Transcription
[5] [Oct. 1975] [Weems House]
The Weems-Botts House at the corner
of Duke and Cameron Street in Dumfries,
is first on the tour. The Weems
House is reported to be the oldest frame
house in Dumfries. It sits on 1.6 acres of
land at the corner. Parson Weems,
nationally known biographer of George
Washington, bought the house in 1768
from the trustees of Dumfries for "35
pounds, current money of Virginia."
Weems apparently used the house as a
bookstore. He moved to Bel Air Plantation
in 1808 or 1809 and preached at
Pohick Church during his years in Prince
William County.
The property was sold to Benjamin
Botts, a noted local attorney, in 1802.
Botts came into national prominence
during the Aaron Burr trial. Upon his
death in the Richmond theater fire of
1811, the property came into the hands of
John Minor Botts. From 1869 until a
recent date the property was the residence
of the Merchant family and was purchased
in May of 1974 by Historic
Dumfries to house a museum to contain
artifacts and papers from the area and
serve as an information center forTranscriber
Adam KitchenLanguage
English