1. 46
APPENDIX A:
Chronology of Mayo-Harris/Clifton Site

2. 47
APPENDIX A — Chronology of Mayo-Harris House/Clifton Site
1797 Mar Mayo sketch 5-part villa with wings very similar to Latrobe design for Mayo-Harris house
ca 1798 Latrobe makes perspective, site plans and probably floorplan drawings for Mayo House on
Council Chamber hill
After 1798 Mayo or Latrobe pass plans to George Winston? Latrobe keeps perspective & site plan
Mayo decides not to build villa sited on Council Chamber hill
1807 Dec 18
Negotiable note deeded on 4 acres of land on the Council Chamber hill from Mayo to
Charles Copeland and Thomas Howell, including is “a large garden, a brick dwelling house
(formerly called the Old Council Chamber) and offices or out offices”; RCC Book 5 page 160
1808 May
Ben. James Harris buys 2 lots on the lower slope of the Council Chamber tenement from
Thomas Taylor, exactly matching future footprint of “Clifton”; RCC Book 5 page 214
1808 or later
Harris or someone commissions “Clifton” design plans likely from George Winston, his
brother-in-law
1815
Harris purchases Belvidere, moves to and begins development of “Belvidera”
1815 Dec 27
Harris’s MASV declaration no. 1799 on Belvidere assures dwelling for $6,000; site is “now
occupied by himself”
1816
Harris’s 1st MASV declaration no. 1086 on site later known as “Clifton” (dated Mar 19,
1818) notes special agents examined the property
1816 Aug 11 BJH sells 5 lots near Clifton (7,8,9,10 & 11) to Temple Gwathmey; noted in RCC Book 11
page 310
1817
Formed business partnership w/ George Winston & Jacqueline B. Harvie (Col. Harvie’s son)
to develop Sydney (The Fan)
1818 Mar 19
Harris’s 1st MASV declaration no. 1086 on site later known as “Clifton” signed, and includes
tobacco manufactory on site, dwelling assured for $20,000; site is “now occupied by
[Harris]”
1818 Jul 9 Harris buys back 1/2 of 5 lots sold near Clifton site from Gwathmey; RCC Book 14 page
625
1822 Aug 5
Harris’s MASV declaration no. 4550 on Belvidere, values dwelling at $5,000; site is not
occupied by Harris
Harris’s MASV declaration no. 4549 on “Clifton” values dwelling at $16,000; site is “now
occupied by himself”
1824 spring
BJH “failed in business... and conveyed and delivered his property and assets to Thomas
Taylor, Carter B. Page and Lewis Rogers, as trustees to sell collect and divide among his
creditors” per RCC Book 26 page 229
1825 May 4
Trustees advertise and hold public auction for BJH’s personal and real property, per RCC
Book 39 page 83
1825 May 9 Temple Gwathmey highest bidder of 5 lots of BJH land lying in Adams Valley, per RCC Book
39 page 83
1825 ca Transfer of Clifton property to Madison Walthall, probably via auction
1836 Aug 4 Transfer of Clifton property from Madison Walthall to David M. Branch for $1, per RCC Book
36 page 125
1837 May 18 Transfer of Clifton property from David M. Branch to Pankey
1839 Oct 10 Transfer of Clifton property from Eliza R.B. Pankey to William Allison for $1, per RCC Book
40 p 198
1843 or later Clifton used as a boarding house per MWS

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APPENDIX A — Chronology of Mayo-Harris/Clifton Site, continued.
ca 1862 Mrs. [Constance Cary] Burton Harrison arrives at Clifton house with cousins and aunt &
uncle
1882 Jun 1 Transfer of Clifton property from Allison to Edwin G. Booth
1886 Mar 13 Will of Edwin G. Booth transfers Clifton with estate to his son, Dr. E.G. Booth
1889 Feb 13 Sheltering Arms Hospital opens at Clifton site
1892 Dec 7 Sheltering Arms Hospital moves to new location at 1008 E Cary Street
1903 summer Clifton demolished, architect George R. Tolman surveys site in detail
1904, Jan
Survey of Clifton published in 1904’s American Architect and Building News 1
1 “Construction of an Old Virginia House.” American Architect and Building News.