Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Chronology of Lot and House Ownership

Orlando Jones was the son of the Reverend Rowland Jones, rector of Bruton Parish. He was a scholar at the College of William and Mary in 1698; in a letter he writes that he had been an usher in the Grammar School in the years before 1702, when he left Virginia for England. He held land in King William County as well as in Williamsburg and lived for a time at Timson's Neck on the York River. In 1714, 1715, and 1718 he represented King William County in the House of Burgesses. Through the marriage of his daughter, Frances, to John Dandridge, he became the grandfather of Martha Washington. He was buried in Bruton Parish Church.

June 4, 1719

We know from Orlando Jones' will (June 4, 1719) that he was owner of colonial lots #16 and #17 early in the eighteenth century. An inventory of his personal property made after his death throws light on the number of rooms in his house. The following rooms and their contents are listed: a parlor and a parlor closet; a hall and a hall closet; a porch and a porch chamber above it; a first floor passage; a chamber over the hall, and a study. A kitchen is also included in the inventory and a kitchen chamber over this. Archaeological evidence for an enclosed rear porch and porch chamber was lacking and the designers included these features in the reconstructed house on the basis of the mention of them in the inventory.

Jan. 16, 1719

After Jones' death, his wife, Mary, sold lots #16 and #17 to John James Flournoy, a watchmaker.

Sept. 13, 1729

Flournoy sold the dwelling house and two lots to Joanna Archer, a widow, but the deed fails to state on which of the lots the house stood.

May 16, 1745

After the death of Joanna Archer the two lots and the house, then occupied by Dr. Kenneth McKenzie, together with a kitchen, meat-house, stable, "other convenient Outhouses", and a garden were offered for sale.

This is the last positive reference which we have to the Orlando Jones property. On the unknown draftsman's map lot #16 is subdivided with the name of Charlton on the division facing on Duke of Gloucester Street. Charlton's name also appears on the Bucktrout map on the part of lot #16 on Duke of Gloucester Street, -3- and that of Stith on lot #17.

1774 and 1778

The Charlton mentioned above as owner of the part of lot #16 facing the main street was probably Edward Charlton, "late from London", who became the partner of Richard Gamble at his shop next door to the Raleigh Tavern. On Nov. 3, 1774 and again on May 12, 1778, Charlton advertised a house and lot for sale. The location is not given, but the house may possibly be the one with which we are concerned.

1931

John S. Charles' Recollections of Williamsburg (p.43) contains the following statement, which may be a reference to the Orlando Jones house:

"At the northwest corner of this square Block 10, where Mr. Dick Braithwaite now lives, there stood a long story and a half wooden building with doors opening right on the street. This house was low to the ground, the west end of which was used as a residence and in the other end there was once a store."

(The above Chronology is a condensation of the Research Report on the Orlando Jones House written by Hunter D. Farish in the summer of 1940.).

General Notes

This house, one room in depth, had a central hallway and stairs, with a room on either side. This was one of the typical Williamsburg arrangements of plan during the early eighteenth century.

In the reconstruction of the house, an effort was made to closely follow for the interior the design practices, so far as woodwork and finishes are concerned. At the same time, adjustments were made in plan so as to provide a layout suitable for the accommodation of guests -4- overflowing from the Williamsburg Inn. In order to provide conveniences, bathrooms and closets, as well as modern heating were provided. Such details as trim, mantels, and the stairway were faithfully given an early eighteenth century Williamsburg character. No part of the original building, as actual remnant or by description was in existence.

On the second floor, the same reconstruction principle was carried out as for the first floor. Here, however, the room shape was a closer copy of originals than on the ground level. This was accomplished by placing the bathroom on the second floor within the porch chamber, and a second one in the hallway at the north end of the stairway.

