Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

REFERENCE
JOHN BLAIR, SR.
and
JOHN BLAIR, JR.
THE BLAIR HOUSE
(Block 22, Col. Lot 36)

• Research Report, by Dep't. of Research and Records, Dec. 12, 1943.
• Dictionary of American Biography; See James Blair, John Blair, Sr. also John Blair, Jr.
• William and Mary Quarterly, First Series, Vol. 7, pp. 133, 134.
• York County Records. Bk 22, Wills and Bk. VI, Deeds, p. 101 Inventories. See also files covering lot ownership and Transfers, in Library, Dep't of Research and Records, Col. Williamsburg.
• Virginia Gazette
  Hunter Editor, Dec. 5, 1751
  Purdie & Dixon, Sept. 2, 1773
  Clarkson & Davis, July 3, 1779
• Business Accounts of Humphrey Harwood, Bricklayer, Carpenter, 1789 - 1792 (Photostatic copy of this document is in Library Dept. of Research and Records).
• Insurance Policy of 1809 with physical description of Blair House of that date. The Lot (36) is under name of Robert Andrew who married Mary Blair, daughter of John Blair, Jr. in 1795.
• Recollections of the Blair House by John S. Charles and of Mrs. Victoria Lee who support the theory that the Blair House underwent no considerable exterior change during and since 1860.
• Frenchman's Map, showing a house and outbuildings on Col. Lot 36.
• Diary of John Blair, Sr. (William and Mary Quarterly, VII, 1-17 with notes by Lyon G. Tyler.)
• Frederick Horner, History of the Blair, Banister and Braxton Families (1898) has a chapter on "John Blair, Sr." and John Blair, Jr. adding little to our information about the John Blair.
• Useful sketch of John Blair, Jr. in Hugh Blair Grigsby's Convention of 1776 (1853).
• Journal of the House of Burgesses, 1750-1770.
• L. G. Tyler, Williamsburg, The Old Colonial Capital (1907). A discursive account, containing some information on the 3 Blairs and on the so called "Blair House".

BEFORE RESTORATION

BLAIR HOUSE RESTORED--1931

THE TWO JOHNS BLAIR
John Blair, Sr. (1687-1771)
John Blair, Jr. (1732-1800)

Three men of the name of Blair, all of the same blood, filled continuously the highest civil offices of the colony, the commonwealth and the Union from 1687 to 1800, a period of one hundred and thirteen years. For one hundred and seven years the name of Blair in an official capacity was closely joined to the building history of the main edifice of the College of William and Mary at Williamsburg.^*

The two Johns Blair, father and son, have also been associated by tradition, although not confirmed by record, with the dwelling that has long been known as the Blair House, situated on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street, Block 22, Lot 56. The house has considerable historic interest because of the Blairs, even though the occupation of the house by John, Jr.^** is alone sustained by our records.

As a preparation for the architectural discussion of this house, a few memoranda are given, touching on the lives and interests of these two men.

John Blair, Sr. was the son of Archibald Blair who was a brother of the fiery and aggressive James Blair, the founder of the College of William and Mary at Williamsburg. It is probable that the senior John Blair was born in the colony of Virginia. He was educated at the College of William and Mary shortly after a fire had swept away the original building. In 1713 - at the age of 26 he held the position of Deputy Auditor - General pro tem. From 1734 to 1740 he was a member of the House of Burgesses, and in 1745 he was appointed member of the Council, soon to become its President. He was twice acting-Governor of the Virginia Colony.

John Blair, Sr. was in narrow circumstances until he and his children received about [UNK] 10,000 by will of his uncle, James Blair, who died in 1743. With the expansion of Virginia, Blair, Sr. became interested in lands of the Western part of the Colony. In 1745 he and associates acquired 100,00 acres, west of the Fairfax line. This land was the basis of a small fortune. He married Mary Monro, had 10 children and died at the age of 85.

His diary for the year 1751 reveals the senior Blair as a typical Virginia public man of that day, interested in local building construction, in gardening and in minor matters of town 4 and country as well as with national affairs. (See Diary Extracts of John Blair, Sr. attached.)

