Old Burial Grounds and Tavern Keepers of Fayette County, Pa.

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From: Marta Burns [Marta Burns]
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Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 2:03 PM
Subject: [Pafayett-L] Tavern Keepers, Menallen, 1784 - 1800

History of Fayette County,
 by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 657   
Menallen Township, Fayette County, Penna 

Early Taverns

In the March term of court in 1784 John McMartin was recommended for a
license as a tavern keeper in Menallen, but he did not at that time
obtain it. At the December term, 1784, Reuben Kemp and Jacob Hewitt were
licensed
December 1785, Mathew Campbell
June 1786, Joseph Price and John Heath
June 1790, Patrick Tiernan and John Farquar
December 1791, George Kruman  /? Truman

In addition to the list given, 
Josiah Tannehill was licensed June, 1788
George Mitchell, March, 1789
Zachariah Doty, June, 1789
Ephraim Hewitt, March, 1795
Robert Willis, John Ayers and William Ayers, June, 1795
George Kinnear, September, 1790
Jonathan Hickman, Richard Weaver, Anthony Swaine, John Brown and John
Grier, September, 1795
William Cox, December, 1795
Amos Wilson and Benjamin Bowman, September, 1796
John Jones, Francis Griffith, and Peter Kinney, September, 1797
James Brown, December, 1798
Alexander Williamson, March, 1800

History of Fayette County,
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 609    
Henry Clay township, Fayette County, Penna  

Tavern Stands, Henry Clay Twp.

The bridge is 1465 feet above the level of the ocean and 513 feet above
Uniontown. Barren Hill or the crest of Laurel Hill west of O'Hegarty's is
2450 feet above the ocean and 1498 feet above Uniontown. Woodcock Hill or
Briery Mountain, a spur or hill just west of Laurel Hill on the road, is
2500 feet above the ocean and 1548 feet above Uniontown.

The first stand west of the bridge in the township was the Lenhart
tavern stand. A man of the name of Ebert ran a tannery and had a small
log house here, and John Lenhart bought it about 1830 and built to it and
kept it. He rented to Jacob Tabb in 1839 and William Bruce in 1840 who
kept it. His son, Peter Lenhart, kept it from 1841 to 1872, repairing and
building to the house. It is a long two-story frame building and was
always a wagon stand. It is now occupied by Peter Lenhart's widow.

The second stand was the Flanigan or Jockey Valley stand, built by
Andrew Flanigan as a tavern on the Braddock Road and when the National
Road was made through Jockey Valley, he repaired his log house and opened
it in 1817 as a wagon stand.  He was followed by Major Paull and Clement
who was succeeded by Jacob Probasco, then John Baker, Peter Baker, Jacob
Richards, 1841, Charles Kemp and James Gooden were landlords. Morris
Mauler from Frostburg kept and left, and followed the road to Wharton,
renting and keeping from Frostburg, Maryland, to Monroe, Fayette County. 
Aaron Wyatt came next in 1848 as landlord. He afterwards removed to
Uniontown and was succeeded in 1857 by John Olivine who was followed by
Lewis Hamill, now at Chalk Hill, and in 1871 by Alexander Spear, and
since that it has been a private residence. It is a long two-story
building of log, frame and stone and owned by Marshall Spurgeon.

The third stand was a two story frame building a few yards west of the
Flanigan stand, and was leased by Ephraim Vansickle and his son-in-law,
David Bradley, in 1851 and was known as the Vansickle stand. It burned
down in February 1852, and Vansickle & Bradley built a log house and
weather boarded it, and were keeping it in forty days after the fire. The
kept till 1857. It was a wagon stand.

The fourth was the Conaway wagon stand. John Conaway left the Braddock
Road and built a log house on the National Road near a mile west of
Jockey Valley. It was kept by him and afterwards by his sons. The house
is now gone. It stood close to Thurman Conaway's residence.

The fifth stand was the Brown wagon stand, a log house kept by Thomas
Brown. In 1826 a man by the name of Fuller furnished the material and
built a large stone two-story house forty five feet front and seventy
feet deep. He kept it, and after him his son Jacob Brown, who went west
and died. Jacob Humberson bought the property in 1857, and kept it in
1864 and 1865 and still owns and resides in the house.

The sixth stand was the Mount Augusta stand, over a mile west of the
Brown stand. John Collier first kept here about one hundred and fifty
yards east of Mount Augusta. Daniel Collier, a son of John Collier, then
built a log house and kept it, and in 1824 built a large brick, the Mount
Augusta proper. McMillen succeeded Collier and then Thomas Brownfield
bought and changed it form a wagon to a stage stand. He was elected
county commissioner and sheriff and went to Missouri. John O'Hegarty
bought the property a few years ago, and the house burned down in 1872.
It stood a few yards from O'Hegarty's present residence.