ORLANDO JONES HOUSE
Block 10, Colonial Lot 16, Bldg. 16A

SOURCES OF INFORMATION REVIEWED IN PREPARING THIS REPORT

• Files of Departments of Research and also of Architecture, Colonial Williamsburg.
• Research Report on Orlando Jones House, also Mary Stith Shop, Lots 16 and 17, dated Summer, 1940, signed H. D. Farish, including tax lists and inventories.
• Deeds, Wills, Inventories and other property records in the Department of Research and Records.
• Files of the Virginia Gazette, with use of Index for persons, property, buildings, and other subjects.
• Architectural report by George Campbell, with notes on Orlando Jones House, office, kitchen and smokehouse. (N.D.)
• Archaeological Drawing of Block 10, Areas A. B. C. & E., dated, March 17, 1934, signed by Herbert S. Ragland.
• Architectural notes gathered in consultation with individuals concerned, with reconstruction of Orlando Jones House, namely, Messrs. Singleton P. Moorehead, James Knight, J. Henderson.
• Architectural Reference Files.
• Swem's Index with references to individuals and business practices.
• Examination of measured drawings in files of the Department of Architecture. From this source were derived precedent for the reconstruction of the house and its details.
• The Frenchman's Map.
• Files of photographs and measured drawings, as a source for precedent used in preparation of working drawings.
• Handbooks of eighteenth century architecture as basis for and as a check on building practices and materials of the eighteenth century.
• Insurance Policies pertaining to and descriptive of this property. -6-
• Progress Photographs taken as a record of foundations, also as a step by step process of construction and finish.
• General Correspondence files pertaining to this reconstruction project and to the site.
• Files of correspondence with the consulting architects, Perry, Shaw and Hepburn.
• Reminiscences of old residents of Williamsburg, namely, Mr. Charles and Mrs. Victoria Lee.
• Historic American Buildings Survey Drawings and photographs, on file in The Department Of Architecture, Colonial Williamsburg.
• Williamsburg town maps, near 1800 including the Estelle Smith, Annie Galt, Bucktrout and Tyler-Maps.
• Examination of artifacts found on the site.

GENERAL

Orlando Jones House
Foundation Plan

This house as well as its outbuildings is a reconstruction on old foundations and in its restored form is intended to agree precisely the outline dimensions of the brick foundations uncovered on the site during archaeological work carried out in the year 1934. The foundations uncovered in this area which comprised two colonial lots known as lots 16 and 17 are fully recorded in archaeological drawings dated April 10, 1934. These foundations are believed to be those of the original buildings on this site. This would be, in date, from early in the eighteenth century. (See chronology) There was no overlapping of foundations and no indication of there having been an earlier building on the site. It was therefore assumed by the archaeologists that this was the site of a dwelling occupied by one "Orlando Jones", who was the earliest occupant of a building on these two lots recorded in York County records for the year 1719, and further described in the -8- research report issued from the Department of Research, signeds "Mr. Hunter Farish" and dated July 21st, 1939. The excavation of the site during 1934 is recorded by progress photographs numbered N 4669 and N 4670, on file in the Department of Architecture, Colonial Williamsburg.

The house that is revealed by the excavations appears to be similar to a typical Williamsburg house of the first half of the 18th centurys of which Captain Orr's dwelling is an example. That house had a central hallway and flanking rooms. There is a basis in the records for a probable difference. A property inventory for Orlando Jones, dated December 15, 1719, places some of the listed objects "In the Porch" and others, presumably on the second floor, "In the Porch Chamber". While the evidence for this appendage was not clearly indicated on the archaeological drawings, it was stated by the designer of the reconstructed house "that it may not have been part of the original scheme when the house was first laid out" and that "its foundation [presumably] was rather close to the surface and was removed with the south foundation wall of the main house when the building was destroyed."^*

The "porch chamber" as a plan feature, was associated with-17th century buildings of Virginia. It is a feature of Bacon's Castle, Surry County, and of Christ Cross, New Kent County, both dating from the 17th century.

For a detailed discussion of "porch chamber" see-architectural report of Burdettets Ordinary.

MEASUREMENTS OF PLAN

The house as reconstructed is 20'-3" in depth by 40'-3" long.

No part of the original foundation was retained in the reconstruction.

ROOF

The house has an A-roof with chimneys built at either end within the area of the wals. The angle of the roof slope is 50°. In the design of the house no lean-to or additions at the ends were included since there was no evidence for such features. The Frenchman's Map shows on lot 16 a single long, rectangular building occupying the space now taken by the house and office, and two outbuildings at the rear in what appears to be precisely the location of the kitchen and the smoke hbuse.

BRICKWORK

STONE MASONRY

It was decided to build stone steps at both the north and south sides of the house, The.material used was Indiana limestone of a light grey color similar to Portland stone. The atonework was laid with 3/16" joints of vhite.oement mortar and the stones were joined together with the aid of wrought iron cramps.,set in molten lead. All stonework was given a smooth, rubbed finish so that it would closely resemble the English Portland stone vhich was not readily available at the time of reconstraction-because of war time restrictions.

The steps at the north side resemble the old stone steps at the main entrance to the John Blair House. The similarity includes also the profile of the stone nosing with its rounded edge, fillet and cove. (See detail).

Stone Nosing North Steps

The rear semi-circular steps of 3 risers derive from the original steps of similar shape on the south elevation of Brafferton Hall. The Lindsley House (James Cogar), York Street, Williamsburg also has semi-circular steps similar to those of the Orlando Jones House. The use of brick for the riserts of the rear steps is based on the discovery on the site of the House East of the Paradise House of brick fragments believed to have been used as risers of the stone entrance steps of the house, and on the observation of examples of this usage in South Carolina, of which many are said to exist in that state. One such example are teh steps of the Old Rectory of St. Michael's Church in Charleston (1762). Aside from the steps, no other stonework was used in the house.

