Debtors' Prison (Worsham, Virginia)
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Debtors' Prison
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Worsham Debtors' Prison in 2016
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| Location | Intersection of Rte. 15 and Rte. 665 Worsham, Virginia |
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| Coordinates | 37°13′49″N 78°26′35″W / 37.23028°N 78.44306°WCoordinates: 37°13′49″N 78°26′35″W / 37.23028°N 78.44306°W |
| Built | 1787 |
| Architect | Richard Babb |
| Architectural style | colonial |
| NRHP Reference # | 72001412 |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 1972 |
The Debtors' Prison is a historic debtors' prison building located in Worsham, Virginia. Constructed in 1787, it is one of three such prisons, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places, remaining in Virginia; the other two are in Accomac and Tappahannock. Of the three, only the one in Worsham was constructed of wood. It is the oldest surviving public building in Prince Edward County, and dates to the time when Worsham was the county seat.
Worsham served as the county seat of Prince Edward County between 1754 and 1872; the debtors' prison was built there in 1787 to provide delinquents with separate quarters from other prisoners. Construction of the "gaol for debtors" was actually authorized in 1786; two local men, Thomas Scott and Charles Allen, were directed to allow bids. One Richard Bibb appears to have been hired to build the prison, as he was paid fifty-two pounds for its construction once the completed structure was viewed and received.
Virginia abolished the imprisonment of debtors as a method of punishment in 1849; accordingly, at some point, possibly as early as 1820, the prison building was converted into a residence. Numerous alterations to the structure were carried out as part of the conversion, although many would be removed during 20th century renovations.
Little is recorded about the history of the jail once it became a house, although it is known to have been owned for a time by a family called Burke. They deeded it to one E. L. Dupuy in 1908, and it remained with his family until being purchased by Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) in 1950. They carried out renovations on the building in 1951.
After the Prince Edward Branch of Preservation Virginia dissolved in the 1970s, the building became property of Prince Edward County.
The Worsham Debtors' Prison is a small log structure measuring 14' by 18'; it has been described as having "the solid appearance of a building constructed with security in mind". It consists of a single room, with an unused attic area above. The logs used to build the walls are square-hewn and closely fitted, without . These are held together with half-dovetailed joins at the corners. Similar, heavy logs, set closely together, were used in the construction of the floor and ceiling. Those in the ceiling extend about a foot past the front and back walls, thus forming a slight roof overhang. The roof is lighter, of frame construction. The foundation of the building is low and made of sandstone rubble; a chimney, made of brick, is located on the interior end.
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