Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1277
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
(insert at bottom of page)
(C.)
2 Probably this wall was used to connect chimney B. to the then existing kitchen building.
J.
Revision Note - During backfilling operations in Nov. 1939 a 3 ft section of the west wall of this building foundation was uncovered under foundation M, therefore, proving that the original dimensions of foundation J. as being 12'-1½" x 10'-0" with the brick firebox approx in the center.
(O.)
Revision Note - When this area was backfilled in Nov. 1939 a more thor'o investigation was made of foundation O. and it was found that it is of an earlier construction than foundation G. Part of the east wall of O. was uncovered and found to be practically under the N.E. corner of G. Only the width of this foundation could be determined (4'-0"). The north wall was possibly demolished at a very early date leaving no evidence as to the exact length of foundation.
(P.)
Revision Note -- During backfilling operations in Nov. 1939, the remains of two brick gutter type drains were uncovered, -- one overlapping the other. Both of these drains had their beginning at the Roper-Lee Well and ran east approx. 60 ft. towards the head of the ravine which is S.E. of the Ewing House. The later drain which was constructed over the earlier one and rather crooked, terminated at foundation O. Foundation K is later than the second or latest drain as there is a fill of approx. 12"between the two.
Title page
Archaeological Report
Block 2 Building 28
(Archaeological Area D)
September 1, 1939.
Contents
Archaeological Report
Chronological Table
Sources
Research
Research Report.
note:
on outside Label revise source 6.
read Research and Archaeological
reports with corresponding dates.
Procure 3 prints of archaeological drawing
The lot faces north on Francis Street, at the head of Botetourt Street. The present house conforms with the description of the 1806 insurance policy,1 being (exactly as stated) a "wooden dwelling house 1 story high. dutch roof. 36 x 22." The next house now standing to the east is distant less than the stated 36 feet. But it is a house of late date and may have been preceded by another one on different foundations. This discrepancy is therefore immaterial.
A foundation was found, as stated, exactly 28 feet to the south.
Some confusion results from a notation "this street 66 feet" entered along the west side2 of the property as shown on the insurance plat, and the same notation along the south side. No evidence that streets actually existed along either of these lines was found either on the site or on the maps of Bucktrout and the Unknown Draftsman.
A strip shown on the former map, beyond the next3 lot to westward, may represent a private alleyway. This strip seems to be the nearest approach to a direct confirmation of the existence 2 of a street west of the Ewing lot.1
A narrow alley could have existed in 1806 between the Ewing and Moody lots, if the buildings previously standing on this strip2 had disappeared by that time. Across the south end of the property, a street could have been laid out and even graded, to give access to certain interior lots in this area. But direct evidence is lacking.
It seems likely that if any street or alley existed to west or south of the lot, it was not for any great length of time before or after 1806.
Page 3The area trenched was limited on the west by the Roper-Lee lot,1 and on the south and east by lines of planting which mark present property lines.2 On the north, trenches were dug on both sides of the house up to the line of its street front. Ground was probed between trenches. Both trenching and probing were carried down to hardpan; and where evidence of building was encountered, soil was removed over the whole area down to the level of the bottom of foundations.
The west foundation wall of the present house was laid bare on the outside near the northwest corner.
Around the house were found the remains of earlier house foundations and of front and side step construction. In an area extending 56 feet back from the main house3 were found the foundations of outbuildings of various periods. Nearer the south end of the lot no evidences of construction came to light.
Of several chimneys grouped southwest of the house5 the one marked A on the Archaeological Survey drawing is probably the oldest. Chimney B, immediately to the south, has brickwork of the same early character. But of the two, B may be safely assigned to a later date because it is built at one point to overlap A slightly. The brickwork of the two chimneys is very similar.
Chimney A is well outlined. Its easterly breast is Page 4 prolonged to northward by a 9-inch foundation which is presumably that of the east wall of the kitchen. The absence of any end wall on this side of the chimney is unusual, and might raise a question whether the east wall foundation is correctly identified. But the character of the joint between chimney and wall seems to leave no doubt that the two were built at the same time.1
Narrow shelves in the brickwork at sides and back of chimney indicate a spread footing. It seems possible that the chimney sloped over towards center on its east side, but rose nearly or quite vertically on the west. Only in this way, apparently, could its upper part have been even approximately centered on the building.2
Short patches of brickwork extend westward from the northwest corner of the chimney, apparently representing the west section of the end wall. Two bricks were found which probably belonged to the foundation of the west wall. The line of this foundation indicates a building 13 feet 6 inches wide.
No certain trace of a north wall was found, but evidences came to light of a fill where a foundation wall might have been salvaged. This fill was on line with the north side of G. If this is the wall line, the kitchen was 16 feet long.
| Brick | 8½ x 4¼ x 2-¾, English bond. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Poor. |
This chimney seems to have had a very deep fireplace, but the northern extremities of the cheek walls may have had some special purpose which the plan does not reveal. The back or south Page 5 wall of the fireplace may possible have sloped forward to reduce the depth of the reveal. The great thickness of the back wall of the chimney probably means that the brickwork had a considerable northward slope higher up.
