 he DuPre House occupies town lot 54, first laid out by Elisha Screven in 1734. The lot
had several owners: John Caine, a blacksmith (1734), Christopher Caine, and John Arthur,
who built the first house. By 1752, the premises were owned by Mary and William Topping
who, on October 4th of that year, sold the lot and house to Paul Trapier, referred to as the
“King of Georgetown”. One year later, in 1753, the house was sold once again, this time to
Susannah Gignilliat, daughter of Johan Gignilliat and Mary Magdalen DuPre. Susannah
lived in the house until at least 1776, as she filed a claim for reimbursement during the
American Revolution for supplies given to American troops.
 ecords of ownership for the next several years were destroyed as a result of
Sherman’s Advance during the Civil War. By the 1840’s, the house was owned by
the June Easterling Estate, and on October 4, 1868, was sold at auction for $610 to Benjamin
I. Hazard, a shipping magnate. In 1892, Benjamin’s widow sold lot 53 to John Bourne
for $5,500.
hough the house at 921 Prince Street was extensively altered during the twentieth century
when converted to a bed & breakfast, the DuPre House serves as a reminder of the architectural
heritage brought to Georgetown by the early residents. Current owners, Sam
Murphy, formerly of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and Karen Komar, a retired
United States Army officer, acquired the |
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| property in July 2003.
They are deeply committed to preserving this historic dwelling for
future generations to admire and study. Appropriate period features
and fixtures were installed to replace many modern items
added during the previous renovations. Antiques and artwork
from the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries adorn the interior. |
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