Thomas Duvall House
155 Constitution St. (East Second Street), built before 1818
Thomas Duvall, in his will dated July 4, 1821, (d. 1825) "being nearly 53 years of age and weak in body," referred to his "house plot in Lexington." (1818 Dir.: "Thomas Duvall, Constitution St.") He also owned a farm and directed that the house in Lexington be sold for the benefit of his children. He willed to his wife, Salley, the use of the farm, together with the furniture and livestock, "that she may have something to eat and to give my dear children and friends when they come to see her." The will, witnessed by John Brand and Wm. M. Brand, was amended in a codicil June 6, 1825, wherein he directed that his wife relinquish her dower to his Lexington house and it be sold for the "payment of monies due Thos. Edwards," his grandson. John Brand and Wm. M. Brand witnessed the will.
Duvall was deeded "one house and lot" fronting 60 feet in Constitution St. and "running back 100 feet to Pine Alley" from Matthew Kennedy and the heirs of James W. Brand in 1823. Apparently it is the oldest brick house on the block and the builders were Kennedy and Brand, who laid out the lots here. Duvall's deed said the house and lot had been sold to Daniel Talbott's administrators, who transferred to him and bought the old house next door.
In 1826 Duvall's administrator sold the house to John P. Eblen. On March 6, 1830, Eblen and his wife, Prudence, conveyed the house and lot to John Neat. The consideration was $525 "and a Negro woman and child valued at $475 current money of Kentucky."
Eblen on the day he made the deed purchased of Richard Scott the adjoining lot (formerly owned by Wm. Walden) extending to Walnut St., and tossed this in for good measure.
John Neat and Mary E., his wife, sold the house and both lots at an advanced price to Susan Fleming and children. The buyers were cited as "Susan Fleming, widow of James Fleming, dec'd; William W., Mary P., Isabella C., Jane, Susan B., James J. and Augustus Fleming, her children." (1838 Dir.: "Mrs. Fleming, l. s. Constitution St., bet. N. Mulberry and Walnut St.")
As the result of a suit instituted February 15, 1848, by the administrator of Michael Fishell, dec'd., against William Fishel, son and non-resident "over a 96 acre tract" to which the heirs of W.W. Fleming were made co-defendants, the house and lot here were sold. It was conveyed "except the life interest of Susan Fleming," to David A. Sayre October 12, 1860.
In a deed to adjoining property in 1867, it was referred to as "the lot of D.A. Sayre now in the possession of E. Frarey."
Mrs. Elizabeth Scully in 1870 bought the house and lot, extending from Walnut St. to "the lot formerly owned and occupied by T.G. Randall, sold to R.J. Audrey, trustee of his wife."
Stephen G. Sharp bought it in 1877, extending from Walnut St. "to the lot now owned by Jeannie B. Sharp, purchased of N.T. Cheek and wife."
Source: Dunn, C. Frank. Old Houses of Lexington. Lexington Public Library, 1976.
Transcribed by P. Brinegar, June 2000.
Updated December 16, 2025.