A 13-inch lining inside chimney A may mean that the outer chimney was found unsatisfactory - perhaps because too large, perhaps because in a weak condition - , and that the fireplace was reduced in size, and the chimney at the same time strengthened.1
No other foundations of this kitchen came to light.
| Brick | 8½ x 4 x 2-¾ |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Poor. |
A 9-inch foundation wall lies against chimney B on the west side. A patch which seems to belong to the same wall lies close to the west side of chimney A. The use of this wall is unknown.
| Brick | 8-¾ x 4 x 2½, English bond. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Very bad. |
Almost on the west property line, due west of A, was found a chimney foundation which appears to be of a later date than A or B.1 The foundation of the South wall of the kitchen to which this chimney belonged is continuous in its east section Page 6 and marked by a short section of brick west of the chimney. The east wall of the kitchen is well defined by two long patches of brickwork. Traces of the west wall are known to exist on the Roper-Lee property. But no trace of a south wall could be found.
Existing evidence indicates that kitchen D was 16 feet wide and at least 18 feet long.
| Brick | 8-¾ x 4 x 2½, English bond. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Uneven. |
Against the inside of the southeast corner walls of kitchen D was found a chimney foundation of still later date, as indicated by the lime mortar used in it. This chimney is of exactly the same dimensions as chimney D. It is possible that the wooden part of kitchen D was moved to the location of E, 6 feet northeast, the old chimney being wrecked down to the hearth level, and rebuilt in the new location. A moving operation over such a short distance might be explained in the light of the fact that kitchen D seems to have been built a few feet over the west property line.
| Brick | 8¼ x 4 x 2-¾. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Lime. |
| Condition | Fair. |
This is a square formed of two bricks to a side, set on edge with no mortar. There is no evidence as to date. It is possible that a fire may have been enclosed here, but no ashes were found.
East of B are indications of a building 20 feet 3 inches from east to west, and at least 15 feet from north to south. The north, east, and west walls were located. Nothing is known of the purpose of this building. It was probably the building entered on the insurance plat, 28 feet south of the house: this is exactly the actual distance to the foundation.
The Frenchman's map shows a square building in this location.2
| Brick | 8-¾ x 4 x 2½. Buff and red, English bond. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Fragmentary. |
Overlapping G is a foundation consisting of four corner piers and one intermediate. This is a late building about 14 by 16 feet in size. There is no evidence of its purpose.
| Brick | 8¼ x 4 x 2¼. Buff and red. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Lime. |
A well lies on the next lot to the east, just across the property line. The brick curb is of reclaimed material, cemented on top, and measures about 4½ feet square. In the absence of evidence of any well on the Ewing property, it is assumed Page 8 that water was obtained either from this well or from the one on the Roper-Lee lot.
Two brick corners 12 feet apart were found on the east property line. A rectangular section of burnt brick paving, bordered with brick on edge, was found nearby, in such a location that, if the two brick corners represent a square or nearly square building, the paving would lie near its center. This was probably a smokehouse. The date seems to be late.
| Brick | 8-¾ x 4 x 3. Buff. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Apparently |
| Condition | Bad. |
West of J, the remains of three foundation walls indicate a building 9 feet 9 inches from east to west and at least 7½ feet from north to south. No trace of the south wall was found. This was probably a dairy, wood-house, or other outbuilding.
| Brick | 8-¾. x 4¼ x 2½. Red. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell |
| Condition | Bad. |
Just north of K lies the foundation of a chimney with Page 9 fireplace facing east. The footing was spread at the back of the chimney but not at the sides. Enough brickwork remains to locate all corners by actual or projected wall lines. East of the chimney three short walls forming an enclosure were no doubt intended to support the hearth. No further evidence of wall foundations remains.
This chimney clearly antedates the recently demolished south wing of the house. There is no evidence that an earlier wing ever stood in this area. It may therefore be assumed that the chimney belonged to a separate building. But if this is the case, it is unlikely that such a building was standing at the same time as the present house, for little or no space would be left between the two buildings. The most reasonable assumption therefore seems to be that this was the chimney of a laundry1 or other outbuilding for the service of an earlier house on a somewhat different site, and that it had disappeared before the present house was built.
| Brick | 8½ x 4 x 2½. Light red. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell (?) |
Small patches of brick paving east of K appear to be remnants of gutters.
Only the southwest corner was found of a late outbuilding which partially overlapped the foundation G.
| Brick Size | varies. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Fragmentary. |
Brick and stone paving was found north of B, near the Roper-Lee well. Walks, drains, or both may have existed in this area, but the ground has been so much disturbed that conclusions are difficult.
West of the house are parts of the south and west walls of a building which appears to have been an earlier dwelling on the same lot, but not quite the same site, as the present one. This is a 13-inch wall in Flemish bond. The bottom of the south wall goes down only to hardpan. But there was a basement, dug a yard or more inside this wall to provide the support of an earth shelf.
