USA > Virginia > City of Virginia Beach > City of Virginia Beach > Old houses in Princess Anne, Virginia > Part 10
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Old Houses in Princess Anne
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Baptist Parsonage at Kempsville
Main Street, or road to Norfolk, on the southern end, the Spring Branch at the northern end. Across the north and south street to the west were the lots with tenements, wet and dry goods store of George Logan. Facing Logan's lots is the part of Mr. Singleton's lots, in the rear of his house, which later he sold for the "Public Lott." Adjoining this, still farther to the east, touching the road to Donation and in the rear of Boush, is located the lot, or lots, whereon "Billy White" kept tavern. It is said that a brick walk ran the length of this street from the court house to the tavern. Your imagination will not lead you astray in your sur- mises. On this lot, or a part of it, today is the Baptist parsonage. How times do change! Again we do not believe that the present building has more than a small part of the original incorporated in it. The two chimneys, one on each end, are of Flemish bond only to the point above the breast where the weathering of the first setoff occurs.
On the lot that Peter Singleton sold to the county
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still stand the court house and jail that were built at that time. We have a theory of the progression of the succession of court houses that perhaps is not orthodox. We shall tell you what we found in the records.
In the beginning let us tell you that we did not examine each separate-court entry during every year. We picked entries at random, here and there.
In 1640 a court was sitting for Lower Norfolk County at the home of William Shipp. This place is noted similarly on more than one occasion during that year.
In 1642 at William Shipp's
1643 at Linhaven
1644 at Ensign Thomas Lambert's
1645 at Thomas Mear's
1655 at Edward Hall's
1657 at Mr. Edward's
1659 at Savill Gaskin's
1660 at Moses Lynton's
1661 at Thomas Harding's
1661 at John Godfrey's
In 1666 vestries of both parishes, Elizabeth River and Lynnhaven, are ordered to meet at the court house. Where this was, we do not know. When Princess Anne became a county in 1691 the court house was ordered to be built at John Keeling's plantation at London Bridge. The next year this order was rescinded and the building was ordered to be erected at the Brick Church. The New Brick Church (Donation) was near Cattayle Creek, a branch of Bennetts Creek, near
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the ferry. By 1753 the Court was moved to New Town.
When the Court first came to sit at Kempsville the house of George Logan was used. A levy was laid at the December, 1778, session of the Court for fixing up and making convenient Logan's dry goods store for use as a court house and a part of the wet goods store for the jail, to be used until such places could be built. We could find no Court Order for the building of the old court house one finds today in Kempsville. It is of Flemish bond, built to the full height of two stories, but with a gallery. This may have been changed on the interior when it became the Baptist Church some years after the buildings were erected at the present Princess Anne. That the old court house was com- pleted before July, 1789, we know, for that is the date on which Mr. Singleton made his deed to the gentlemen justices for a certain lot opposite Jacob Valentine (this had been Logan's we believe) "on a part of which stands said court house." The
Court House at Kempsville, built prior to 1787
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price was 20£. However, as early as 1784 the lot was referred to as the "Public Lott."
The first jail at Kempsville was built of wood, according to an order of February 15, 1782. This order was changed a month later. Instead of two rooms above and two below, the whole 30'x20', with brick chimney in the center, the new Order called for a 16' square room above and below, with brick chimney in one end, fireplace in each room. At this time the court house had not been built, for there was a levy of 3,000 pounds of tobacco for rent, and an additional levy for repairs to the court house.
It would not appear that this wooden jail was efective as such. There are repeated Court Orders for repairs, for reinforcing the windows, &c .; also day and night a guard was employed at nine pounds of tobacco for each detail, whether day or night. This jail burned, for there is an Order for salvaging the nails, &c. therefrom. The following record tells the rest of the story :
At a court of quarterly session continued and held at the Courthouse for the County of Princess Anne the 16th day of May, 1787.
