1612 Fayetteville Street – John F. and Isadora J. Williams House

"Residence of Mr. and Mrs. JF Williams" from Milestones Along the Color Line, 1922.

John F Williams and his wife, Isadora Jacobs Williams, were the first owners of 1612 Fayetteville. They had one daughter, Margaret Williams Duany. John graduated from the Hampton Institute in Hampton, VA. He then moved to Durham, where he opened his tailoring business, cited as one of the first in the city.  He also worked in real estate throughout his career. Isadora worked as a cafeteria worker at James Whitted School.

John was known for his activity in the community, notably as a supporter of  multiple political campaigns. He also attended White Rock Baptist Church, where he was the superintendent of Sunday School for 13 years and part of the Sunday School Orchestra until his death on November 3, 1955. Isadora was also active in the community, specifically through her participation in the Wisteria Bridge Club. She passed away in 1968, after moving to New York City to live with her daughter.

The home was eventually converted into a triplex and became a rental property.

From the Stokesdale National Historic District Nomination:

This two-story, hip-roofed house is three bays wide and four-pile with a two-story, projecting gabled bay on the north elevation. The house has a brick foundation, vinyl siding, and two brick chimneys. The side gable and a gable centered on the façade both have full gable returns, but their windows have been removed. The house retains four-over-one, Craftsman-style windows, with several six-light windows on the south elevation. There are three front doors on the façade including a three-light-over-one-panel door on the left-most bay, the original sixteen-light, Craftsman-style door with eight-light sidelight in the center, and a solid wood door on the right-most bay. The hip-roofed front porch is supported by tapered posts on concrete-capped brick piers and has an original wood railing. The porch extends beyond the left end of the façade to form a porte-cochere supported by elongated square posts on concrete-capped brick piers. The porch is accessed by a brick stair with brick knee walls. The earliest known occupant is John F. Williams (cleaner and presser) in 1925. It is currently a tri-plex.