While staying in Virginia, we got to participate in Preservation Virginia’s inaugural Homeschool Day events. The first location of their month-long event was hosted at John Marshall House.
As the sign above says, this was the home of John Marshall. He was the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was largely responsible for shaping it into the third branch of the United States Federal Government, giving it power equal to the Legislative and Executive branches. While visiting his home, we got to learn a lot, not only about John Marshall, but also about life as a moderately well-off family in post-colonial America.
Outside the John Marshall House
The location itself had a great outdoor self-guided tour. It illustrated what it took, from a labor perspective, to maintain a home like this one. From daily trips to the market to the labors of the enslaved people, rising early to prepare food, do laundry, and other domestic duties.
Inside the John Marshall House
Inside the house, they had a guided tour through many of the rooms of the home. All of the rooms were laid out with original furniture, donated by descendants of John and Mary Marshall, or at least from the same era.
I particularly liked that the home had two parlors. One in the front of the home where business was conducted and guests were entertained.
The room was large and stately, with a writing desk on prominent display, as well as a large collection of legal tomes one would need when practicing law.
The back parlor was what we could call the living room, family room, or TV room of a modern home. It was where the lady of the home would spend most of her time, either with the children or with close friends. Often these rooms would overlook the kitchen outbuildings so an eye could be kept on the goingson there.
Also to be seen on the lower level were the butler’s office and the dining room.
The Presence and Presentation of Enslaved People at John Marshall House
One of the things we’ve been very impressed with in regard to how Preservation Virginia presents the history here is how they approach the role of enslaved people. They don’t try to hide it, but they also don’t try and proselytize the horrors of it. They present the facts without modern moralization. When they can, they put names and faces to the people who worked at John Marshall House. Like the butler, Robin Spurlock, or the children’s nursemaid Agnes Spurlock.
One story they shared I found particularly illuminating. When John Marshall died, in his will Robin Spurlock’s disposition was listed as three options. He could get his freedom, $50, and be shipped up north; he could stay attached to the property; or he could be attached to a different property owned by the Marshall family. The tour presenter did an amazing job talking the group through the realities of the options. While freedom sounded great, it would have meant leaving his wife and children behind, as they were not included in the deal. As a former slave, he would have been barred from returning and would have no means to be reunited. Retiring to another property held the same restrictions. In the end, Robin Spurlock chose to stay with the house and his family.
Overall, it was a very memorable, enlightening, and sobering tour and I can’t recommend it enough if you and your children are touring Virginia and want to see un-varnished history.