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Old Houses In Princess Anne Virginia
KELLAM
MUNICIPAL REFERENCE For Reference
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Old Light House-Cape Henry, 1791
Courtesy Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk, l'a.
Old Houses in Princess Anne Virginia
BY
SADIE SCOTT KELLAM AND V. HOPE KELLAM
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
PRINTCRAFT PRESS, INC., PORTSMOUTH, VA. 1958
COPYRIGHT 1931 SADIE SCOTT KELLAM First Printing, June 1931 Second Printing, July 1958
VIRGINIA BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
A18225 368987
Grateful acknowledgment is made to Mrs. Floyd G. Price whose efforts encouraged the authors in re-printing this edition of "Old Houses in Princess Anne, Virginia."
PREFACE
This little volume is the outgrowth of a series of journeys up and down the roads of old Princess Anne. At first there was no thought of a book, only an album collection of kodak pictures with maybe a jotting here and there where emphasis would be laid on account of an unusual feature. Interest among our friends rather spurred us on toward a more pretentious undertaking.
Should these notes come into the hands of one who knows architecture as an art or science, bear in mind that the authors are laymen, whose only excuse for committing their findings to print, is the sincere desire to preserve for coming generations a record of what is left today of the homes builded in Princess Anne prior to 1800. Pray, therefore, be "To our virtues very kind, To our faults, a little blind."
INTRODUCTION
Much has been written of Virginia and prac- tically all phases of its history have been touched upon ; however, little has been told of its separate units. Few places in the State are richer in his- torical material than Lynnhaven Parish-coter- minous with Princess Anne County. It is the purpose of this book to tell the story, as shown by the records, of extant colonial houses in this county, which, with the brief sketches of some of the original owners, will be no small contribution to the history of this section.
We, of this part of Virginia, go far in the State to view and study the habitations of those whose names are written high, little realizing that there is as much of equal interest close at hand in the remaining homes of the very earliest settlers in Lynnhaven Parish. The style of architecture may not be as elaborate as Brandon, Shirley, Westover and many others, yet these Princess Anne houses are sturdy, honest buildings, so substantially con- structed that at least forty or fifty erected prior to 1800 have withstood the gnawing tooth of time as is herein demonstrated by the illustrations of their exteriors. It has remained for the authors of this book to bring before the public these very early homes and some of the story of those prominent at that time in this immediate section of Virginia. The compilation required patience, industry and detailed examination of the style of bricks, methods
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Introduction
of bonding and details of construction of each house; the examination of the records and other sources of information demanded much time. Some facts herein stated from the records may be disap- pointing to a few, in that certain traditions may be shattered, yet when statements are from the record they are a verity.
Here in Princess Anne is so much of interest it is difficult to know where to begin or where to end. There is the story of Parson Dickson, the thrifty Scotchman, for many years rector of Lynn- haven Parish, whose educational donation in 1774 gave to Donation Church its name; or that of Lawyers Boush (who in 1706 prosecuted Grace Sherwood for witchcraft), and Robinson (he of the peculiar will) ; then there are the doctors with their queer prescriptions, and the many other inter- esting subjects, but such is not the purpose of this book. Let us hope that at an early day the authors will tell more of the story of this old and honorable county.
BENJAMIN DEY WHITE.
Old Houses in Princess Anne Virginia
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CHAPTER I
B Y FAR the most thrilling phase of this adventure into the building projects of bygone days is the great care given by the Builder, be he rich or poor, be the building "Great House," Manor, or humble two- room cottage, to the selection of the site of the house. Invariably the house is located on the highest ground, the yard sloping in all directions. Almost without exception, there was bay, river, creek, or branch close to what was the front of the house. We say "what was" advisedly, because with the building of roads, water as the means of transportation has ceased to be, and many times now we find the back door of other days bravely facing the county road in true style of Virginia hospitality. Last, but by no means least, we find that our Builder seemed carefully to select the trees for the yard. And magnificent specimens they were! Tulip, poplar, cedar, water oak, elm, "paper" mulberry, sycamore-even in these days still standing guard after the storms of two cen- turies. These facts are evidences, we take it, that more than a house was being built. A home was
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Live Oak at Woodlawn
being made, a place of peace and safety, rest and quiet, after the cares of the day. A place to which one invited his friends and neighbors (there were such things then), where the stranger always found someone at home with a welcome for the wayfarer. Now, after all these years, they stand as testimony of work well done.
