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The Capers-Motte House is a pre-Revolutionary house at 69 Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina. The house was likely built before 1745 by Richard Capers. Later, the house purchased and became the home of Colonel Jacob Motte, who served as the treasurer of the colony for 27 years until his death in 1770. His son, also named Jacob Motte, married Rebecca Brewton, daughter of goldsmith Robert Brewton and sister of 
In 1778, Colonel James Parsons occupied the house; he was a member of the Continental Congress and had been offered the vice-presidency of South Carolina before the formation of the United States. From 1800 to 1811,
Miles Brewton
The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...
, a wealthy slave trader.
In 1778, Colonel James Parsons occupied the house; he was a member of the Continental Congress and had been offered the vice-presidency of South Carolina before the formation of the United States. From 1800 to 1811, O'Brien Smith
O'Brien Smith (April 27, 1811) was an Irish-American political figure who served in South Carolina's House and Senate in the first decade of the 19th century, as well as one term in the U.S. Congress representing South Carolina's 4th congres ...
, a member of Congress, owned the house. At his death, he left the house to his widow. Later it was owned by his sister Honora Smith Pyne.
Mrs. William Mason Smith bought the house in 1869. Her granddaughter, American artist Alice Ravenel Huger Smith, lived in the house in the 20th century.
After the house was bought in 1969 by Anthony Cecil and his wife, they had it restored to its Georgian and Adam period appearance, with later changes removed.
The house follows a traditional double-house format with four principal rooms on each floor, and a centrally located stair hall. An unusual feature is that the third-floor windows are the same height as those on the first two floors; the expected design would have had smaller windows on the third floor.
See also
*Robert Brewton House
The Robert Brewton House is a historic house at 71 Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina. With a construction date at or before 1730, it is the oldest dated example of a "single" house. A single house is one room wide, with the narrow en ...
*Branford-Horry House
The Branford-Horry House is located at 59 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The house is unusual for its piazza, which extends over the public sidewalk.
The three-stor ...
References
Houses in Charleston, South Carolina {{SouthCarolina-struct-stub