John Blair, Jr. was born in Williamsburg and remained a resident of the town throughout his lifetime. He attended the College of William and Mary and later, on 1755, went to London where he continued his legal training at Middle Temple. Returning to Virginia he soon entered the House of Burgesses, representing William and Mary College, in English fashion, from 1766 until 1770. He became Clerk of the Council after June, 1770

In 1769, during a period when the House of Burgesses was dissolved, he was one of a patriotic group, including Washington and Bland, and a notable body of "merchants of Williamsburg", which held a spirited meeting at the Raleigh Tavern and drafted the non-importation agreement on certain specified goods from Great Britain until the Act of Parliament, which "imposed a duty on tin, paper, glass, and painter's colours, was totally repealed."^*

John Blair, Jr. was a member of the Committee of twenty-eight which framed a declaration of rights and a plan of government. He served on both Council and Court for a brief time. In 1786 he was selected by the General Assembly of Virginia to attend the convention in Philadelphia for the framing of a Constitution of the United States. As a termination of his public career he was appointed by Washington as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from which high office he resigned in 1792, because of failing health, returning to his home in Williamsburg. Here he lived until his death, August 31, 1800.

There are no striking anecdotes to enliven the personalities of the two Blairs. They left little published material and, curiously enough, no printed speeches.

The diary of John Blair, J^Sr., jotted down on a calendar for the year 1751 and covering his comments of one year.^* We get glimpses of his interest in the rebuilding of the Capitol in which he records, April 1, 1751 "I laid a foundn Brick at the Capitol....Found the Capitol as I left it the 3rd.....got door cases put up....lay bricks for grand steps...Skelton fired ye last Kiln for Capitol....I laid the top Brick, N. End....2nd. floor not yet begn to be raised."

In the foregoing listing of some of the entries there is indication of a keen interest in several unidentified building projects. This interest extended to assistance to others in construction advice or actual 6 building, such as, "I promised Mrs. Hendriken to try to build a house for them in the fall....Began to lay bricks in mortr at B's house......" Aug. 30, 1751 "First course of Mr. B's house laid.....My chimney begn..." The inference can be made that the house for Mr. B. is the Blair house, considered in this report of one of the several houses on lots mentioned in the Research Report; however, there is at this time no supporting evidence connecting the name of John Blair, Sr. with the building on Lot 36, Block 22. "It can be established," according to the Research Report, Dec. 20, 1943 "that John Blair, Jr. lived in the house now standing on this lot."

The further study of documents is indicated as desirable in order to relate, with final certainty, the name or names of John Blair with lot 36, Block 22. Furthermore, the name of John Blair has been associated with the ownership of lots, east of the Palace, as well as with the Archibald Blair lots on Block 29. The nature of ownership requires clarification and further interpretation by the Research Department of Blair Williamsburg. Further study of John Blair items and John Blair property ownership is contemplated.

Significant Facts
Concerning
THE BLAIR HOUSE
History, Construction, Alterations
Block 22, House 5, Col. Lot 36
Accredited To A Date Around 1750

The Blair House was restored by Colonial Williamsburg, Inc., in 1929.

The building had been remodeled extensively by the College of William and Mary in 1923. Interior partitions at that time were altered and some rebuilt. Dr. E. G. Swem of the College, in speaking of the house and its condition before these changes were made in 1923, said that all walls and partitions were found to be of poplar wood with infilling of 4 inch brick nogging.^* He further affirmed that, in the course of the house alteration and repair, some partitions were placed in new locations, most of the "nogging" was eliminated and new framing members added. The basement walls were altered slightly in their position, patched or largely rebuilt. The condition of the building, when the College acquired it, was in general fair; with disintegration mostly confined to wood sills and framing members at the lower part of the building.

The greatest loss during the many alterations of the building's history was the removal of all interior paneling, trim, mantels, chair-railing CLAPBOARD
SIDING (OAK) 9 and other "finish woodwork". The original exterior cornice had also vanished. Some fragments of woodwork, together with traced outlines were found. These were of assistance in establishing the nature of interior woodwork.