The seventh stand was the Griffin stand and about one and a half miles
west of Mount Augusta, a large two story stone building was built by John
Griffin in 1824 who occupied it as a stage stand. After his death it was
changed to a wagon stand, and kept by his widow and his son William
Griffin in 1827, after whom came Benjamin Miller, Charles Kemp, Isaac
Denny, William Spau, and William Griffin again. It is now occupied by Mrs.
Elizabeth Stone, a daughter of John Griffin.

The eighth and last tavern stand in the township was the Marlowe wagon
stand nearly a mile west of the Griffin stand. It was a large two-story
brick house. Benjamin Miller, an old wagoner, built and kept it a short
time. James Marlowe came from Petersburg and kept it till 1856; then his
sons Jeff Marlowe and Upton Marlowe kept it a short time. Andrew Moyes
from Allegheny County bought the property in 1876 and resides upon it at
the present time.

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 592 
German Township, Fayette County, Penna 

Tavern Keepers in German Twp. and N and S Union, Graveyards in Henry Clay

Tavern keepers are always persons of importance in new settlements. The
first individual recommended to court as a suitable person to cater to
the wants of the traveling public was John Boltenhouse, at June sessions,
1787. Licenses were subsequently issued as follows: 
Philip Lawrence, Elijah Moore, Jeremiah Davidson, September sessions, 1796; 
Zachariah Wheat, June sessions, 1797; 
William McClelland, September sessions, 1798;
David Schroyer, September sessions, 1804;
Aaron Maple, June sessions, 1805; 
Michael Kline, September sessions, 1805;
Frederick Struble, September sessions, 1806;
James Sangston, August sessions, 1807;
John Grove, August session, 1810;
Elias Parshall, November sessions, 1810;
George Balsinger, April sessions, 1812;
Henry Balsinger, September sessions, 1812;
David Auld, January sessions, 1813. 

William McClelland kept in what is now McClellandtown for many years, as
did Frederick Struble; David Schroyer; Zachariah Wheat; Aaron Maple;
James Sangston; John Grove in Germantown. Sangston entertained travelers
and sold whiskey for the long period of forty years. Messrs Balsingers
owned the stand near where now stands Balsinger's schoolhouse between
McClellandtown and Uniontown. David Auld's is now the residence of Mrs.
Catharine Hoover on the Uniontown and Little Whitely Creek Road south of
Rabb's Mill.

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 613   
Henry Clay Township, Fayette County, Penna

Burial grounds

The Leonard graveyard on the river is the oldest burial ground in the
township. The Sloan graveyard is supposed to be next in order of age. It
is close to Sloan's Ford and some three miles down the river from the
Leonard graveyard. The early Sloans are buried here, while the old
Leonards and Job Clark and the Flanigans are buried at the Leonard
graveyard.

Old Liberty Cemetery is now Fairview Cemetery. It is about sixty years
old. Zion Cemetery was laid out in 1850 and the Markleysburg cemetery
about 1860, being formerly an old graveyard. There is also an old
graveyard near the Flanigan tavern and wagon stand in Jockey Valley,
where John Conaway, his wife and others are buried. 

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 687 
North Union and South Union Townships, Fayette County, Penna 

TAVERNS

One of the first requisites in a town is accommodation for the traveling
public; this necessity brings public houses into existence. Soon after
the founding of Woodstock in 1791, tavern houses were opened there by
John DeFord, James McLucas, Jesse Barnes, Lewis Williams and Benjamin
Minton. At that time it was considered a good day's travel to drive from
Woodstock to John Slack's, only four miles distant, but that was prior to
the existence of the National Road, when the old Braddock Road was too
rough for vehicles. When the addition had been made, other tavern stands
sprung up in rapid succession on the new Main Street.

John De Ford tavern was the first in the new town. His stone building
was erected in 1818. The persons who did the stonework were: John
Sutton; 
Matthias Chipps, and his son David Chipps; the carpenter work was done by 
Gabriel Getzendiner; John Farr; and Elias Freeman. Mr. John De Ford kept it 
as a hotel for a number of years, and then removed to Carrollton, 
Ohio. Matthias Frey succeeded him in the business, and then Henry Fisher. 
It is now used as a residence.

The German D Hair tavern house was built in 1818 by William Morris. He
sold it to Thomas Brownfield, March 13, 1822, after which it was
completed, the 
stonework being done by Benjamin Goodin, Robert Cooper, John Sutton and 
John Harvey Sr., and the carpenter work by Gabriel
Getzendiner 
and Enos West. After William Morris retired from it, Joseph Noble, Andrew 
McMasters and German D Hair occupied it as a tavern.

