Pockets of darkness mark the nation’s history. They are often trapped within the ordinary and chip away at the fabric of our reality. But within the Peyton Randolph House, that fabric is all but gone. Its brushes with death have significantly altered the energy within its antique walls.
Built in 1715, the blood-red building has skirted time and disaster, making it among the nation’s oldest original structures.
Though today it is uninhabited by the living, the dead have made this Colonial Williamsburg haunted house their home. But what is most surprising about this stunning building is who haunts its manicured grounds.
Formerly the home of slave owners, it’s not the 27 indentured who have returned, drawn back to their former forced bond. Rather, the home’s haunting origins tie back to an unlucky family whose history makes for a true horror story.
The tale of the Peyton Randolph House is a treasure for enthusiasts of ghostly encounters. Hear all about the sorrowed Peachy family and the many spirits on a Colonial Williamsburg ghost tour.
Is The Peyton Randolph House the most haunted house in Virginia?
The first declaration of Peyton Randolph House’s spectral presence wasn’t from some contemporary investigator. It came when, over 150 years ago, General Lafayette of the Continental Army spoke of a phantasmic hand that kept him from entering the home.
Since then, the ethereal presence has only compounded. The unfortunate legacy of the Peachy family, which lost at least two children, was followed by even more death.
Bouts of smallpox and the building’s role during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars lend to it being dubbed the most haunted house in Virginia, if not the United States.
The Man For Who It’s Named
The haunted history of the Peyton Randolph House tends to draw focus away from the structure’s earlier years. While named after a prominent political figure, Peyton Randolph, the building was constructed in 1714 for William Robertson.
The Peyton family, relatives to Thomas Jefferson, took ownership in the 1720s.
Sir John Randolph served as the Speaker of the House of Burgesses and as the Virginia colony’s Attorney General. During his time as the head of the household, Sir John built a detached extension to the home.
Though many of his accomplishments would be matched by his eldest son, Peyton, Sir John received one honor nigh impossible to top. For his distinguished service, he became the only native Virginia colonist to be knighted.
After Sir John’s passing in 1737 to what was believed to be stomach cancer, the home reverted to his widow, Susannah.
By 1745, at the age of 24, Peyton inherited the family’s land and began remodeling. His greatest contribution was building the central house, connecting all existing buildings. The only building he didn’t link was the home that his father added.
That became his mother’s private abode until her passing. Along with his brother, John, Peyton continued to serve the Randolph name well. Both followed in Sir John’s footsteps, Peyton as the Speaker of the House of Burgesses and Attorney General and John succeeding his brother in the latter post.
Brother’s Divided and the Randolph Sinister Reality
Unfortunately, the revolution loomed, and the brothers took opposing sides as it neared. A stark loyalist to the British, John left the United States while his brother and son, Edmund, supported the colonies.
It was the last time John would see any of his family, as he died in Britain before reconciling. During the war, Peyton opened his home to patriots and converted it into a field hospital. How many soldiers died within its walls remains unknown.
For all the Randolph family did for the colonies and Virginia, John’s defection to Britain left a mark on its bloodline. It wouldn’t be the only darkness to touch the family and the Randolph household.
In Peyton’s employ, there were upwards of 27 slaves. Though there’s no detailed record of how the Randolphs treated their servants, a bout of smallpox in the mid-1700s did claim the lives of at least four.
In 1775, Peyton died of a stroke, leaving the residence and several of his servants to his wife, Elizabeth. As they had no children, Elizabeth lived in the company of her slaves, including a woman named Eve and her son, George.
After her death in 1782, the Randolph estate was auctioned off. Joseph Hornsby won the highest bid.
Tragedy and the Peachy Family
The history of the Peyton Randolph House remained relatively undocumented under Hornsby’s ownership. It wasn’t until 1858, when the Peachy family moved in, that a cloud seemed to fall over the estate.
An otherwise normal family, the Peachys soon found themselves seemingly cursed by an unseen force. Was it the darkness lingering from the afflicted slaves or the pain of the familial divide when John left for Britain?
Something may have even attached itself to the Peachys before they even moved in.
Whatever force drove the events unfolding at the Peyton Randolph House was ruthless. Others also felt it, as noted by General Lafayette, who famously felt a phantom hand on his shoulder.
Over their time in the home, the Peachy family suffered several tragedies. One child fell from a tree, while several others were said to have died from natural causes. Many visitors have since claimed to have spotted the apparition of the young boy by the very tree he fell from.
Patriarch Thomas Peachy and his wife, Mary Monroe, retained ownership during the Civil War. However, like it did for the patriots, it served a greater purpose for the Confederates. Once again, the home was converted into a field hospital.
Just as with the 18th-century conflict, there’s no record of how many soldiers perished.
The Ghosts of the Peyton Randolph House
You don’t earn the title of the most haunted house in Virginia without the ghost stories to back it. Unsurprisingly, the Peyton Randolph House is no stranger to encounters with the other side.
The phantasmal boy lingering beneath the tree that killed him and General Lafayette’s physical contact is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Workers at the historic site speak of strange voices and uncomfortable run-ins with a mean-spirited ghost thought to be an uncle to the Peachy children who killed himself.
Guests have even witnessed the manifestation of Lady Peachy. More than just a visual haunt, Mary calls out to guests by their names.
The more time that has passed since her death, the more distressed the motherly ghost has become. Some think it’s the weight of her grief, growing heavier and heavier.
The stories have built up over the years, from a maintenance worker confronted by a colonial man to a security guard’s horrifying experience with slamming doors in the basement. As a standout for haunted Williamsburg and its chilling past, the Peyton Randolph House is sure to generate even more spooky stories.
Williamsburg Haunted History
There’s much to learn about the history behind the Peyton Randolph House, including its ties to the afterlife. Secure a spot on a Colonial Williamsburg ghost tour today to hear more.
Hear stories of haunts and their backstories all across the city as you travel between select locations.
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