Ordered that a jail be built at Kempsville of Brick 2+ feet long and 32 feet wide, the walls of which to be two feet thick till carried up four to the top of the first floor and 10 inches afterwards; and 20 feet high from the founda- tion, which shall be one foot under ground; That the jail shall be divided into four apartments: viz. 2 rooms below and two above: That a wall like that above mentioned shall be run up between the front and back rooms quite throughout the house and another between the back rooms and a passage which is to be left six feet wide, That a narrow Partition
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Old jail building at Kempsville, 1787
shall be raised between the front Rooms and the said passage: That a chimney be built in the end of the House with four fire places properly secured with Iron grates or Bars, That 2 Windows 2 feet square be made in the back lower Room and very well secured with Iron bars: and two in the back upper Room secured in like manner: That two Windows shall be in each Front Room containing twelve panes of glass each eight by ten: That the back room below shall be lined doubly with oak Plank 2 inches thick and ceiled overhead with the same kind and nailed to the satis- faction of the Trustees appointed to conduct the Business : That the Three Floors of the two back Rooms shall be of two Inch oak Plank, the Sleepers 12 inches deep, the joist 9 inches deep, all placed very near together and nailed to the satisfaction of the said Trustees. That the Building shall have two outside doors and five inside Doors according to the Plan annexed, and shall be covered with a Square Roof ranging with that of the Court House, consisting of large Scantling Inch Plank and Heart Shingles, That the front Rooms shall be finished in a plain manner with Laths, Plaister and agreeable to the Directions of the Trustees: and that the House shall be furnished with locks and hinges Paint and every thing necessary according to the Directions of the Trustee: That if any part of the Building shall be extended
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to where there is a Pond in the Public ground, the Wall shall be founded in the bottom of the said Pond, That the said Pond shall be filled up; That a pair of stairs shall run up from the lower Floor to the upper Rooms, That the Front Windows shall be secured by Iron Grates.
That a Brick Wall of 50 feet Square reckoning the Front and East end of the jail as part of the said Square be Built, That it be twelve feet from the surface of the ground and one foot under neath and of the same thickness as the jail wall and that the Top be secured by Iron Spikes in the best manner that can be secured by the Trustees.
That wherever the said wall shall strike or run through the Pond or Clay Hole, The foundation thereof shall begin at the bottom of the Pond.
Thos. Walke, Jno. Cornick, Thos. Kempe and Henry Kellam Gent., are appointed Trustees to carry the atoresaid Building into Execution, and that they set it up in a Public manner to the lowest bidder, after advertising it three weeks in the Norfolk and Portsmouth Journal.
The jail became a school (public and private) house. More recently it has been converted into a most comfortable and attractive dwelling, the property of Mrs. Alfriend (Miriam Whitehead).
There was a puzzling situation that confronted us in placing the date of the building of the jail, that is before we searched the records. For this reason we have given you the detailed story. The bricks are bonded by the English method, which, we are told, went out of vogue by 1700. Indeed during the past summer (1930) a connoisseur of early American architecture, while driving through the village was caught by this one house. As an authority he placed the building prior to 1700. See how easy it is to be mistaken !
Now the way we account for the use of the
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Lynnhaven Parish Rectory at Kempsville
English bond is just this. From the order books it is most apparent that difficulty was experienced in preventing prisoners from escaping. So, our farsighted trustees of the building had this method of bonding employed because it is the strongest.
There is one other old house in Kempsville, perhaps the oldest of all now standing. It is the rectory of Lynnhaven Parish. The lot joins Em- manuel Episcopal Church, which church Bishop Meade dedicated and consecrated in 1843.
This title led us into a most unexpected own- ership. This home is reputed to be the Boush house, built by Maximillian the eldest in 1680, becoming the home of his son Samuel who was Norfolk's first mayor. Here is the title as we found it at Princess Anne.
In 1765 Anthony Walke sold to John Michael Kenline for 26f a half-acre lot, 9512 feet on the road; John Michael Kenline making a will in 1782 devised to Ann Campbell, widow of Duncan Camp- bell "my house and lot I live on at Kemp's Land-
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ing." From this the chain is perfectly clear, when in 1818 this same property is the house with lot on which James J. Johnson is keeping a tavern. In that same year Mr. Johnson adds an additional 50' front to the east on the main road adjoining, and again a small piece next thereto in the same line and direction in 1826. By deeds we trace this same property, house and lot, to 1860, in which year we find Willoughby Dozier buying from J. E. Bell three quarters acre with house, known as Johnson's lot, bounded on the north by the road, south by Thomson, east by church lot, west by Willoughby Dozier, (this was Dr. Wright's, by Dozier it was sold to Dr. Hunter).
And so first and last, we found nowhere that any Boush owned this house and lot. There is every evidence of the age of the house when one considers the chimneys, the wide floor boards, the very high mantels with narrow shelf, the whole style bespeaks its age.
