Bush, an immigrant from England, bought the property in 1717 and then began building the house. He was an early gunsmith in Williamsburg. The house was owned by Elizabeth Russell and her husband
Henry Cary between 1729 and 1742. Cary had completed the Governor's Palace and built the
President's House and chapel at the
College of William & Mary. During the Carys' ownership, much of the wood trim and the elaborate stairway with "its elaborately turned balusters, sweeping handrails, and richly ornamented carving on the stair brackets" were added to the house. The house was bought by artist and dancer
William Dering in 1742. About 1755,
Thomas Everard purchased the front portion of the lot. He was elected mayor of Williamsburg two times and he was the clerk of the Committee of Courts of Justice at the
House of Burgesses. Everard bought the rear portion of the property in 1773. In the early 1770s, Everard built a rear or south wing to the house. He also added wainscoting to the rooms on the first floor, wallpapered several rooms, and painted and carpeted the parlor. In 1782, there were six structures on the lot, including a kitchen, smokehouse, stables, privies, laundry, and a dairy. It has formal-style gardens behind the house and natural English landscape surrounding the pond. East of the house, there are ancient boxwoods, dating back to 1830. It is also known as the Governor
John Page house. Page is believed to have had it as a townhouse. ==19th and 20th century==