When we take note of the consideration given to the choice of a home-site, and also take note of how substantially our forefathers built their homes as we see them today, it is hard to believe that in the beginning at Jamestown, cottages and log cabins were so inadequately constructed, and so long time continued to serve as dwellings in spite of complete dilapidation, that Governor Wyatt, in 1637, thir- teen years after the dissolution of the old Virginia Company, was instructed to require every owner of one hundred acres of land to build a brick dwelling 24x16 feet with a cellar. Owners of five hundred acres, or more, must build proportionately. Maybe at that time each man expected to find a
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Part of a boxwood avenue and well sweep at home of James White near Sandbridge
fortune at once and return to Old England for the enjoyment thereof. Governor Wyatt, however, seems never to have put this order into effect.
The early colonists were familiar with stone, brick and wood as material for housebuilding. There being no stones available in Tidewater, the earliest dwellings were of wood; the log cabin first, followed shortly by frame, when a method of wood-sawing, easier than the "John Smith Method", had been devised. Splendid forests of pine, oak, gum, cypress and cedar were theirs for the taking. Also one found then, as now, much fine clay for brick making. The oyster shells, so easily available, furnished lime for the mortar in brick construction.
These earliest Virginia houses were undoubtedly one story, sharp roof, with chimney at each end. The first chimneys were probably daubed of stick and clay. Soon these Englishmen, who were fast becoming Virginians, began the making of bricks,
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and from this point of time one finds the con- struction of the brick chimney an outstanding and fascinating feature of Virginia architecture.
Soon after Dale came in 1611, announcing that brickmaking was to be an important item in Virginia's economic scheme, brick kilns were developed at Henricus. Bricks were successfully made there, and elsewhere, in quantities far beyond the immediate needs of the colonists. Not that more houses could not well be made of brick, but transportation beyond the waterfront property was prohibited by lack of roads.
Ralph Hamor, early secretary to the colony, in his history of Virginia written in 1614, tells of the laying of the brick foundation of a church at Henricus, the foundation to be 100x50 feet. That there were large quantities of brick made is evi- denced by the fact that in one report of the Indian massacre of 1622, we note that the Indians were repulsed by the throwing of brickbats. Also we know that bricks were an article of export to Bermuda at a very early date.
There has long been a tradition, and invariably you hear it at each old house, "Yes, this is an old house; just look at the bricks, they were brought here from England." It does not seem kind ruth- lessly to disallusion a man who has always held this legend as law and gospel, a choice bit with which to take away the breath of an outsider. If one would be diplomatic the situation may be handled without doing hurt to any feelings. Agree that the bricks are old, and that they are "English." Follow this with the information that Englishmen
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Old Houses in Princess Anne
came here to this country for the express purpose of making bricks and building houses, for we know that in 1609 there were four brickmakers in Vir- ginia. None are listed with the second and third supply, so Mr. Phillip Alexander Bruce says in his Economic History of Virginia. From this same source comes the information that brickmakers were advertised for in 1610. We actually know the name of one who lived in Lower Norfolk County : it was John Robert. We had plenty of good clay, the brickmakers used the same measurements and method of brickmaking as they did at home in England, so of course the bricks are "English." This explanation has always proved an acceptable substitute. Most likely then your host will tell you of plowing up in a field an old pile of bricks.
As a matter of fact, the theory that these bricks came here as ballast seems most unlikely. In the first place the holds of the small sailing vessels were needed far more for the accommodation of articles of actual necessity than for bricks, which could be, and were being, made here. In the second place, the price of bricks quoted in England be- tween 1650 and 1700 was 18s. 81/2d. per thousand while in Virginia the price at that time was from 8 to 15 shillings per thousand. In the third place, undoubtedly, when we consider the careful stowing the little holds would have required in order to bring over any considerable quantity of brick (our type of construction was so lavish in the use of brick), and the length of time the crossing of the Atlantic took, one is forced to the conclusion that the term "English" had reference to the type
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Old Houses in Princess Anne
of brick, measurement, baking, etc., in contra- distinction to the "Dutch" brick used in New York State and thereabouts.
