Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

THE BRACKEN HOUSE

It is difficult to trace titles to property on Francis Street which was often called "the back street" in eighteenth century records, because the James City County records were destroyed during the Civil War. The Unknown Draftsman's Map apparently made during the late eighteenth or early 19th century shows the name "Bracken" in two lots here. Residents of the nineteenth century still living and active mentally when the Restoration began alluded to this as the Bracken House.

The Reverend John Bracken lived in Williamsburg from 1773 until the time of his death in 1818. During that time he was the rector of Bruton Parish Church. He combined his ministerial work with teaching during some of those years, in the College of William and Mary. He was president of the College from 1812-1814. In 1776, he married Sally Beerwell of Carter's Grove. His unmarked grave is at Carter's Grove.

At the time of the Civil War this house was occupied by the Walthalls. Its appearance, then, according to one resident, of Williamsburg, was very similar to its present restored one.

LOT NO. 241-242
BLOCK NO. 2-1, MAP OF 1940
BRACKEN'S HOUSE - No. 139

The loss of the James City County records makes it difficult to trace the ownership of Bracken's House which was in that county.

From the tax records, it appears that Richard Crump may have built the house, although that fact is uncertain. In 1783, he was the owner of a lot in Williamsburg (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, (1), p.114). In the tax records for 1785 and 1791, he is accredited with one lot, but in 1797, his name does not appear on the records. The Williamsburg Land Transfers (Virginia State Library) for 1794 show one lot transferred from Richard Crump to John Bracken. John Bracken's lots in the late eighteenth century are listed as follows:

Year	No. of Lots	Annual Value or Yearly Rent	Tax
1783	None		(11W (1) 114 (Secondary)
1785	6	£16 10s	S16.6
1791	6	15	15
1797	6	15	15
	1	7	7s
1801	6	$50	78
	1	23.34	38¢
1804	1	Elizabeth Carter via Bracken (Wmbg. Land Transfers)

That the one lot in 1801 was valued at almost half the valuation of the six lots seems to indicate that it had the better house on it, or was more conveniently located.

On the unknown draftsman's map, the lots bounded by England, Francis, Queen, and Ireland Streets are marked "Bracken's 8 lots." Lots 241 and 242 on Francis Street where the present "Bracken House" is located -2- have the name "Bracken" written in them. The Bucktrout-Lively map has only this difference - that Bracken's name is written in the lot that corresponds to 242, but no name was written in the lot corresponding to 241. (The lots in the latter map are unnumbered.)

The information given below throws no clear light on the house in question, but is presented in the hope that further information may make it useful for purposes of interpretation. After 1801, Bracken's holdings in Williamsburg are listed in the tax records as follows:

		No. of lots	Annual Value	Tax
1806	Brackens, John Revd	1	$5	8¢
1810	None
1812	None
1815	Bracken, John	8¼	$120	Via Anthony Robinson & Elizabeth his wife certain Houses & Lotts of land
1817	Bracken, John H.	8¼	$140
1818		7¼
	Sands, Thomas	3¼		(1 via John Bracken one acre of land on the south side of Frances Street)
1819	John Bracken's Est.	7¼	$137	$127 (Value
1820	John Bracken's Est.	1	$1000	(Value of/of lot House)and Building)
1825	John Bracken's Est.	1	$1275	1000
1828	John Bracken's Est.	1	1275	1000
1830	John Bracken's Est.	1	1275	1000
1835	John Bracken's Est.	1	1000	1275
1840	John Bracken's Est.	1	1500	1500
1843	Lemuel J. Bowden	1	1100	1500
	Via Susan Byrd, Heretofore charged to the estate of John Bracken dec'd.
1854	Richardson Hubbard	1	800	1200
1859	John M. Walthall		1000	Formerly charged to R. Hubbard
1861	John M. Walthall		1000
	Do.		500

After 1806, there is no record in the tax books of Bracken's one lot. The tax records quoted after that may refer to some other property -3- of Bracken's. The last three years are included because the Bracken House was spoken of by Mr. Charles and Mrs. Lee as the Walthall House.

