John Rowzee account statement

Content Description

This collection contains a detailed, eight-page account statement from Lewis Hord to John Rowzee for building a house and repairing an older one, plus other services. Charges are all in pounds, shillings,and pence, and cover the years 1809 to1817 with later annotations in 1819 and 1820. The new building is described as a two-story structure plus a full basement, measuring 32 x 20 feet, with a passageway, or hyphen, attaching it to the old house to include the front of the new home. All the lumber required, the type of wood used, and the lengths of each group are set out with the cost of each. Als o listed are door jambs, window frames; fireplaces; and nails; every detail is covered and costed. There are additional items listed: a walnut coffin (presumably for the son who died in childhood), in 1811 there is a charge for building a "corn house" and "corn crib"; charges for moving (furniture?) are made. The Rowzee Family came over to America in the 17th century. One branch settled in Exxex County, Virginia. The first Rowzees in Essex were Edward and Ralph and their half-brother John Catlett. As was true of many families, the same name crops up again and again, often in the same generation with first cousins having the same name, and it is difficult to say with any certainty which John Rowzee is the one appearing on this document. There are two possibilities: John Rowzee (1751-1829) married to Isabella Miller (1751-1819), a resident of Essex and the son of Col. John Rowzee (1705-1775). The other and perhaps more likely possibility is the owner of Epping Forest in the early 1800s, and his wife, Harriott Frances Rouzie, who was also his first cousin. John died in 1819, and Harriott in 1821.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased from Franklin GIlliam Rare Books, 18 July 2023.

Restrictions Apply

No