There is an unsupported tradition that the two stone flights of steps at the two entrances did not belong to the house as first built but came, originally, from the first theatre of Williamsburg. Lyon G. Tyler adds to the uncertainty by saying that the Blair House stone steps came from England. He probably infers that the source of the stone was England. This is undoubtedly true since Virginia had no satisfactory building stone in this locality.

The house was built at two different periods. Basement walls indicated a first form, approximately 36 feet in length and 18 feet in depth, also a later one.

Weatherboards of oak, split to thin strips were found attached to a wall which had originally been an outside, west end wall of the house, imbedded in what was an original north wall discovered at the time the house was stripped for restoration.

The addition or "Lean-to" at the rear of the house appears to have been attached at a very early date, possibly while the building in its first form was being finished. The house was originally planned so as to have an overhang of approximately 2'-6" at the rear. It was on account 10 of this overhang that the comb of the roof is "off center", in other words - the center is nearly 18" towards the rear.

There is no document available to establish the year when the house was lengthened to its final form. This enlarged size is first supported by Insurance Policy No. 989, p. 7 in book of Insurance Policies, (Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia)^* This policy, dated 1809, shows that a one-story wooden dwelling house, 64 feet by 28 feet; a detached kitchen, 18 feet to the rear of the house, a laundry and a wooden office 24 feet by 16 feet, stood on the lot.

The woodwork details of the Duke of Gloucester Street front are believed to be substantially as they were in the 18th century. It must be borne in mind however, that weatherboarding had been replaced during the late history of the house and at earlier intervals, and further repairs were made during the process of restoration. The dormers, discussed in detail further on in this report, were reconstructed by strict conformance with the form and fenestration of the early ones, belonging to the house. In all cases, the architectural details of similar parts, found in Williamsburg and vicinity, were followed.

The foundations were partly reconstructed for structural stability. Also the central chimney was rebuilt, and the east-end chimney repaired. These repairs and changes were done with use of "old brick" from the site or from the warehouse supply.^**

BLAIR HOUSE
North End (upper part) showing first
part of house and addition at rear.
Note:--Chimney is not centered at end.
Also see overhang at rear.

The principles of "full restoration", with reference to the Blair House "were considered for the exteriors only". This rule, incidentally, has been followed consistently in restoration of other houses in the Colonial area of the town. In the light of this principle, all exterior door-frames and their accompanying sills, where they replaced older ones, have been shaped "out of the solid" framing timber and joined by "mortise, tenon and peg". Window frames and sills when renewed, are also made of solid wood and have the same jointing treatment. Wherever possible, old woodwork is retained and, if possible, patched. Interior work is not so strictly authentic in the manner of workmanship methods. In design and contour, the interior woodwork faithfully followed precedent of the period found in Williamsburg and vicinity.^*

The Blair House - Masonry

The foundation walls of the Blair House were considerably altered at various times. These consist of repairs and addition of new walls. They reveal something of the growth of the house; we therefore must continually bear in mind - the history of the house with its original plan - 36 feet in length and 18 feet in width, and later on the addition of 28 feet to its length. These "house history facts" can be perceived by examination of the foundation walls. Such an examination would also disclose a departure from customary practice in building foundations, namely in the difference in certain wall thicknesses. For example, the wall at the Duke of Gloucester Street side is 22" from outside to inside face, while all the other foundation walls, to east, west and north, are the usual 13" thickness. Much of the surface brickwork was found to be uneven in surface, and with several sizes of brick. At the time of the restoration the brick facing was repaired and made more uniform. The actual bricks used were salvaged from the existing wall, supplemented by others obtained from the storage pile of 18th century brick. In matching brick for color and size, it was decided to follow the pattern and color existing on the undisturbed east end of the house.

A few words can be said here concerning the rather consistent practice, in Williamsburg, of using English bond for foundation walls, while upper masonry walls are Flemish. English bond, it is believed, was favored during the eighteenth century for foundations of the 13 inch wall, because of their greater strength. The English bond affords a better transverse tie with bonding carried more completely through the wall. (See drawing #3 with this report.) This, however, is not the 23 case when the walls are 18 inches thick, unless the bricklayer gives himself the trouble to lay the bricks with transverse tie at the center.

