A Mathews property that had been in the same family since 1653 has changed hands, and the new owners have begun the process of renovating it so they can move in.

Milford, the Billups house in Moon, was built by either Capt. John Billups or his son, Lt. John Billups, between 1774 and 1783 on land that had been granted to their ancestor, George Billups, over a hundred years earlier. It was occupied by a direct Billups descendant for at least 10 generations, most recently by the late James Otis Billups Sr. and Marie Billups of Mathews, before being sold at a recent auction for $385,000 to Tom and Robin Field of Gloucester. The Fields plan to make Milford their residence.

James Otis Billups Jr. of San Diego, Calif., said he and his sister, Elizabeth Jean Billups of Sand Point, Idaho, had decided to sell the property because they have no heirs and "somebody had to have that property."

"The legacy had to be broken," said Billups. "We have no relatives anymore."

Billups said the hou...