Richard Taliaferro ( ; –1779) was a

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

architect and builder in Williamsburg,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, in what is now the United States. Among his works is Wythe House, a Georgian-style building that was built in 1750 or 1755. It was declared a U.S.

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1970. and Other works were public buildings, including the Governor's Palace, the

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

, and the President's House at the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William I ...

. Richard Taliaferro was born about 1705 to an Anglo-Italian family, the

Taliaferro Taliaferro ( ), also spelled Talliaferro, Tagliaferro, Talifero, or Taliferro and sometimes anglicised to Tellifero, Tolliver or Toliver, is a prominent family in eastern Virginia and Maryland. The Taliaferros (originally , which means "ironcut ...

s, who had settled in Virginia in the early 17th century from London. He lived most of his adult life at his plantation,

Powhatan The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...

, in

James City County James City County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,254. Although politically separate from the county, the county seat is the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg. Located ...

outside Williamsburg. Taliaferro built the Wythe House in Williamsburg for his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband,

George Wythe George Wythe (; December 3, 1726 – June 8, 1806) was an American academic, scholar and judge who was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The first of the seven signatories of the United States Declaration of Independence from ...

. In his 1775 will, he gave them life tenancy in the house upon his death: "In the name of God Amen, I, Richard Taliaferro of the Parish and county of James City, being aged, but of sound mind and memory, do make my last will and testament as forth with. I give and desire my house and lotts in the city of Williamsburg situate on the west side of Palace Street, and on the North side of the Church yard, to my son-in-law Mr. George Wythe and his wife, my daughter Elizabeth during their lives. ...and I do hereby constitute and appoint my Son-in-law the said George Wythe and my said son Richard Taliaferro Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made." Taliaferro died in 1779 at the age of 74 "with the gout in his head".Virginia Gazette (DN) 3 July 1779

References

External links

Taliaferro Times
People from Williamsburg, Virginia

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...

Year of birth uncertain 1779 deaths {{US-architect-stub