EXTERIOR WALLS

All exterior walls are faced with weatherboarding having an exposure of approximately 6" and a beaded lower edge (½" bead). The bead is so placed as to coincide with the beading of the lower edge of the sills of the first floor windows. The weatherboarding is of well-seasoned cypress as was the facing of many houses of the 18th century.

Unbeaded flush boarding occurs as facing on the second story of the porch chamber (south elevation and sides) and on the sides and gable face of all dormers. The flush boarding on the -13- dormer sides is beaded. These uses of weatherboarding and flush boarding are in accordance with the universal practice in colonial carpentry.

EXTERIOR TRIM

DORMERS

The dormers are of the more common type, that is, with gable ends and barge boards with an exaggerated taper. There is a crown molding at either side above the flush, random, beaded sheathing. The sheathing boards and dormer slope follow the slope of the roof.

The reconstructed dormer window is surrounded by trim similar to the window trim of the first floor. An urmolded sill forms a base to the dormer. The dormers of the Orlando Jones House are similar to those of the Coke-Garrett House.

The dormer window is treated under Windows.

PORCHES, STOOPS

For porches, see Stonework.

BULKHEADS

The bulkhead has a wood top sloping at an angle of 35° with flush, beaded boards and a batten at the joint of the doors. The boards at the ends are flush, unbeaded, horizontal boarding. There is no prototype for this bulkhead precisely the same in design. Nevertheless, similar sloped bulkheads are found at Capt. Orr's Dwelling and the Taliaferro-Cole Shop in Williamsburg and at Rosehill, Gloucester County.

BASEMENT STEPS

For basement Steps, see under Brickwork.

WINDOWS

SHUTTERS

The shutters of the first floor are three-paneled shutters like those of Capt. Orr's Dwellings except in the case of the small 2 X 4 light window of the first floor of the porch where a two-paneled, single shutter occurs. The shutters of the second floor porch chamber are louvered, like those of the Lindsley -16- House, York Street.

Shutters and window frames identical with those of the first floor windows occur in a house near Williamsburg (Main Farm).

EXTERIOR DOORS

The north and south entrance doors have six raised panels with the two top panels arched in the Queen Anne style. These doors are replicas of the doors at a house at Four-Mile Tree, Surrey County. The latter doors, however, are two-valved.

The doors have solid wood thresholds. The exterior door trim is double-molded on the outside and corresponds in type with the interior trim of the first floor windows. The interior trim is single-molded. There are no transoms.¹

The exterior doors are 1½" in thickness, while the interior doors are generally 1 1/8" thick. For a study of interior doors see the files of the Dept. of Architecture, Division of Records. This study embraces the original door types found in Williamsburg and Tidewater Virginia. The interior doors of the Orlando Jones House are modeled after these original examples.

FLOORS

Finished flooring throughout the house is edge-grained yellow pine, 5" to 7½" in width. The porch floor is the same except that the width varies from 3½" to 6".

All flooring is face nailed with colonial type cut nails.

All floors are finished natural, waxed and rubbed.

STAIRCASE

This is a stairway of a type commonly found in Williamsburg. It starts with a short run of 11 risers, continues with 2 winders and terminates with 3 additional risers at right angles to the main run of the stairway, making a total of 16 risers.

The turned balusters, railing and post with closed stringer are similar to those in the demolished Chiswell House in Williamsburg. There are two balusters per step. The railing height at the edge of the tread is 2'-7". The balustrade at the landing is 3'-1" in height. The stairway width is 3'-6½" from center of stud to center of rail.

CHIMNEY PIECES

The downstairs mantels are paneled in type and an similar to the antique mantels in the Robertson (Annie Galt) House in east Francis Street.

The east and west fireplaces of the first floor have a segmental arched head with jambs that are curved into the back at the -18- intersection of both faces as was commonly done early in the eighteenth century. (See notes on fireplaces in files of the Architectural Records Dept.) These mantels have two vertical rows of panels on our ^one side and one on the other. The Mantel shelf and bed moldings are similar to the woodwork details in the antique mantel collection of Colonial Williamsburg. For example, the flat-faced dentil is a replica of one found in this collection. This is also found on the mantel of an early house at Kittewan, Charles City County.

There are no applied mantels on the second floor. There is, however, an indication of a small fireplace in the east and west bedrooms. This consists of an arched bead over the chimney breast. The hearth, laid in the same brick pattern as described elsewhere, is visible in the floor. For reasons of modern planning the second floor fireplaces have ^been sealed up.

