HISTORY
The land upon which the Ballestone-Stansbury House stands was first patented in 1659 to Walter Dickenson, who named the property with his own name "Dickenson". On October 30, 1663, Dickenson sold the property to Daniel Jones, who later sold the property to John Dixon in 1664. The land passed from Abigail Dixon Scudmore to John Hayes who willed it to his son-in-law Thomas Stansbury in 1725. In 1745, Thomas Stansbury had "Dickenson" resurveyed into a new configuration, which he named "Stansbury's Claim".
Almost every settler, including the residents of Ballestone-Stansbury House would have been involved in growing tobacco to trade abroad until 1750 when wheat became an important export.
In the 1760's, a family cemetery was established where Thomas and Jane were interred. Possiby the house was built by another generation, that of Isaac Stansbury, who had $200 worth of improvement recorded on a tax list in 1813 when property values were low.
In September 1814, the sounds of the Battle of North Point and the firing of guns at Fort McHenry, the birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner, resounded across the waters of the Back River to those living there at the time. Trustees of the late Isaac Stansbury in 1836 listed the two-story brick house on the 180-acre tract. The 2 1/2 story structure is built in the Federal Style, and its brick walls laid in Flemish bond.
Sometime during its life, the house acquired a 1 1/2-story brick wing addition, wich was incorporated within the 19th century modification, and a 2-story home addition, which has not survived.
In 1855, Edward Miller purchased the Stansbury property after it had passed through several owners.
It was probably the Miller family who expanded the house to a full 2 1/2 story dwelling as well as adding a 2-story portico.