Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

The house now known as the "Bracken House" is located on the southeast corner of Francis and Queen Streets in Williamsburg. (See Tyler's adaptation of the College Map, ca. 1791, in Illustration #1.)

Although John Bracken owned and occupied the "Allen Byrd" house to the west of lots 24l and 242, his name also appears on Williamsburg maps as owner of lots 241 and 242. We have found no other records to substantiate of this ownership.

The destruction of the court records of James City County during the Civil War period has made a chronological chain of title to the lots very difficult to trace. Research has found no definite records relating to lots 241 and 242 before the Frenchman's Map of Williamsburg (1782). An examination of the map indicates a house on apparently the present location of the Bracken house. The house appears to have been of medium size in comparison with other houses on the map and the lot is inclosed. There is a small dependency on the rear of the lot. (See Illustration #1 for drawing from the Frenchman's Map.)

Two other maps of the period, the map of Williamsburg owned by Miss Annie Galt (Browne, ca. 1780) and the College Map (1791?) note the name "Bracken" on lots 241 and 242. (Copies of maps in Department of Research.)

From the scant source material available, there is uncertainty as to earlier ownership of lots 241 and 242. However, a study of the chain of title to the block of eight lots located to the west of lots 241 and 242 reveals the fact that John Bracken¹ can into possession of eight lots ca. 1785 and held the same until 1806, when Bracken sold to Samuel Tyler. (See Allen 2 Byrd house history, Department of Research.) It is possible and highly probable that Bracken's lots extended to the east to cover the street (at the present time known as Queen Street),¹ and also lots 241 and 242. The Williamsburg land tax accounts state that Bracken was owner of eight lots at one period, though a note in the tax record for 1787 states that Bracken held "only six lots but has been charged with Eight" (see Illustration #2), and the maps indicate that Bracken was owner of eight lots (the block west of lots 241 and 242) and also of the two lots, #241 and #242. The vagueness of colonial records, as well as possible inaccuracies of cartographers, may explain these discrepancies of details. If Bracken held lots 241 and 242 as a part of the block later sold to Tyler, then the house located on lots 241 and 242 may have been included in the property, and occupied by tenants or renters of Bracken or of Byrd, a former owner. (See Allen-Byrd house history, Department of Research.)

In 1804, the land tax transfers for Williamsburg show that Elizabeth Carter² had come into possession of "1 lot via Bracken." The Bucktrout-Lively Map (drawn by Benjamin Bucktrout in August 1800 and sketched by Robert A. Lively in December 1868 identifies lots by name but not by number. It indicates the name "Bracken" on the lot which corresponds to #241 on the College map, but no name is given on the plot which corresponds to lot #242. (Copy 3 of Bucktrout-Lively map in Department of Research.) In 1806, the tax records list Elizabeth Carter as owner of one lot valued at $33.34. (See Illustration #2 of the Appendix.) Another reference in 1806 to Elizabeth Carter's property is noted from a Mutual Assurance policy, #707, issued to Samuel Tyler. Tyler's property is described as being located on the south side of Francis Street "between the Lott of Col: Wilson M. Cary West and the Lott of Elizabeth Carter East in the county of James City." (Copy of policy in Department of Research.) Such policy does not take Bracken's small lot, #241, into consideration — which may mean that Bracken had sold both lots to Carter and the cartographer had not noted the change. The only lot owned by John Bracken in 1806 (according to the land tax records) was valued at $5.00 and it was not lot 241.¹

There is a gap in the chain of title for some years. Nothing further is known about Elizabeth Carter's ownership of the lots. In 1842, the Southall Papers, accounts of George Southall a Williamsburg lawyer of the nineteenth century, note evidence of a deed of trust given by Richardson Hubbard to Sheldon and Maupin, merchants, "for certain lots on Francis Street bounded an the north by Francis Street, south by the tanyard,² east by Rosetta Parsons and west by a cross street leading from Francis street south--about an acre or more."(Southall Papers, Folder 153, William and Mary College Archives.)

In 1854, Richard Hubbard was owner in fee simple of one lot, valued at $1200 for lot and buildings. (Land Tax Records for Williamsburg, copy in Department of Research.)

In 1859, Joseph M. Walthall was charged with one lot. The lot, with buildings, was assessed for $1400, "Formerly charged to R. Hubbard."(Land Tax Records for Williamsburg.) Walthall was owner in 1861. (Ibid.)

Mr. John S. Charles, in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" during 1861-65, makes the following statements (on p. 58) about the Walthall house and surrounding property:

On the south east corner of Queen Street, or Wales Alley, there stood, in 1861, as it stands today, the very old building then known as the "Walthall" house which in recent years has been renovated and very much improved. In the rear of this lot there was a "Tan-yard," conducted by old "Boss Hubbard" up to the time of the war.

Mrs. Victoria Lee, in recording her memory of the town, "Williamsburg in 1861" (p. 6), said:

In the next block was the Walthall or Bracken House occupied and owned then by the Walthalls and looking then very similar to its present restored appearance.

In the early twentieth century, the Bracken house was known as the "Montague House." Miss Anne L. Montague of Richmond, Virginia, in writing to Mr. Rutherfoord Goodwin in October 1929, had this to say about the house:

I have a picture of the "Montague" house after I renovated it, but it is framed. I might bring it down or send it some time by my sister. The information I was able to get about the house is almost nothing. It belonged to a Mrs. Walthall and many of our friends in Williamsburg still remember her. (Letter in files of Department of Research)

IN SUMMARY:

The Frenchmen's Map of Williamsburg (1782) indicates a house on 5 apparently the present location of the Bracken house. The College Map (1791?) and the Galt Map (1780?) note "Bracken" on lots 24l and 242. Source material for Williamsburg lists Bracken as owner of eight lots ca. 1785, and land tax accounts for the city note Bracken with lots from 1787 to 1806 when such lots were sold to Samuel Tyler. It is probable that lots 241 and 242 were a part of Bracken's original block of lots above noted. There is some change in the Bracken property as noted on the Bucktrout-Lively Map (1800;1867) as no name appears on lot 242, but Bracken's name is on lot 241. Both land tax accounts for 1804 and 1806 show that Elizabeth Carter had come into possession of one lot "via Bracken." An insurance policy of 1806, issued to Samuel Tyler, bears out the fact of Elizabeth Carter's ownership of property, when the former's lots are described as "between the Lott of Col: Wilson M. Cary West and the Lott of Elizabeth Carter East in the county of James City." After a gap of some forty-five years, Richard Hubbard seems to have come into the property formerly Elizabeth Carter's. In 1854, Hubbard was owner in fee simple of one lot, valued at $1200 for lot and buildings. Joseph M. Walthall succeeded Hubbard as owner, the lot with buildings being valued at $1400, "Formerly charged to R. Hubbard." Williamsburg citizens, Mr. John S. Charles and Mrs. Victoria Lee, recall the time when the Walthalls were living upon the property during the Civil War period and years thereafter. In the twentieth century the house was known as the "Montague House" from owners by that name, before it was acquired for restoration.

Illustration #1
Bracken House

From Frenchman's Map 1782?

Photostat copy of the Williamsburg Plat in "Williamsburg the Old Colonial Capitol" by Lyon G. Tyler

Illustration #2
WILLIAMSBURG LAND TAX RECORDS