hon. William Byrd, Esq; for ready money, the dwelling-house of the said decedent, so well known, and have been already advertized particularly, that a further description is unneceseary.
THE EXECUTRIX.

Reverend John Bracken was a tenant of this property when it was advertised in 1777. He was evidently the purchaser as these lots are listed on the town plan (c-1790) as "Bracken's 8 lots."

During the period of Bracken's residence in the house Humphrey Harwood made the following repairs and alterations to it:

Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" says of this building:

"The square bounded by Francis, England, Queen and Ireland Streets was owned by Mr. John Coke. On the northwest corner of this square there was built in 1860 the law office of "Octavius Coke". This house was removed to "Fort Magruder" during the War to provide shelter for officers of the northern army, 4 while its owner was serving without shelter in the southern army. There was only one dwelling on this square, and that is the one now there and known as the "Coke House", now owned by Mr. Jackson, and is in better condition than ever was."

Harold R. Shurtleff, Director
Department of Research & Record.

ab
Report by: Helen Bullock

cc: P.S. & H., Boston and
Wmsburg.
Dr. W.A.R.Goodwin.
A.A. Shurcliff.

[Hand-written sheet]

Dear Sir:

Enclosed is a copy of the research report on the "Byrd or Coke House" which you requested from this department.

BYRD OR COKE HOUSE - BLOCK 3, #10
April 8, 1932.
(Addenda to report issued January 12, 1932)

In the will of William Byrd III dated July 6, 1774 there is a reference to his town house which indicates that he purchased it from William Allen and did not build it for himself. It also dates the house, if this is true, at some time very shortly before 1770. The will states:

"...My will is also that my house in town be sold & a thousand pounds of the money be applied to pay Mr. William Allen for it; & the overplus to the payment of my Debts." (Virginia Magazine of History, Vol. 38, No. 1, page 60.)

The house of William Allen was advertised for sale in the Virginia Gazette of March 29, 1770 (William Rind, Editor) as follows:

To be SOLD at seven years credit, or longer if required,
A SQUARE of 8 lots in the city of Williamsburg, with the following improvements, a new brick dwelling-house, with four rooms below and three above, a good Kitchen, grainery, and stables, with every other house necessary for a family, also a well of good water. The lots are all inclosed, and the garden well paled in; the situation is near the College, and very pleasant. The premises may be seen by applying to Dr. James Carter, and may be entered upon of 1st of May next. The prise will be known by
WILLIAM ALLEN.

The use of the term "near the College" is somewhat misleading but perfectly typical as houses in the center of the town advertised their nearness to the college or the capitol and since the other data is so consistent this does not raise any question of the identity of the house on Francis Street as the Byrd house. This report therefore is an addition to the other report and does not change any point in it except the speculation as to whether William Byrd III built the house for himself.