Back of Anderson’s House on Francis Street (now called the Barraud House) and his first shop.
This week Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz provides some historical context for the Armoury project by sharing his research on James Anderson, and Anderson’s rise to the position of Public Armourer. In this first installment, Ken writes about Anderson’s early years in business, up to his expansion onto what we now refer to as the Armoury property.
James Anderson was a Williamsburg blacksmith who achieved financial success and public recognition as a tradesman and mechanic. Born in Gloucester, Virginia, in 1740, his presence in Williamsburg and entry into the blacksmith’s profession is recorded 1762 in the accounts of harness maker Alexander Craig, who sold the 22-year old Anderson leather for a bellows. By 1765, Anderson had settled on the southern half of lot 19 (now called the Barraud House), and established his blacksmith business. Behind this house, on the site of the present-day kitchen, was Anderson’s workshop, a modest sized frame structure housing one forge.
Within a few years, his economic success, social standing, and community connections led to a political patronage appointment as the Armourer to the Magazine. It was the Armourer’s responsibility to see that the weapons stored in the Magazine were periodically inspected and cleaned to assure that they were in working order. Payments for his work as Armourer continued throughout the remainder of the Colonial Period, except from early 1769 to late 1770 when Anderson may have traveled to Britain.
In October of 1770 Anderson purchased colonial lot 18 (the James Anderson House) from William Holt. Initially this property was an investment for Anderson, and it was rented out to various tenants, including tavern keepers William Drinkard and Christiana Campbell. By 1775, as the political situation deteriorated, Virginia established a Committee of Safety to administer civil authority and prepare for war. Tradesmen were to play a large role in the unfolding crisis, providing technical expertise and material goods for the defense of the Commonwealth.
James Anderson apparently proved himself a capable workman and manager in the public interests, for he was contracted by the Committees of Safety, and later the State of Virginia, as Public Armourer. During 1776, the armourer’s work was carried out at Anderson’s single-forge blacksmith shop “in the back street” behind his residence (the Barraud House). As the war intensified, increasing demands on the armoury required an expanded work force and a larger workspace to accommodate the extra hands. Anderson enlarged his existing shop in early 1777. On January 7 of that year, William Finnie, Deputy Quartermaster for the State, authorized payment to John Lamb for “…building a Smith’s Shop…£41..1..10 ½” while Humphrey Harwood recorded charges on January 26 of that year for “..Building a forge chimney and underpinning a shop at J. Anderson’s, by order of Colo. Finnie…2.5..0”. This government financial underwriting of workshop construction continued throughout the war.
1940s Excavation on the Barraud property reveal foundations of Anderson’s first shop.
In March of 1777 Anderson formalized his working relationship with the state agreeing to “..do blacksmith’s work for the Commonwealth of Virginia at his shop in Williamsburg…” He was to be reimbursed for the rent of “..his shop, six setts of tools, and eight vises for the gunsmiths business…” as well as “…two forges and five apprentices…” Archaeological investigation of the Barraud property identified an “L”-shaped building and two-forge foundations within the structure that stood on the site of the present reconstructed kitchen. This physical evidence is consistent with the documentary evidence of a two forge workshop with a significant area (the “L” addition) probably dedicated to finishing and assembly work (the eight vises for the gunsmith’s business), and suggests that from 1775 to early 1778 Anderson carried out his public and private business in the shop on lot 19.
Contributed by Kenneth Schwarz, Blacksmith, Master of the Shop.
pat johnson says
I am trying to find out if my relative William Drinkard had his tavrn in the Anderson House while it was still brick and burned down or if it was after it was rebuild. Thanks
I too enjoy the camera, and at times wish there were more! I would like to see the progress from the inside too.
I do appreciate the effort you put into keeping all the cameras operating, and the responses to the comments.
Dave,
Thanks for the positive feedback. You’ll be happy to know that you currently have access to all activity at the Anderson kitchen, since work on the building (at the moment) is confined to reconstructing the chimney. We will soon begin to lay the flooring for the space above the kitchen. Rest assured that we’ll look for ways to take you there as well!
Ron Trabandt says
With much interest I have been daily checking the webcams to view the progress of the archaeological and reconstruction work at the Armoury site. Thanks for installing the webcams and the written updates on James Anderson and his work. It is hoped that at least one of the webcams will be moved so viewers will be able to watch the archaeologist at work when the weather improves.
Ron
Ken, thanks for the information. I had been looking for the Anderson property on the online map and could not locate it until you provided this information referencing Francis Street. I guess the Barraud property is lised as Dr. Barraud House on the online map. Is the blacksmith shop with reconstructed kitchen listed as the blacksmith shop on the online map. This part of the property is called Lot 19. I see the James Anderson House next to the Brick House Tavern which I guess is Lot 18. Was the tavern there or did that come later. How convenient that would have been. Thanks again for the information Ken I enjoy learning more about CW.
Ronald,
You are absolutely right. The Armoury currently under reconstruction has been known as Anderson’s blacksmith shop for many years. To call it the Armoury (as we are now doing) simply references the most developed state of the property during the Revolutionary War years.
James Anderson did, indeed, live in the house now called the Dr. Barraud house. Although he owned what we now call the James Anderson House, Anderson rented it to tavern-keepers until 1778.
With all their comings and goings, it’s difficult to keep tabs on these 18th century characters….much like today!
Checking the progress on the chimney I noticed it appears the larger flue that was just installed had to be cut to fit in its place. Just curious if there was any particular reason the chimney was not made big enough to accommodate the larger flue size. Thanks again for sharing this web cam experienece.
Ronald,
You are observant! Despite all appearances to the contrary, this flue was planned the way you see it being constructed on the webcam. Archaeological excavation determined the dimensions of the kitchen’s original chimney. Use of a full-sized flue liner in this case would have translated into a larger chimney than what was discovered in the ground. As a result, we planned for one of the flue liners to be trimmed to fit in the allocated space. The masons are filling in the voids with mortar. Thanks to Clyde Kestner for explaining these and other construction mysteries to us!