Venerable citizens of Williamsburg remember the Bracken House as given below:

Mrs. Victoria Lee, Williamsburg in 1861, p. 6. In the next block No. 2-1, was the Walthall or Bracken House occupied and owned then by the Walthalls and looking then very similar to its present restored appearance.

Mr. Charles, Recollections, p. 58. 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.

According to a secondary source John Bracken was rector of Bruton Parish 1773-1818. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 3, (1), p. 179). A primary source gives the date in which he was chosen rector as 1773; (Virginia Gazette, Purdie, June 17, 1773); another proves that he was rector in 1813. (Tyler's Quarterly, II. p. 193.)

He was accused of engaging in the attack on Professor Samuel Henley of the College of William and Mary in 1774-1775. (Virginia Gazette, John Pinkney, Mar. and April, 1775).

In 1775, he was a member of the faculty of the College of William and Mary as master of the Grammar School. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 15, (1), p. 137).

In 1776, he married Sally Burwell, daughter of Carter Burwell of Carter's Grove (Virginia Gazette, Alex. Purdie, Sept. 13, 1776).

On April 9, 1777, he was chosen as clerk of the meeting of the -4- President and Masters and librarian, and "the Book of the Meeting, Blank leaves & the Key of the Library &c. were Delivered" into his hands. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 15, p. 142).

Bracken must have been poorly paid by the college, for in 1782, at a meeting of the president and professors of the College of William and Mary, it was felt necessary to retain the services of the Attorney-General [Edmund Randolph] as counsel in case Mr. Bracken should commence a suit for arrears of salary or any other cause. (Ibid., Vol. 15, (1) p. 267.)

In 1787, he was director of the Grammar School [re-opened after the Revolution?] (Virginia Gazette and Weekly Advertiser, January 4 and March 8, 1787).

March 8, 1787
WILLIAMSBURG, Nov. 10, 1786
INFORMATION is given to the public, that the GRAMMAR SCHOOL in the city of Williamsburg is now under the direction of Rev. Mr. BRACKEN; board and lodging in the Capitol will be discontinued, but may be had in private houses on reasonable terms. The languages, writing and arithmetic will be taught, and the terms will be two pounds five shillings per quarter, to be paid in advance. Those who choose to learn the
FRENCH LANGUAGE,
may have an opportunity of doing it. (Virginia Gazette and Weekly Advertiser, Thomas Nicolson.)

He was mayor of Williamsburg in 1800 (Calendar of State Papers, IX, 153.)

As administrator of the deceased Professor Charles Bellini's estate, he corresponded with Thomas Jefferson, who was in Italy at the time, 1807. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 5, (2) p.p. 14-29).

-5-

He was president of the College of William and Mary, 1812-1814 (The History of the College of William and Mary from Its Foundation 1660, to 1874, p. 80).

Bracken frequently preached a sermon on special occasions. On July 20, 1775, the day was observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer in Williamsburg. Mr. Bracken "preached a sermon suitable to the occasion." (Virginia Gazette, John Pinkney). On August 15 of the same year "being the Anniversary of the Transfer Day at the College," he preached a sermon. (Virginia Gazette, Alex. Purdie, Aug. 18, 1775). His Thanksgiving sermon in 1795, he thought, merited the following announcement:

May 9, 1795
FOR SALE AT THIS OFFICE
A SERM0N
Preached in the parish Church of Bruton, Williamsburg; on Thursday, February 19t, 1795; being the day appointed to be Kept, as a General Thanksgiving to ALMIGHTY GOD throughout the United States of America. BY JOHN BRACKEN, D.D. (Virginia Gazette and Weekly Advertiser, Thomas Nicholson.)

Additional facts about Bracken's property in Williamsburg are found in the report on the Allen-Byrd House.

Three suppositions about Bracken based upon what sources are unknown are these: he may have come to Virginia from England with Lord Dunmore in 1772. Dunmore's influence may have been responsible for Bracken's selection as rector of Bruton Parish (William and Mary College Papers Concerning the College. Folder 95). The college communion plate was believed kept with that of the Church while Bracken was both rector and president, and so continued to be kept. (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 6 (1), p. 40).

