Christiana Burdett Campbell

Christiana Burdett Campbell (March 25, 1792) was a colonial innkeeper from Williamsburg, Virginia. She started the business herself in an era where it was unusual for women to do so in the colony.

In 2012 Campbell was honored by the Library of Virginia as one of their Virginia Women in History for the year.

Personal life Campbell was born around 1723 to John and Mary Burdett of Williamsburg. Her father worked as an innkeeper in a tavern on Duke of Gloucester Street, where Campbell learned the skills that would assist her in her future career. Campbell would later move to Petersburg with her husband Ebenezer Campbell, whom she married at some point after September 21, 1747. Her husband worked as an apothecary in Blandford, a position he held until his death around 1752. They had two female children together, the latter of whom was named after her father and who may have been born after his death. Along with the conversion of many of her slaves, Campbell was also interested in providing them with basic literary training, a move that was atypical for an era where some areas strictly forbade the education of slaves.

Campbell died on March 25, 1792, and was buried in Fredericksburg.

Innkeeping

After she returned to Williamsburg Campbell began working as an innkeeper. Campbell's tavern burned down around 1859 and a replica, built by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, opened in Colonial Williamsburg on April 16, 1956.