Mortar was examined in the old brickwork at the east end and elsewhere. The original mortar was found to be composed of oyster shell lime, together with sand or loam. All mortar for repairs and refacing of brickwork was produced with a faithful following of mid-eighteenth century practice. This applied to the calcination of seashells for lime, the mixture as mortar and the resulting texture of the mortar grit and methods for "tucking" and pointing the joints. The proportion of sand to oyster shell lime varied with workmen. For mortar used in laying stone steps, a "mixture of six parts of lime, one of pure sand, and as much water as may be necessary to form it to a proper consistency." This mortar was used to produce extremely thin joints. In the case of rubbed brick a mixture of marble dust and putty is said to have been adopted. In general mortar for brickwork required a considerable amount of sand in relation to the mortar. A proportion of 3 sand to 1 of lime was common, but not universal. Color was given to the mortar by the color of the sand.

THE BLAIR HOUSE - ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION OF INTERIOR
(Block 22, Col. Lot 36)

Before considering the mechanical operations of "making over" inside the house, it will be well to take a general view of 18th century house interiors. The oldest houses of Williamsburg, when viewed from inside, gave indication of how the house was built. This was revealed by exposed framing beams, ceiling consisting of flooring boards of the upper story, and stairs starting from within the living room. It is probable that some early walls with brick "infilling" were only lightly plastered and so revealed the wall framing with texture and color. All of these features become concealed after about the middle of the 18th century. If the original Blair House ever exhibited such interior attractions, they must have vanished in process of frequent remodeling. Little is known of the old interior.

The operation of stripping walls aided, in establishing the location of some main partitions. However, evidence of panelling, cornices and chair rails was completely lost, excepting for the fragment of panelling in the living room, a relic of an early fireplace design.

Because so little of the interior was left unchanged, - in finishing the walls, no attempt was made to repeat the old lathing and plastering practices. Metal lath was adopted with its "firesafety" advantage. The "finish" coat to plastering was given a slight irregularity of surface, to suggest the surface of old work.

Downstairs. - Wood flooring of the early 19th century was removed, thereby revealing underneath an old and typical pine floor. This under-floor was retained. Some patching was done and in places small areas were removed. The repair of flooring was done with use of floor boards from the "Restoration Warehouse" where buildings materials, salvaged from old buildings, are kept for this purpose. Here as elsewhere in Williamsburg, floors are of yellow pine, and in most instances are "rift-cut". Flooring of the 18th century in Williamsburg was usually a full inch in thickness or slightly more. The underside of flooring shows "rough sawing" while the top surface was planed smooth, probably on the job. Contemporary records report that "carpenters generally rough-plane the boards for flooring, before they begin anything else about a building, that they may set them to season . . . . ." Flooring was seasoned by standing the boards on end during construction of the house. They were frequently turned so as to equalize their drying. ^*

Flooring boards of the middle 18th century most commonly range in width around six inches or eight inches. Boards of ten, eleven and twelve inches broad and about 10 feet long are more usual early in the 18th century. Growing scarcity of large timber late in the century may account (in part) for the narrower flooring after 1750. You do not often find a mixture of 31 narrow and wide boards.

Oak flooring, harder in surface and more difficult to work was found in some barns and instances occur of oak floors for country churches. ^*

Upstairs. The same procedure as downstairs was carried out, namely removing late flooring and then repairing the old boards found in place.

THE BLAIR HOUSE - OUTBUILDINGS

Insurance Records of 1809 and the Frenchman's Map of C. 1786 offer meagre information on outbuildings. The Frenchman's Map shows a small, nearly square building, west of the house, believed to have been the "Blair Office". There are no outbuildings at the rear or within 100 feet east of the house. The absence of such lesser buildings, including the kitchen, is rather surprising and unaccountable. Getting down to the time when insurance records were made - near 1800, we have some additional information. The Insurance Record of 1809 - (#989) indicates existence of two buildings to the rear, near the east end of the house. The nearer one has the characteristics of a kitchen and is 18 feet from the house. To the rear of this building and around 60 feet from the house is a second building, approximately the same size as the supposed kitchen. The so-called "Blair Office" is shown 21 feet from the west end, its size is given as 24 feet wide by 16 feet deep. The testimony of Mr. Charles, an old resident of Williamsburg, seems to indicate what he terms a large building at the northern part of the plot. This may have been a late structure. The partial excavations undertaken as preparation for landscape planting discovered the well location and substantiated the buildings located on the Insurance Record.