-6-

Bracken was president of the Board of Directors of the Insane Hospital 1790-91 (Tyler, Williamsburg, p. 244). Jefferson gives disgust with the conduct of the professors, with that of ex-professor Bracken in particular, as the cause for George Wythe's resignation from the college faculty. This explanation is found in a letter from Jefferson to William Short, written Dec. 14, 1789:

Mr. Wythe had abandoned the College of William and Mary, disgusted with some conduct of the professors & particularly of the ex-professor Bracken, & perhaps too with himself for having suffered himself to be too much irritated with that. The visitors will try to condemn what gave him offence & press him to return: otherwise it is over with the college. (The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Paul Leicester Ford, ed. 1904, Vol. 6, pp. 23-24).

Bracken was elected third bishop of Virginia, but served only one year, resigning in 1813. (William and Mary College Papers, Folder 95).

His obituary notice appeared in the Richmond Enquirer, July 24, 1818 (Virginia Magazine, Vol. 22, P. 428).

The Bulletin of the College of William and Mary, Vol. 26, No. 2, p. 18 contains this statement about the Bracken House:

The Bracken House is a four-room cottage with two large chimneys and is typical of the architecture of the day. The home, since 1928 has been occupied by Bishop John B. Bentley, former assistant rector of Bruton Parish Church, now Bishop of the Yukon, [Alaska] and is now the residence of his successor. Bulletin Catalogue of the Alumni and Alumnae.
Summer, 1940.

THE REVD JOHN BRACKIN

1780			Dv
	th
Augut	4	To 3 bushels of Wheat at 6/0 (A 19th) to 3 ditto . . .	18.
	19	To 3 Do of Do a 6/0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18.
Septemr	4	To 3 Do of Do a 6/0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18.
	30	To 3 Do of Do a 6/0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18.
		To 3 Do of Do a 6/0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18.
1782
Augt	24	To 3 Do of Do a 6/0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18.
Decemr	20	To a Hogshead of Tobacco Weight Neat 979 lb at 20/ . .	9.15.
1783
Februay	18	To 6 Bushels of Wheat a 6/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1.16
April	1	To 13-¼ lb of sole Leather a 11-½d . . . . . . . .	.12.5½
Augt	5	To an Order Given you on the Revd Mr. James Madison President, of Wm & Mary College, the Above order Accepted	20. 0.0
			£37.11.5 ½

THE REVEREND JOHN BRACKEN

1784
July	9	To 620 lb of Oats a 6/. pr C . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1.17.
	17	To 1,525 lb of Oats a 6/. pr C . . . . . . . . . . . .	4.11.6
August	12	To 320 lb of Oats a 6/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	.19.2
	25	To 330 lb of Oats a 6/. pr C . . . . . . . . . . . . .	.19.8
Sepr	18	To 524 lb of Oats in the Straw a 6/. . . . . . . . .	1.11.
		Carried to Follio (.78)	9.18.4

(Humphrey Harwood's Ledger B 38)

		PER CONTRA	Cr
1780
	th
Decemr	30	By A Years Schooling. a hhd Tobacco, or £10.0.0	£10.0. 0
1781
Decemr	30	By a A Peart of a years Schooling Occationed By the Invation	7.11.½
1782
Decemr	30	By A Years Schooling at A hhd of Tobacco	10.-. -
1783
June	25	By half a years Schooling of My Sons Wm & Humy	10.
			£37.11.5½

		PER CONTRA	Cr
1784
	th
Octor	1	By 43 lb. 5 oz. of loaf Sugar at 1/3. & 2 lb of Hyson Tea @ 16/	4.6.1½
1785
Januy	13	By 33½lb of ditto @ 1/3. & 1 lb. Huson Tea 16/	2.17.102
			£7.4.-

[B 38 - opp. page]