The Morris tavern was built by William Morris in 1823 on an elevated
site west of the town. This building was of brick. The mason work was
done by Benjamin Goodin and Matthias Chipps and the carpenter work by
Elias Freeman, Gabriel Getzendiner, and John Farr. William Morris kept
this, his second public house, for a number of years and was succeeded by
Calvin Morris and Matthias Frey. May 22, 1846, it was sold to Moses
Hopwood, James Hopwood, Gaddis Hopwood, and John N Freeman. Since that
time the house has been occupied as a residence by the person operating
the coal farm, which was sold with the house.

The Andrew McMasters tavern was built in 1825.  The stonework was done
by Abraham Beagle, John Harvey and William Harvey. The carpenters 
were:
James Thirlwell, Enos West, Gabriel Getzendiner and Lawrence Griffith.
The following persons occupied it as a public house: Andrew McMasters;
Lott Clawson; Enos W Clement; Thomas Acklin; Matthias Frey; James
Shaffer; and 
John Worthington, after which it passed into the possession
of Benjamin 
Hayden and has since been used as a residence.

The Clement House since known as the Shipley Hotel was erected by Enoch
Wilson Clement in 1839. John Harvey Jr. did the stone work. Mr. Clement
kept it five years at the expiration of which time it was sold to Col
Benjamin Brownfield whose son, Elijah Brownfield, kept it as a tavern two
years. It then went into the following hands successively: Benjamin
Brownfield Jr.; Archibald Skiles; John Worthington; John Wallace; 
Matthias Frey. Aaron Wyatt then bought the property and after keeping hotel 
one year sold it in 1858 to Samuel Shipley, who sold it to his son Julius
Shipley, after which it was rented to Exra Burke, Redding Bunting, and
Lindsay Messmore. The property is at present in the possession of A C
Brant and is by him used as a dwelling house.

The Miller Hotel, a large stone building, was erected by Moses Hopwood
Jr. as a residence. He disposed of it to Elisha Hyatt who in a few years
resold it to Hiram Miller. The latter gentleman kept a public house for
some twenty years. Since then, it has been used as a private residence by
Mrs. M M Beeson.

The Frame Tavern building was originally intended as a dwelling house
when erected by William Ellis. He afterwards disposed of it to Matthias
Frey, and that gentleman enlarged it and converted it into a tavern. He 
was succeeded in business by James Dennison and Thomas Acklin

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 449  
Brownsville Borough and Township, Fayette County, Penna 

Burial Grounds

On the hill adjoining the "public square" on Front Street is
Brownsville's 
oldest burial place, but now and for some years past enclosed with the grounds 
of J W Jeffries. Within the enclosure may be seen the headstone which once 
marked the grave of Thomas Brown, the founder of the town. Upon it is the 
following inscription, still legible:
Here lies the body of Thomas Brown
who once was the owner of this town.
Departed this life, March, 1797, aged 59 years.

There is also a stone sacred to the memory of Basil King, who died in
1805, and three others, which were respectively erected over the graves of
John H Washington and Archibald Washington, and Edward B Machen, all of
whom died in 1818. These three men, of whom the latter was a native of
South Carolina, and the other two of Southampton, Virginia, were members
of a party who came through from Baltimore, Maryland, having with them a
gang of negro slaves, manacled and chained together and bound for
Kentucky, which 
they expected to reach by flatboat from Brownsville down the Monongahela 
and Ohio. 

Arriving at Brownsville they were compelled to wait there for some time
for the means of transportation down the river, and during the period of
this delay the "jail fever" broke out among the Negroes, several of whom
died and were buried in the south part of the public ground. The disease
was communicated to the white men; the two Washingtons took it and both
died on the 10th of April in the year named. Machen was also a victim and
died three days later, April 13th. All three were interred in the old
burial ground and stones erected over their graves as before mentioned. 
These stones as well as all others in this ground have been removed from
their places at the graves, which they once marked, and none are now left
standing, though these and a number of others still remain within the
enclosure. Many years have passed since any interments were made here and
save the loose stones which still remain, there is nothing seen upon the
spot to indicate that it was ever used as a burial place.

Connected with the churchyards of the Episcopal and Methodist Churches
are grounds set apart many years ago for burial purposes and containing a
great number of graves. These were in general use as places of interment
until the opening of the cemetery outside the borough limits about twenty
years ago. The Catholics have a cemetery connected with the grounds of
their church.