WALLS

The walls are plastered with a finish simulating oyster-shell mortar.

CORNICES

The cornice is found in the hallway and first floor bedrooms only. It is the usual type with crown molding and fascia and at the bottom the customary ½" bead.

Cornice

CHAIR RAIL

This chair rail, of unusually heavy profile, occurs in the downstairs hallway only. It returns on itself on either side of door openings. It is modelled after the chair rail at the Brush House.

BASEBOARD

The baseboard is the typical baseboard with beaded top edge and withthe plaster set back ¼" from its face. (See detail of cornice, chair rail and base).

CASED OPENING

A cased opening with doors leads from the hall to the enclosed rear porch. The opening is believed to have been modeled after a similar feature at Cedar Hill, Va., except that the latter is arched.

PORCH SEATS

The rear enclosed porch of the house (and the north elevation of the office building) have benches or seats on either side. The idea of such a seat is a repeat of a similar feature at Cedar Hill as is also the design of the bracket supports (see detail).

EXTERIOR PAINTING

All weatherboarding and exterior trim are painted white.^#696

The exterior doors and shutters are painted dark green, No. #101. ^{Panels of shutters and interior doors - #385, medium brown
Stiles of shutters and exterior doors and bulkhead - #386 dark brown}

Porch Seat Detail

ORLANDO JONES HOUSE
PAINTING (INTERIOR)
Color or Other Treatment

HARDWARE

In general hardware for the Orlando Jones House is reproduced from actual original examples. These were made by Colonial Williamsburg at the forge or selected from the Craft House collection of reproductions.

Nails for exterior finish are galvanized iron cut nails.

Nails used for applying weatherboards have hand hammered heads.

ORLANDO JONES HOUSE

INDEX

ARCHAEOLOGICAL plan

2, 7, 8, 11

Artifacts

12

BASEBOARD

18

Basement steps

14

Bibliography

5

Bond Castle

13

Brick

size of

10

bond

10

English bond

10

Flemish bond

10

Brickwork

10

Chimney cap

11

Chimneys

11

Floors and paving

11

Foundations

11

Garden paths

11

Gutters

10, 11

Hearths

11, 12

Mortar and mortar joint

10

Step risers

12

Bulkheads

14

Design basis

14

CHAIR rail

18

Charles, John S., Recollections

3

Chimney pieces

17

Design basis

17, 18

Second Floor

18

Chronology, Lot and house

1

Colors

20

Corner boards

13

Cornice, exterior

13

Cornice, interior

18

Craft House Collection

22

DATE of Reconstruction

Title page

Doors, exterior

16

Doors, interior

16

Dormers

14

Design basis

14

END boards

13

FLOOR board width

17

Floorings

17

Floors

17

Their finish

17

Type

17

Foundation plan

7

Foundations

11

Foundations, colonial

7

Frenchman's Map

7, 10

GARDEN paths

11

Grille

14, 15

Gutters

10

Basis of design

11

HARDWARE

21

Craft House Collection

22

Design basis

21

Door

21

Exterior

21

Interior

21

Listing

21

Hearths

11

Hinges

21

INDIANA limestone

12

LIGHTING fixtures

21

Design basis

21

Locks

21

MANTELS

17

Masonry, stone

12

Matthew Jones

13

Measurements of plan

9

Mortar joint

12

NAILS

21

ORLANDO Jones,

Biography

1

Garden

2

Inventory

2, 8

Kitchen and other outhouses

2

Will

2

Orlando Jones House

Arranged with modern conveniences

4

Dimension of

7, 9

End elevation

9

Measurements of plan

9

Plan of

2

Porch chamber

2

Oyster shell lime

10

PAINTING, exterior

19

Painting, interior

20

Porch chamber

2, 4, 8, 13

Porch seat

19

Portland stone

12

RAKE boards and moldings

14

Reconstruction date

Title page

Roof

10

Roof slope

10, 13

St. Michael's Church, Charleston

12

Shirley

13

Shutters

15

Design basis

15, 16

Sources of information

5

Staircase

17

Balusters

17

Railing

17

Width

17

Stone masonry

12

steps

12

TRANSOM

16

Trim, exterior

16

Corner boards

13

Cornice

13

End boards

13

Rake boards and moldings

14

Trim, interior

17, 19

Design basis

18

Trim, window

15

WALLS, exterior

12

Walls, interior

18

Plaster finish

18

Weatherboarding

12

Flush

12

Williamsburg House, typical

8

Windows

Basement

11, 14

Basement window grille

14, 15

Casement

15

Dormer

15

First floor

15

Porch chamber

15

ARCHITECTURAL REPORT

[hand-written notes included with text]

ALK Copy