The final decision of Architects and Advisors was to restore the kitchen and provide a yard with appropriate planting. Two new buildings to serve as garages were also built on the northeast and northwest corners of the plot. The outward appearance of the two 41 garages is "Colonial", adapted from a stable of the Van Garrett outbuilding group. The garages have double batten doors at gable ends. Walls are faced with flush random width boards, rough sawn. Windows consist of one 4-light, fixed sash in each garage. There is a door opening toward the yard as a supplement to the double garage doors. The cornice is unpretentious consisting of a crown mold and fascia. Mohawk asbestos shingles are used here as elsewhere as a substitute for original wood shingles. This use of asbestos shingles was determined by local fire safety code regulations.

The garage location and their design was carried out in conjunction with the location of a high board fence at the rear of property line. The eighteenth century appearance of the garage does not continue beyond its exterior. Within the carpentry, and finish followed 20th century building practice.

The hardware for swinging doors is 18th century in manner, created by craftsmen of the time of the restoration. The garages were whitewashed on both interior and outside.

The well-head was built over the original well, discovered when preparations were made for the landscape arrangement. It is just north of the central part of the house. The timber work is of heart yellow pine. The design was derived from the well head on Mrs. W. Christian's property on York Street, Williamsburg, and with some features suggested by a well head sketch made by Mr. W. S. Perry; the example from Falmouth, Virginia.

A small hen house at the southeast corner of the yard was moved, repaired and rebuilt. This structure, was believed by A. A. Shurcliff, to be similar to Colonial poultry house examples. This and a second, repaired poultry house were whitewashed, reroofed and made to relate to the yard and garden.

THE JOHN BLAIR HOUSE INDEX

BARGE boards

20

Beams, exposed

29

Belle Farm

34

Blair, Archibald

3

Blair House, Archibald

13

Blair House, John

Barge boards

20

Beams

29

Blair Office

16, 40

Brick

24

Ceiling

29

Chair-railing

7,17,29, 33

Chimney

10, 14, 23, 24

Color

35

Cornice

Exterior

9, 21, 29

Interior

35, 36

Doors

12, 17, 25, 26

Dormers

10, 18, 20

Fireplace

33

Floors

17, 30, 31

House Plan

16

Lean-to

9, 14

Mantels

7, 33, 34

Mortar

23

Paint-color schedule

36-39

Paneling

7,29,33

Roof

14, 17, 18

Shingles

17, 18

Shutters

27

Stair

16, 17, 31, 32, 33

Steps

7

Stonework

24

Transom

26

Walls

29, 35, 36

Basement

7, 9

Exterior

16, 17

Foundation

22

Weatherboards

9, 10, 14, 35

Window

Basement

39

Grilles

39

Frames

12

Sills

12

Woodwork, interior

12

Blair, James

2

Blair, John, Jr.

1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 13

Blair, John, Sr.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13

Blair Office

16, 40

Bond

English

22

Flemish

22

"Brick-pool"

10

Brick, sizes

24

Brush House

13, 33

Bullock, Orin

18

CAMPBELL, George

24

Capitol

5, 27

Ceiling

29

Chair-railing

7, 17, 29, 33

Charles, Mr.

40

Chimney

10, 14, 23, 24

Chiswell House

18

Christian, W., Mrs.

41

Clapboards

17,18,20

Cole, H.D.

27

College of William & Mary

2, 4, 7

Color

35

Corner boards

20

Cornice

Exterior

9, 21, 29

Interior

35, 36

DOOR-FRAMES, exterior

12

Doors

Exterior

25

Interior

26

Door sills

12, 17

Doorway

25, 26

Dormers

10,18,20

FACING boards

9

Fireplace

33

Floors

17, 30, 31

Foundations

10

Frenchman's Map

16, 40

GALT Cottage

33

Galt House, James

20

HENING Statutes

13

House Plan

16

JONES, Hugh

36

KIDD, Joseph

4

LEAN-to

9, 14

MANTELS

7, 33, 34

Marmion

33

McCandlick House

39

Monroe, Mary

3

Moorehead, Singleton P.