Of all these old places in Kempsville, only one is unoccupied, it is the old court house. Quite recently Judge B. D. White purchased the property from the Baptist Church trustees. Just now a new roof is being put on. We prophesy that shortly this fine old building, which has witnessed the minis- trations of church and state to the people of Princess Anne will serve the coming generations in a useful capacity.
CHAPTER XIII
NE of the earliest duties of the Parish vestries was the maintenance of ferries. At a court held at William Shipp's on September 15, 1642, it was ordered that there be two ferries for the County of Lower Norfolk, one on Daniel Tanners Creek, the other at Lynnhaven upon the land of Capt. Thorow- good's heirs, the place known as the "Quarter." This ferry from the "Quarter" was to be run to the eastern and to western shore of Lynnhaven. A levy of sixteen hundredweight of tobacco was made on the whole county for payment of the ferrymen. Capt. John Gookin was designated as the person to employ a ferryman for the Lynnhaven ferries for the next year.
Earlier in the same year a ferry had been established. To be exact, on February 16, 1642, is recorded that Savill Gaskins had engaged himself before to Capt. John Gookin, Esq., Commander Edward Windham, Esq., and Henry Woodhouse, Esq., to keep the ferry, beginning January 26th and running for a year, the ferry to be in Lynn- haven River, and to run from the "Quarter" to the Eastern Shore at Robert Cam's Point, upon notice of a "Hollow or a ffeir" (flare?), also to run from the "Quarter" to Trading Point upon the same notice. The pay was eight hundred pounds of tobacco. All of this arrangement was being on that
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day carried out in accordance with a Court Order of November 15 of the previous year.
One familiar with the topography of Princess Anne knows the necessity there must have been for ferries.
Farther up on the Western Branch of Lynn- haven, formerly Bennetts Creek, was a 50-acre tract called "Ferry." In early 1700 there was much buying and selling of this particular tract. In 1730 it was the property of Charles Smythe, son of John Smythe. Charles gave to the county two acres by the spring for the new court house. Smythe sold to Moore, and in 1735 Moore sold to Thomas Martin the Ferry, "50 acres less the two acres whereon the court house now stands," and one acre reserved to Charles Smythe as a burying ground, and reserv- ing to Moore the bridge "now building over ferry." Thomas Martin sold the plantation to Mr. Walke. The acreage had been increased, but of the original fifty acres, even in this deed, the two acres on which the court house was standing was excepted.
Anthony Walke the second, maker of the famous twenty-page will with two codicils, devised to his son William "the 'Ferry' plantation, or Church Quarter, with the use of adjacent lands when he reaches the age of twenty-one, or marries . Item: If I should depart this life before I can build a decent Dwelling House, with a Kitchen, laundry, Smoke-house, Dairy, and other out Houses, my will and desire is that the sum of 1000£ current money may be laid out ... by my executors ... in building ... on the Land . . called 'Ferry' Plantation at the old Court House." The
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Ferry Farm, Virginia home of C. M. Barnett
use of all this with one-third of the plantation, Mr. Walke devised to his wife for life, she to keep the houses in repair at her own expense
This son William (1762-1795) married Mary Calvert. He lies buried in the field to the left of the house.
From the will of Anthony Walke it would seem that the dwelling on "Ferry" was built during the lifetime of William Walke. And yet the bonding of the brick is of the style known in this section as "Early Virginia," supposedly dating about 1820. In this method of tying bricks they are laid in three or five courses of stretchers, and then a course of headers. We are at a loss for an answer in explana- tion of this bonding.
The plantation of "Ferry" is now the property of Mr. C. M. Barnett of New York City. It is his country estate in Virginia. Out in the water may be seen today the piling from a more recent bridge which crossed to the other shore. The plantation on
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the far shore of Lynnhaven at this point was the McIntosh estate.
There are fascinating stories that this is the old court house, the wing on the right, the jail; that in this jail was imprisoned Grace Sherwood. Even the iron bars in the window will be pointed out to you. Well this is all charming and thrilling as a good yarn. But facts are facts. The witch trial took place 1705-1708, the court house was built near "Ferry" between 1730-1735
Near by the "Ferry" of William Walke was an extensive plantation called Pembrook. A part of this tract "Billy" White, acting executor of Capt. Henry Kellam, sold to Miss Fannie Walke. Six hundred acres with the brick dwelling, the orchards, dove houses, "guardians," &c., he sold to Dennis Dawley in 1796. David Milhado and his mother Mary owned the plantation from 1803 to 1814. From 1822 for some years it was the home of Dr. James McAlpine.