A 9-inch course of brick forms a small enclosure against the outside of the south wall near its west corner. Part of a similar enclosure lies about 10 feet eastward. Breaks in the foundation wall coincide with these enclosures, which are probably the remnants of areas for basement windows.
12½ feet north of the corner are evidences of a basement stair with wood nosings. Flanking the stair on the south,2 a 9-inch wall inside the 13-inch foundation wall, starting at basement floor level, acted as reinforcement against the outside soil pressure.
The south wall ends at the present house. If it originally continued eastward far enough to allow for a third basement window in the same series as the two that are known, and if the east end of the wall was symmetrical with the west, the building would then have been 39 feet long. Inside the basement of the present house are the remains of a north-south cross wall exactly 30 feet from the west wall of Q. This was probably the east wall of the original house.3 Since it extends as far as the north wall of the present house, it seems safe to assume that the front of the Page 11 original house came forward to at least that line, in which case the original house would have been at least 20 feet deep.
| Brick | 8¼-8½ x 3-¾-4¼ x 2½. Flemish bond. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Poor. |
A short length of 9-inch foundation wall lies on the line of the south wall of Q, opposite the western area enclosure. A still shorter length, west of the corner of Q, probably is a continuation of the same foundation.
A rectangle of brick paving just east of the western window area is probably a foundation for brick steps. The north edge of this paving lines with the south edge of the 9-inch wall of the last paragraph, and therefore was probably laid originally against this wall. This line is not quite parallel with the south wall of Q. Both the 9-inch wall and the paving slightly overlap the 13-inch wall. It may therefore be assumed that the two belong to the same building, later than Q.
| Brick | 8½ x 4 x 2½. Red. |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Very bad. |
Close to the east end of the present house and parallel with it, remnants of brick paving were found which began on the line of the north face of the house, and ended with a sharp edge on a line 7 feet 9 inches to the south. This paving is of unknown purpose.1 There is no indication of a door in the main house. The paving is probably not part of a walk, since it ends with a sharp edge to the south.
Page 12| Brick | 8¼ x 4 x 2-¾ |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Bad. |
A foundation laid in English bond was uncovered, 4 by 6½ feet in size.
| Brick | 8¼ x 4 x 2-¾ |
|---|---|
| Mortar | Shell. |
| Condition | Fair. |
It is possible that the outbuilding on foundation L served the first dwelling, Q. Kitchen A may have been equally early.
Q1, on the site of Q, was probably short-lived.
The present dwelling seems from historical evidence to have been standing as early as 1786, but internal evidence suggests that it may not be very much earlier.
Outbuilding G and K and the smoke house J, may be contemporary with the present dwelling, or slightly earlier, and kitchen A may have survived into the same period.1 Kitchen B is somewhat later, but cannot be dated with any confidence.
O, and kitchens D and E, appear to be post-colonial, while H is of recent date.
| 1786-10 | Ebenezer Ewing's account with Humphrey Harwood. "Whitewashing room" (possibly the unfinished east room of the present dwelling), 1787; "repairing Cellar Steps," 1788. |
| Before 1795 | E. Ewing bought property from Frederick Myers. |
| 1795 | E. Ewing willed property to wife, presumably to revert to son Thomas. |
| 1806 | James Henderson, guardian of Thomas Ewing, insures house. On the insurance plat are shown, in addition to Francis Street (18' wide), other streets to west and south 66' wide. Notations are: Wooden dwelling house 1 story high dutch roof 36 x 22. Wooden house 36 feet to east. Wooden 28 feet to south. |
Numerous bits of china and parts of metal implements were unearthed, but nothing which bore directly on the dating or use of buildings. The number of iron objects, being slightly larger than usual, may furnish some slight confirmation of the theory that chimney B was a forge.
Fragments have been deposited with the Educational Department.
Points from which these pictures were taken are shown on the Archaeological Survey drawing.
Prints are filed with the Williamsburg Holding Corporation.
In separate file.
A print is filed with the original of this report.
Filed separately.
F. D.
Apparently a street might be entered on an insurance plat even though some distance away; and one or more intervening lots might be ignored. Perhaps the nearest street, however far, might be required as evidence of risk in case of general conflagration. See for example plat in Tyler's policy, No. 707 in the Research Department collection.
Somewhere in the course of the above reasoning, the question arises whether the Byrd lot was built upon. No conclusive evidence on this point has been found, but one possible clue may be recorded here. Dotted in the northeast corner of this lot, on a Landscape plat of A. F. Perkins (December 9, 1928), appears the outline of a"house removed", a block forming nearly a square 30 feet on a side. It is impossible to tell from the shape whether this is a colonial plan or not. Nothing is known of its history.
Ignoring small recent additions, there is a distance of about 40 feet between this and the Roper-Lee (or Moody) house, mostly on the Roper-Lee property. Here the alleyway of the Bucktrout map would presumably have had to run.