		THE REVEREND JOHN BRACKEN	Dr.
1785	th
		Dr. Brought from Folio (38)	£ 9.18. 4
March	31	To 4 bushels of Oats a 2/6	.10.
April	21	To 3 bushels of do a 2/6	7. 6
May	14	To 300 bundles of Fodther @ 3/6	.10.
Octbr	11	To 12 bushels of wheat a 6/	3.12.
Novr	26	To 2 bushels of mortar 2/ . & repairing plastering 2/6	4. 6
Decemr	9	To 3 bushs of mortar 3/ . 40 larthes 7½C & 150 Nails 9 C	4.42
		To Repairing Larthing & Plastering 3/9	3. 9
1786
April	7	To 6 bushels of Oats a 2/6	.15.
	13	To 83 lb of Fodther a 6/ Pr C.	. 5.
Decemr	10	To Repairing plastering in 2 Rooms, & passages, & do a cealing	2. 5.
		To 6 Days labr @ 2/6	.15
1787
Januy	20	To 8 bushels of lime 8/. 895 Bricks @3. pr C	1.14.10
		To larthing & plastering 96 Yds @ 6. in Kitchen	2. 8
		To Repairing do up Stares 15/. & 8 days labr @ 2/6	1.15
		To Ditto Kitchen Chimney & Oven 24/. & laying Harth 3/9	1. 7. 9
March	24	To White-washing 8 Rooms & 2 passages a 4/6	2. 5.
		To do --- 4 Rooms & Kitchen a 4/	.16.
Novemr		To 5-½ bushels of White-wash a 7/	.11.
	16	To 2400 Bricks a 30/ & l4 days labour a 2/6	5. 7
		To building a Chimney to Londary 50/	2.10.
		To underpining - - - do & smoke House 30/.	1.10.
		To laying 4 Hearths a 2/6. & repairing 2 do 2/6	.12. 6
		To do - - - - do to Londary 3/6 & floor 12/6	.16.
		To plastering 2 Chimnies 5/. & to 4 days labr 10/.	.15.
			£41.18. 5-½
		Carried to Folio 121.

(B 78)

		PER CONTRA	Cr.
1785	th	Cr. Brought forward	£ 7. 4.
April	19	By 192 hhds Shells from Glebe @ 1/3	1. 4. 4½
May	20	By Two Mary put to your Horse @ 60/. Each	6. 0
1786
May	8	By one Ditto put to your Do 60/	3. 0

(B 78 - opposite page)

THE REVD JOHN BRACKEN, DR.

1787	th	Dr. Brought from Folio 78	£41.18. 5½
Novr	16	To repairing Back-steps 10/	.10.
	23	To underpinning stable 15/ & laying ye Dairy Floor 6/	1. 1.
		To lathing & plastering 56 Yds in Londary a 6d	1. 8.
		To 5 days labour a 2/6 & 2 bushels of lime pd 2/	.14. 6
Decr	1	To building a Store 12/6 & 2 days labr 5/	.17. 6
			£46. 9. 5½

See posted p. 43, Ledger C.

		PER CONTRA	Cr
1787		By Credits from folio 78	£17. 8. 1½
Novemr	16	By 4 bushels of lime taken away 4/	.4
			£17.12. 1½

See posted fol. 214. Ledg. C.
(B 121)

THE REVD JOHN BRACKEN

			Dr.	Cr
1790		To amount of Drs brt from fol. 121. Led: B.	£46. 9. 5½
		By amt of Ch		£17.12. 1½
	th
Octor	25	To ¾ of a days work of Nat 3/	. 3.
1791		By a Scotch Carpet	£4.16.6	4.16. 6
Decr		By yards of Cloth &c
1792	th
Octo:	26	To 2 Days work of Nat a 4/	. 8.
		By amot of yr Acct not credited before		31.16. 6
			47. 0.5½
		To amot of Acct page 11 Led: C	4.3
			47. 4.8
				54. 5.1½
		Bals due you on these Accts carried to my Book I S	7.0.5

(Humphrey Harwood's Ledger, C 43)

Mr John Bracken

			Dr.	Cr.
1794	th
Jany	24	To Whitewashing 1 Room @ 3/9	. 3. 9
		To Whitewash.	. 6
			4. 3

Carried to folio 43 Led. D.
(D 11 )