Pembrook, John Saunders Home
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Old House in Princess Anne
During July, 1779, when the Princess Anne Committee of Safety was holding inquisitions of persons held to be secretly, or aggressively, friendly to the British, John Saunders was called before the jury. He was declared a "British subject" and his lands declared escheat.
March 1, 1781, is recorded the following grant :
"Thomas Jefferson, Governor, to Henry Kellam, 800 acres, more or less, lying & being in the County of Princess Anne, and the Parish of Lynnhaven, lately the property of John Saunders, a British Subject. Consideration: 32400 Lbs. current money paid to Thomas Reynolds Walker, Gent., Escheator for the County of Princess Anne. Agreeable to two Acts of Assembly passed in 1779 entitled 'An Act Con- cerning escheats & forfeitures from British Subjects' and the other entitled 'An Act Concerning Escheators'."
The Saunders family was old, well connected, and notable in the county. Jonathan Saunders was minister of Lynnhaven Parish in 1695. His widow, Mary, married Maximillian Boush. Mary Saunders, the daughter of Jonathan, married Cornelius Cal- vert in 1719. Capt Jonathan Saunders was vestry- man in the parish in 1761. It is said that John Saunders after leaving Virginia, joined the British army and became an officer.
The house called Pembrook that was the home of John Saunders in Princess Anne, is Georgian architecture, though the porches which have been built all way around in these recent years, so successfully camouflage the handsome old place, one would never suspect but what it were a modern bungalow of the best California type.
There is one other home of the Walkes in
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Home of Col. Thomas Walke
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Dining room in Col. Thomas Walke House
Cornice and wainscote panels in hall at Col. Thomas Walke Home
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Princess Anne that is still standing. Of it we shall tell you next.
On the Norfolk and Southern electric line to Virginia Beach, between London Bridge and Oceana, there is a stop called Maple Run. On the north, nestling back in a grove of fine trees, is another of Princess Anne's old homes. One called the Brick House farm, it is the property of Mr. W. H. H. Batten. Except for Peter Singleton's home at Kempsville (Dr. R. E. Whitehead's) and Poplar Hall, the Hoggard home, this house has, in our judgment, the next handsomest amount of hand carved wood panelling.
There are two large rooms on the front, one on each side of a broad hall. The hall runs through to the back door. In the rear of each large room is a smaller one. There are four rooms on the second floor, an attic above. In the attic there is a hole near the chimney. Tradition, as usual, says it is a passage to the outside through the walls. However, one is not able in these days and times to find the way out. More probable it is that the hole was put there for a hiding place for jewels or other valuables, should an emergency for secreting such occur.
The stairway goes up, starting immediately at the back door on the side not shown in the picture. The interior room plan is much like the interior of Pleasant Hall, both in turn, except for the location of the stairway, are like the George Wythe House in Williamsburg. The cellar is entered from outside.
The chimney on the east, or right of entrance, is built in triangular form, Consider the outside
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wall as the base of the triangle, the other two sides serve, one in each room, as a fireplace.
This estate was once the home of the Ferebees, Enoch D. Ferebee devised it to his son George E., who, at the time, was then making it his home. It was also the home of Thomas Cornick, son of Lemuel III. He (Thomas) married Miss Frances Walke. In 1829 Thomas Cornick devised the estate to his son Thomas James Cornick. From him it passed by purchase to W. A. Dozier in 1847. By Dozier it was sold ten years later to Enoch D. Ferebee.
These facts briefly constitute the late history of a house which was built and was the home of the Walkes prior to 1825. Some time in 1759 Maj. Thomas Walke made a will disposing of his vast estate. The item that is of particular interest to us is that he devises the plantation and the houses he is building thereon to his son Thomas Walke, later, after the Revolution, known as Col. Thomas Walke. Here Col. Thomas made his home during the rest of his life.
Col. Thomas Walke acquired many more acres in the immediate vicinity. He bought from Philip Woodhouse a small tract of land down near Wolf's Snare for the purpose of erecting a mill. The mill was not completed before 1796 when Col. Thomas made his will, for he requests his executors to complete the mill. He says he has obtained a Court Order for the erection and operation thereof.
