Timber Farms

Hillis Mansion

Reprinted from the May 2008 issue of The Timber Farms Voice

The Hillis Mansion

On your way to the Christiana Mall you may notice a Georgian style home to your left at 29 Old Baltimore Pike just west of the fire station. There is a small sign out front that reads “Hillis Mansion.” The home is not a mansion by our standards today but picture it in the second half of the 1700’s with all its glory and surrounding land. Mr. Hillis was a prominent citizen of Christiana.

The George Hillis House - “The Hillis Mansion” - is a brick colonial dwelling constructed before 1770. Referred to as the finest Georgian house above the bridge (the bridge that spans the Christina River,) it is a five-bay, two-story-and-attic

brick residence. Documentation indicates that this was the dwelling house of George Hillis, Sr., cordwainer (translates into an expert shoemaker who worked primarily in cordovan leather) in Christiana.

Mr. Hillis took on an apprentice, John Faires, a 12 year old orphan whose father was Arthur Faries; a Blacksmith from New Castle County. The young Faires began his apprenticeship On March 17, 1750 and would remain bound in it until he was 21 years of age.

According to Hillis’ will, dated December 31, 1770, his dwelling and the property contiguous to the Christiana Inn (1 South Old Baltimore Pike) were bequeathed to his old friend, Ann Ravey, with the understanding that upon her death it would be passed back to George Hillis’ daughter, Elizabeth Adams. The wharfs and stores at Christiana Bridge, occupied by his son-in-law, George Adams, a shallopman (a pre-civil war term for an importer/exporter,) were also bequeathed to his daughter, Elizabeth. In 1775, when George Adams also died, these wharves and stores were bequeathed to their son Levi Adams, who, in 1787, went into partnership with Solomon Maxwell as commission merchants.

The seven lots between the Hillis Mansion and the Christiana Inn were all part of George Hillis Sr.’s village property. By the end of the 1800’s, at least two blacksmith

shops, one wheelwright shop, two small frame dwellings and one brick house had been constructed on them.

(Reference: Christiana Historic District nomination, National Register of Historic Places, 1974)

Written by Vanessa Spence. (Mrs. Spence is a resident of Timber Farms.)