20

Mortar

23

Mutual Insurance Society of Virginia

10

ORR'S Dwelling, Captain

20

Orrell House

20

PAINT-Color Schedule

36-39

Paneling

7,29, 33

Perry, W.S.

41

RALEIGH TAVERN

4

Randolph-Peachy House

18

Reference

1

Roof

14, 17, 18

SASH

21

Frames

21

Sills

21

Sheathing boards

17

Shingles

17, 18

Asbestos

18

Shurcliff, A.A.

42

Shutters

27

Stair

17, 31

Balusters

32

Newel Post

32

Stringers

32, 33

Stairway

16

Steps

9

Stonework

9, 24, 33

Swem, E. G.

7

TRANSOM

26

Travis House

39

Tyler, L. G.

5, 14, 24

VAN GARRETT

41

WALLS

29, 35, 36

Basement

7, 9

Exterior

16, 17

Foundation

22

Weatherboards

9, 10, 14, 35

William & Mary Quarterly

5

Window

Basement

39

Grilles

39

Frames

12

Sills

12

Woodwork, interior

12

Wythe House

32

THE TWO JOHN BLAIRS - PATRIOTS AND STATESMEN

From deeds relating to the ^{Brush-Everard} property it is apparent that John Blair, the elder, possessed lots #165 and #166 after 1745. It is possible that he purchased them on February 14, 1751, on the day when, according to a note in his famous diary, he attended "Mrs. Dering's outcry" or public auction of the property. It is not known how long he held the lots but he died in 1771, and a John Blair -- his son it must have been -- transferred lot ^#172, the lot on which the garden was located, which lay directly east of those on which the former Brush house stood, to Thomas Everard in 1773. We know that by 1779 Everard was also in possession of lots #165 and #166. To our knowledge neither the elder nor the younger Blair ever occupied the house.

Both Blairs were illustrious men. John Blair, the elder, was born in Virginia in 1687, the son of Archibald Blair, whose brother, the famous (and contentious!) Dr. James Blair, was instrumental in the founding of the College of William and Mary. John Blair became president of the Council and was three times acting governor of the colony -- twice in the interim between the departure of a governor for England and the arrival of his successor, and the third time upon the death of Lord Botetourt in 1770. He held the high office on this occasion for a short time only, resigning on account of old age and infirmities. He died in Williamsburg in 1771.

The diary of John Blair, Sr., jotted down on a calendar for the year 1751, has been the source of much valuable information about Williamsburg, and in particular about the rebuilding of the Capitol after it had burned in 1748. Judging by his frequent references to the progress of the work, Blair, always interested in building projects, large and small, probably had charge of the Capitol's reconstruction, and also, possibly, of its original erection, for he writes on December 12:

"This afternoon I laid the last top brick of the Capitol wall, and so it is now ready to receive the roof, and some of the wall plates were rais'd and laid on this day. I had laid a foundation brick at the first building of the Capitol above 50 years ago, and another foundation brick in April last, the first in mortar towards the rebuilding, and now the last as above."

John Blair, Jr., no less distinguished than his father, was born at Williamsburg in 1732, studied law at the Temple in London and commenced his practice in Williamsburg. He was several times a member of the House of Burgesses as representative of the College, and also served as clerk of the Council.

In the troubles which led to the Revolution the elder Blair, despite the high offices he had held under the Crown, had always been on the popular side. His son followed in his footsteps. John Blair, Jr. for example, was a member of the Committee which in June 1776, reported the declaration of rights and the state constitution. Upon establishment of the Virginia judiciary he was elected judge of the general court and later became chief justice. He was a member of the convention in Philadelphia in 1787 which framed the Federal constitution, voting for its adoption, and subsequently for its ratification in the state convention of 1788. He was appointed by Washington associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and held his seat until 1796, when resigned. He died in Williamsburg on August 31, 1800.

^{H.D.—Dec. 9, 1949.}