The Burgess Law Office, a story and half frame house with a roof line that follows the older Georgian style with a rear wing and porch, is furnished with period furniture and has been moved at least two times. It was most likely was erected around 1807 by Edward Daniel, but was acquired by Thomas Burgess around 1821 who used it as his home and his law office. Burgess served in several assemblies. In his 1836 will, Burgess specified that Miles Howard, a free black barber be allowed to live in the house for as long as he desired. Eventually, the Burgess family sold the house and it changed ownership several times before being acquired in the 1920s by the Elizabeth Montfort Ashe Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) who were under the incorrect assumption that the state constitution was written in the building. The DAR deeded it to the state historic site in 1964.

The house is furnished with period furniture. One interesting artifact of note is a handsome heart pine cabinet (pictured above) attributed to William Seay, known as the WH Cabinetmaker because of the WH cartouche on some of the pieces. Seay was a full-service house joiner and cabinetmaker working out of his shop in the town of Roxobel in Bertie County, NC. His most prominent patron was Whitmell Hill 1743-1797 of Bertie County who entrusted Seay around 1790s with both the construction of his manner house and a large furniture commission. Seay also was involved in the residence of Governor David Stone, “Hope Plantation”, near Windsor in Bertie County. David Stone read law under WR Davie in Halifax.

The DAR Chapter is named after Elizabeth Ashe 1755-1812, wife of John Baptista Ashe and daughter of Joseph Montfort. Her sister Mary was the wife of Willie Jones.

Source: National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service)