Nails, blacksmith made, did come from Eng- land, were scarce and expensive. One actually finds them listed in old inventories of estates ; that they came from England is based on the finding of nails-so many pounds-in old bills of merchandise. So valuable were nails in comparison with the timber in a house, we find a man burning the house he is abandoning, in order to salvage the nails for his new home. This was so prevalent that in 1644-45 it became necessary for the gov- ernment to make an allowance to a man who was moving, for the nails left in his old house. This allowance was based on an estimate made by two of his neighbors.
Such, briefly, were the building conditions in Virginia in the early days.
Probably the first brick house built in Virginia was that of Secretary Kemp, built at Jamestown in 1638, to be followed in about two years by the house at Green Spring, two miles away. This was the Governor Berkley Mansion. Mrs. Mary Newton Standard, in her book, Colonial Virginia, Its People and Customs, published in 1917, says that the Warren house in Surry County, Virginia, built in 1654, on the farm given by the Indian king to Thomas Rolfe, son of John Rolfe and our Indian Princess, Pocahontas, is the oldest house now standing in Virginia whose date can be positively identified. This date is fixed, we have found, by court record at Surry, of a lawsuit, defended by
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Old Houses in Princess Anne
the man employed to build the house. Mr. Warren complained of the poor workmanship, and the rejoinder was to the effect that a brick house of that size could not be so well built when the short time of five years was allowed for the building.
It may be interesting to note the following men (among others) had houses according to records before 1686 in Lower Norfolk County :
Record Book (1651-56), page 54-John Sibsey.
Record Book (1651-56), page 168-Cornelius Lloyd.
Record. Book (1656-66), page 346-Francis Emperor.
Record Book (1666-75), page 125-Thomas Willoughby.
Record Book (1675-86), page 223-Adam Thorowgood.
Record Book (1676-86), page 163-Adam Keeling.
Of the above list, Emporer, Thorowgood and Keeling were in the part of the county lying now within the boundary of Princess Anne.
Since Mr. Willoughby also owned land in Princess Anne, and since his Manor Plantation was located on "Willoughby Spit," or "Point," the acres stretching along the bay toward Little Creek, the boundary line of Princess Anne and Norfolk Counties, then the boundary of Lynn- haven Parish, we pause to say a word of him. Thomas Willoughby was born in 1601, and early came to Virginia. It is not known whom he mar- ried. His son, Colonel Thomas, married Sarah Thompson, and their children were Thomas (3), who married Mary Herbert (daughter of the first John Herbert), and a daughter, Elizabeth. One record says Major Thomas, son of Thomas (3) and Mary Herbert died in 1753, leaving a son, Colonel John, who was a Tory. Another record says Major Thomas (4) was the Tory. It is agreed
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that the estate suffered greatly for this reason during the Revolution. For a time James Wil- loughby lived on the northeast corner of Freemason Street, Norfolk, but returned to England, and recovered his peerage. He is one of two men in the Virginia colony who did this, we are told. The other person was Lord Fairfax.
We have just referred to the boundary of Lynnhaven Parish, and to the boundary between Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties. Let us see how the lines were determined.
CHAPTER II
RIOR to the formation of the eight shires in Virginia in 1634, the colonists were grouped and record made according to plantations, hundred, congregation, par- ish. The ruling body of the parish was the vestry. Just what extensive power these vestrymen had may be judged from a reference to Henry Cabot Lodge's, "A Short History of the English Colonists in America," p. 58-9. In brief he says of the parishes of the Established Church ". .. these were gov- erned by the vestries, which were very important and active bodies. They represented all the local and municipal government there was in Virginia, and had attained, moreover, a commanding position in church affairs. At an early date secular functions were assigned to them by the Burgesses. They were to make returns of births, marriages and deaths, present for crimes under the statutes against vice, command the sheriff to hold the election for Bur- gesses, and assist the county courts in building the work houses. To the vestry belonged the duty of 'processioning the land' once in four years, and upon them devolved the care of the roads and ferries."
