[ORN] — insurance drawing, showing two floors

Two interesting houses on the edge of the Court End were the Hay-Stanard house on Ninth near Franklin and the “Shot Tower,” 811 East Grace. The former was built by the well-known lawyer George Hay, who married as his second wife a daughter of President Monroe. 

(Find A Grave) — Robert Stanard

In 1812 it was bought by Robert Stanard, and it was here that Edgar Poe came to play with his little friend Robert Craig Stanard and fell under the enchantment of Robert’s beautiful mother, the former Jane Craig. 

(LOC) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate K — showing ownership of Dr. J. Beale

Ezekiel describes the house as

. . . one of the last old-style mansions in that section, with winding stairs, and mantels, the shelves of which were at least six feet above the floor. A favorite joke of his (i.e., Dr. Beale’s, a later owner) when introduced to some new acquaintance, consisted in inviting him to spend a social evening and rest his feet on the mantel while he smoked.

(LOC) — Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond (1905) — Plate 10 — showing candy factory

By the end of the nineteenth century the house had been so altered that only our very early photograph, together with the insurance-drawing, gives any idea of its original distinction. At the time it was built it had two stories, but the grading of the rugged Ninth Street hill increased these to three.

June 2017 — former location of Hay-Stanard House

Altered indeed! The transformation to a commercial building made it completely unrecognizable to the original structure. Even that wouldn’t last, and it gave way to the old Federal Reserve Building, that would eventually consume the entire block.

Mary Wingfield Scott gives the demolition date as 1927, but Robert Winthrop identifies the Federal Reserve as built in 1919. This massive structure is now the Supreme Courts building, and it went through a number of changes to reach its current state. So Ms. Scott may be right, it’s just hard to visualize, seeing what we have today.

[HOR] — facing the south portico, with Second Presbyterian (left) & Second Baptist (right) in view

The Randolphs did not actually sell the house until 1804. Afterwards the indefatigable Molly opened a boarding-house that was famous for its hospitality. The cook-book which she compiled became as much the vade mecum of old Virginia housekeepers as Marion Harland’s cook-book was for a later generation. David Meade Randolph, “soldier of the Revolution,” lived until 1830, when he died near Yorktown.

(LOC) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate K

The succeeding “Elector of Moldavia,” Joseph Gallego, was a native of Spain but had lived in Richmond at least since 1784. In 1798 the mills bearing his name were built. With David Ross and J. A. Chevallié, Gallego was a founder of the milling industry, which became second only to tobacco in Richmond’s economy. Gallego and Chevallié married sisters, and Mrs. Gallego perished in the Theatre Fire of 1811. Her husband never recovered from this blow and died in 1818.

(Virginia Historical Society) — portrait of Joseph Gallego

How much of “Moldavia” was built by the Randolphs and how much by Joseph Gallego is hard to determine. Unfortunately the first insurance policy taken out with the Mutual Assurance Society dates from 1820, when house and outbuildings were complete. From the increase in valuation for taxes during Gallego’s ownership, from $4000 in 1804 to $18,000 in 1810 and $36,000 in 1813, it is evident that he must have made changes. That these all consisted in added outbuildings (of which there were eight) is improbable. What seems likely is that he added the wing on the north with its triple window, and possibly the portico overlooking the river.

April 2017 — marker for the John Allan house, South Fifth Street

In 1825 John Allan, the foster-father of Edgar Allan Poe, inherited a fortune from his uncle William Galt, and in July of that year he bought Gallego’s late home. There Allan’s first wife died, there he quarreled with the youthful Poe when the latter contracted debts at the University of Virginia. To this house Allan brought his second wife, and in it their three sons were born. There, in 1834, “Jock” Allan, as Mordecai calls him, passed away. Mrs. Allan lived on there until her death, long afterward, in 1881.

(The Poe Blog)

The house had been little changed except that another room with a three-sided bay had replaced a porch in the rear of what was probably Gallego’s addition. After Mrs. Allan’s death it was rented to various people. Many Richmond women remember attending the art classes held there by Miss Lillie Logan. The young ladies from Miss Mary Johnson’s school marched down from the Call house to have their art lessons. The “very door” where the Raven had perched on the bust of Pallas was pointed out by some lively imagination! 

April 2017 — facing 3 South Fifth Street today