At the head of Billups Creek amid the marshy flats of Mathews County, Milford is typical of dwellings erected by Tidewater Virginia’s middling gentry in the late 18th century. Characteristically, the wood-frame house has a plain but pleasingly proportioned exterior. Inside is an impressive paneled parlor chimney wall and a fine Georgian stair. The house stands on property that has remained in the ownership of the Billups family since the 17th century. It is likely that the present house was erected for John Billups or his son, John Billups, Jr., between 1774 and 1784. Except for the modern shingle siding and a 20th-century wing, the house survives without significant alteration.