From Hening's Statutes at Large, volume I, page 224, we learn the names of the eight original shires. From other sources we are able to supplement this information with further items telling who were honored in the selection of names, &c. Our com- pilation is :
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Old Houses in Princess Anne
Accawmake, comprising the eastern shore of Virginia, the Indian name Accawmake continuing until 1642 when it was changed to Northampton ; Warrasquake, the Indian name giving way to Isle of Wight in 1637; Charles City, named in honor of King Charles the First of England; Henrico, in honor of Prince Henry; Elizabeth City, for Queen Elizabeth; Warwick River, later the "River" was dropped; York, honoring the Duke of York; James City, again a king is honored, James the First of England
About 1636 the county of New Norfolk (a good old English name, by the way, if you properly swal- low the last syllable in the pronunciation thereof) was created from the shire of Elizabeth City. This New Norfolk was to comprise the territory across the now Hampton Roads, south of the James River. The next year, 1637, New Norfolk was divided into Upper and Lower Norfolk Counties, Upper Nor- folk soon becoming Nansimun, later spelled Nan- semond. The designation Lower Norfolk County remained until 1691, when Princess Anne was carved out of lower Norfolk, conforming gener- ally to the boundaries of Lynnhaven and Southern Shores Parishes.
That the citizenry of Princess Anne was pleased when the person for whom the county was named became the ruling head of old England is seen by reference to an article appearing in The Richmond Standard for Saturday, December 10, 1881, by T. H. Ellis, from which the following is taken :
"The humble Address of the House of Bur- gesses in Virginia, to Her Most Excellent Majesty
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Queen Anne, congratulating her on her happy accession to the throne of her ancestors, by un- doubted right ... " is signed by Adam Thorowgood as justice of the peace, along with other signatures. Now this Adam was the grandson of Adam Thorow- good, one of Princess Anne County's first citizens.
The Princess Anne of the House of Stuart in England was one of two sisters, each in turn ascend- ing the throne of England. These sisters were daugh- ters of the king's brother, James, Duke of York, and Anne Hyde. Anne Hyde was the youngest daughter of the Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, one time Prime Minister of England, who in 1667 was impeached by the Commons, afterward living in exile in France, where he wrote his famous "History of the Rebellion."
On record at Princess Anne Court House is a copy of the proclamation of the accession of the Queen :
QUEEN ANNE PROCLAMED
Whereas It hath pleased Almighty God to Call to his mercy our Late Sovereigne Lord King William Ye Third of Blessed Mercy by whose decease ye Imperiall Crowne of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, as also ye Supreme Dominion & Sovereigne right of this Collony & Dominion of Virga. & all other his late Maj. territories & dominions in America are solely & rightfully come to ye high mighty Princess Ann of Denmark we therefore ye officers military & civil & inhabitants of Princess Ann County in ye Collony and Dominion of Virga. do now hereby with one full voice & consent of tongue and heart publish and proclaime that the high and mighty Princess Anne is now by ye death of our late Sovereigne of happy mercy become our only lawfull and rightfull Leidge Lady Anne by the Grace of God Queen of England, Scotland France & Ireland Defender of the
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Faith Supreme Lady of the Collony Dominion and planta- tion of Virginia and all other his late Majesties Territories and Dominions in America &c; To whome ye doe acknowl- edge all faith and constant obedience with all hearty and Humble affection beseeching God by whom King and Queen Do reigne to bless the royall Queen Anne with long and happy years to reigne over :
God Save Queen Anne.
Since we are to tell of houses in Princess Anne, it may be wise to refresh one's memory as to the boundaries of the county. This may best be done by reference to Hening's Statutes at Large, volume 3, page 95-Act XX, "Lower Norfolk County Divided :"
That the said county of Lower Norfolk shall be divided and made two counties in the following manner, that is to say, beginning at the new inlet of Little Creek, and so up the said Creek to the dams between Jacob Johnson and Richard Drout, and so out of the said dams up a branch the head of which branch lyeth between the dwelling house of William Moseley Sr., and the new dwelling house of Edward Webb, and so to run from the head of the said branch on a direct line to the dams at the head of the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River, the which dams lie between James Kemp and Thomas Ivy and so down the said branch to the mouth of a small branch or gutt that divides the land which Mr. John Porter now lives on, from the land he for- merly lived on and so up the said second branch according to the bounds of the said plantation, where the said Porter now liveth, and from thence to the great swamp that lyeth on the East side of John Showlands, and so along the said great swamp to the North River of Corotucke, and down the said North River to the mouth of Simpson's Creek, and so up the said creek to the head thereof, and thence by a south line to the bounds of Carolina, and that this division shall be, and remaine, &c. That a court for the said Princess Anne
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County be constantly held by the justices thereof upon the second Wednesday of the moneth in such manner as by the law of this country is provided, and shall be by their com- missioners directed.