Evidently Col. Walke and his wife Elizabeth had no children. He devised to his wife for life the half of the plantation on which he lived together
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with certain income; for life he made a bequest to his sisters, Margaret Hamilton and Anne Ramsey. There must be a family connection here with the John Thorowgood who made a will in 1786 naming Margaret Hamilton as his sister, Thomas Walke, John Phripp, half-brothers, Anne Phripp, half- sister. After the decease of wife Elizabeth and the two sisters, Col. Walke's whole estate is to be equally divided between three nephews, John Murdaugh, Wright Westcot (Waistcoat), and Thomas Wil- loughby. These nephews made a conveyance to Caleb Boush.
1825 sees William Walke selling the home of the late Col. Thomas Walke to John Cornick for $4,750.00. Later in the same year William Wood- house sold to Thomas Cornick the plantation con- taining over 300 acres, purchased by John Cornick from William Walke. The description locates the plantation as situated on the north side of the main road from Kempsville to the Eastern Shore Chapel.
And so, after a journey of a century and almost three-quarters with the masters of this gracious homestead we are back again among the trees, on one of which, lovers, in days gone by, carved certain initials. Some day go and see for yourself the home, the tree, the remains of a sentimental expression of other days.
It is with great hesitancy that we try to tell you of Poplar Hall, the home of the Hoggards in Princess Anne. The beauty of the location, the handsome Georgian house, the distinction of the owners, all have been recounted by pens more facile
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than ours. Hence we hesitate, fearful of not doing justice to a place for so long a time a synonym of colonial elegance.
About this home are woven many fascinating stories of war times, from the days of our Revolu- tion on down. When one visits the spot immediately the imagination is so captivated that one is ready to believe that it were possible for all romance to have emanated herefrom. Time has dealt gently with the scene. The house has mellowed with the years and has grown old ever so gracefully, caressed by the summer breezes from Broad Creek, protected from the winter winds by a grove of matchless trees.
The first record we found of the Hoggards in Princess Anne (we found no record prior to 1691 in Lower Norfolk County, nor did we find record in the old land grants in Richmond) is in Deed Book 8. Here we find a Thurmer Hoggard purchasing land from Mr. Langley, 100 acres. This was 1760. The next year Mr. Hoggard bought two more tracts, 62 acres from Alexander Poole and 200 acres from Lewis Thelabelle. These two tracts, we believe, are the acres on which was built Poplar Hall.
In 1768 Mr. Hoggard bought 300 acres from Col. Edward Hack Moseley, Sr., the following year 98 acres from Edward Parke; three years later 323 acres from Robert Clarke Jacob of Northamp- ton County. With these 1,083 acres Mr. Hoggard seemed to be content, for we find no further con- veyance to him.
Thurmer Hoggard made his will in 1773, which will was admitted to probate in 1779. This is the
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first Hoggard will we can find either in Princess Anne or Lower Norfolk County records. In this will, to son Nathaniel, is devised all the landed estate. In the event son Nathaniel should not survive, then disposition is made to meet whatever contingency of survival of an heir, or heirs, arose. The daughter Susannah was either the eldest daughter or the best beloved, for it is to her that the father devises "the plantation whereon I do now live, together with 60 acres purchased of Alex. Poole." Mr. Hoggard designates from whom he purchased each tract as he devises it, with the exception of the acres bought of Lewis Thelabelle. Therefore, by a process of elimination we arrive at the conclusion that the Thelabelle tract was the tract on which Mr. Hoggard lived. Mr. Thelabelle purchased this land from Tully Robinson Smythe and Bray in 1748.
Beside his children Mary, wife of Charles Sayer, Elizabeth, wife of James Whitehurst, Diana, Susannah, and Nathaniel Hoggard, the testator names two grandchildren, Susannah and Arthur Sayer. He directs that a certain number of pounds sterling be set aside as pay to the person under- taking the education of a nephew, Peter Hoggard. This Arthur Sayer succeeded his father Charles as clerk of Princess Anne, serving twenty-one years-1740-1761.
Mr. Hoggard was a ship's carpenter. He left his instruments to his son Nathaniel, and a small sum of money to a Francis Thorowgood, his apprentice.
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