The William Byrd Commission of 1728 ad- justed the line between Virginia and North Caro- lina. This, of course, is the southern boundary of the county. This same line is still recognized be- tween these states.
The first justices of Princess Anne commis- sioned in 1691, and sitting in that year as the constituted court of the new county were: Mr. Malachy Thurston, Mr. Wm. Cornick, Mr. Benony Burroughs, Mr. John Sandford, Mr. Argall Thorow- good, Mr. John Thorowgood, Mr. Francis Morse, Mr. Evan Jones and Mr. Henry Woodhouse.
The first clerk of the court for the new county was Patrick Angus. He served for nine years, 1691- 1700, being succeeded by Christopher Cocke. Mr. Cocke was clerk from 1700 to 1716.
In the following pages we shall tell briefly of the present condition, ownership, and where possible the approximate date of construction, and probable builder. So much of tradition has come down to us about the age and ownership of many of the houses it is a difficult problem to separate fact from fic- tion. However we shall in every instance make an honest effort to give as facts only such dates as we may substantiate from original source. On the other hand, there is no desire to upset any priorities already claimed by historians and writers of "Vir- giniana."
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The tracing of ownership of the plantation from the time of the builder of the house to the present time has led to the finding of many interesting family connections that, for a while, have not been thought of as Princess Anne history. But after all, what is history other than a recital of the acts, the achievements and failures of man, attempting to trace a relationship of cause and effect along the way?
As we turn to our first group of buildings, we hope that those of this generation who are follow- ing us will have as keen a satisfaction in this study as has been ours in the assembling of data.
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CHAPTER III
O ENUMERATION of historic buildings in Princess Anne is complete without telling of the old light house at Cape Henry. There can be no question that more people, of more nationalities, of more classes and conditions, have looked for and upon Cape Henry light than any other landmark in Tidewater Virginia. The old light house was the first project of the new Republic on the Atlantic coast.
In 1791 brown sandstone was made into a tower on a sand hill not far removed from the shore. There for ninety years it did valiant service for the men who "went down to the sea in ships." John Mc- Comb, Jr., was the architect. He will be remembered as the designer of the old New York City Hall.
On the old light house is a bronze tablet, sur- mounted by a cross. The inscription thereon tells us :
NEAR THIS SPOT LANDED APRIL 26, 1607
CAPT. GABRIEL ARCHER CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT HON. GEORGE PERCY BARTHOLOMEW GOSNOLD
EDWARD MARIA WINGFIELD with twenty-five others
who CALLED THE PLACE CAPE HENRY
PLANTED CROSS APRIL 29, 1607 "Dei Gratia Virginia Condita" This Tablet is erected by the
Association for Preservation of Virginia Antiquities April 29, 1899
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Much of the early history of Virginia is woven in and around the church and her vestrymen, there- fore, we feel impelled to say a word about the old church buildings in the county.
When Lower Norfolk became a county in 1637, Elizabeth River was the parish name; the rector, John Wilson. There is a record as early as 1639, October 18, wherein a wrongdoer was directed by the court on Sunday "come sennight at the pish church at Linhaven" to acknowledge publicly his misdeed before the congregation.
In 1640 at a court sitting at Mr. William Shipp's, the first vestry of "Linhaven pish" was elected. Mr. Thomas Todd and John Stratton became war- dens. The vestrymen were: Mr. Edward Windham, Mr. Henry Woodhowse, Mr. Bartholomew Hoss- kine, Mr. Thomas Todd, Mr. Christofer Burrowes, Mr. Tho. Bullock, Mr. Tho. Caussonne, Mr. Tho. Keelinge, Mr. Robt. Hayes, Mr. John Lanckfield.
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