The Redstone Cemetrey situated on the high land on the south side of the
National Road about three fourths of a mile southeastwardly from Brownsville 
was laid out and established as a burial ground by an association formed 
in 1860 and composed of William L Lafferty, Rev R. Wallace, William H 
Clarke; James Slocum, William M Ledwith, William Parkhill, Thomas C Tiernan, 
John R Dutton, David Knox and Capt Adam Jacobs. They purchased the cemetery 
tract, about nine acres, from Daniel Brubaker for $1600. The soil is underlaid 
at a depth of about two feet with a bed of soft sandstone and this in the 
case of each interment is cut through to the required size of the grave thus 
forming a sort of vault, which in making the burial is covered by a flagstone 
of which a large supply is constantly kept on hand by the association.

The cemetery is located on a spot which was made attractive by nature
and its beauty has been greatly enhanced by the laying out, which was
done in the modern style of cemeteries with winding paths and graded
carriage ways and all embellished by the planting of ornamental trees
with an abundance of evergreens. There have been many handsome and
expensive monuments and memorial stones erected in this ground, and in
regard to these and other particulars, few cemeteries can be found more
beautiful than this.

The cemetery association formed in 1860 was not chartered until February
24, 1877. The first president was Dr William L Lafferty; secretary and
treasurer, William M Ledwith. In 1865 Dr Lafferty was succeeded by John R
Dutton, the present president. 

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 480 
Bridgeport borough and township, Fayette County, Penna

Public Houses

The earliest tavern stand in Bridgeport was the old red house that stood
on the corner of Water and Bridge Streets. In that house Isaac Kimber
opened a tavern in the year 1814. After Kimber its landlords were Robert
Patternson and others. Another early tavern was opened by John Nelan
about 1818 at the place where not is the residence of Burnet Mason.
Little beyond these facts has been learned in regard to these old
taverns.

Bridgeport has never had many public houses, the greater part of the
business of the vicinity in that line in the palmy days of the National
Road and of Western emigration being done on the other side of the creek
in Brownsville. The principal hotel of Bridgeport at the present time is
the "Bar House" kept by Matthew Story on the site where Kimber opened the
first tavern of the place in 1814.

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 565 
Georges Township, Fayette County, Penna

Georges Twp. Property owners, 1787

In 1787 the number of property owners in Georges township had increased
until there were more than two hundred, as follows:
Jacob Abraham; Robert Allison; Ichabod Ashcraft; Daniel Ashcraft; Richard
Ashcraft; Riah Ashcraft; John Archer; William Archer;

Melchior Baker; Ezekiel Barnes, Sylvanus Barnes; Catherine Bavens; John
Bell; Humphrey Bell; Jeremiah Bock; Samuel Bovey; Bazil Bowell; Joseph
Boultinghouse; John Boultinghouse; Robert Brownfield; Charles Brownfield;
Alexander Buchanan; Peter Byrnhardt; 

James Calvin; Absalom Carr; Elijah Carr; John Carr, Moses Carr; Thomas Carr; 
John Chadwick; Christley Coffman Jr.; Edward Coombs Sr; Edward Coombs Jr.; 
Joseph Coombs; John Coombs; William Coombs; John Coon; George Conn; William 
Cross; William Cubert; 

James Dale; Benjamin Davis; Evan Davis; Lewis Davis; Owen Davis; William Davis; 
Roger Dougherty; William Downard; Jacob Downard; James Downard; Thomas Downard; 
John Drake; Samuel Drake; Sarah Drake; James Dummons; John P Duval; 

Peter Edwards; Henry Efford; Benjamin Everett; 

Daniel Ferrel; John Finley; William Forsythe; John Fowler; 

Moses Gard; Charles Glover; Uriah Glover; James Graham; John Graham; Mark 
Graham; William Graham; Daniel Green; William Green; 

Robert Hannah; John Hayden; Catherine Hawfield; Elizabeth Hawfield; 
Matthias Hawfield; Peter Hawfield; Benjamin Hardin; John Harnet; John Harrison; 
James Hay; Thomas Heddy Sr; Thomas Heddy Jr.; James Heddy; Isaac Hoagland; William 
Hoagland; John Hutson/ ?Huston; John Hustead; 

John Jackson; James Jameson, John Jenkins; Philip Jenkins; Henry
Jennings; James 
John; David Johns; "Little" Daniel Johnston; 

James Kinneson Sr; James Kinneson Jr.; Joseph Kinneson; 

James Lupton; 

Stephen Mackey; George Main; Abraham McCafferty; Adam McCarty; Arthur McChristy; 
James McClean Sr; James McClean Jr.; Alexander McDonald; David McDonald; Isaac 
McDonald; Jeremiah McDonald; Mary McDonald; Rachel McDonald; John McDow; John 
McDowell; Alexander McPherson; William Mininger; Daniel Minson; David Meredith; 
William Mitchell; John Moore; Daniel Moxford; 

Christopher Noon; William Nixon; 

Allen Oliver; James Orr; 

John Patterson; John Pierson; William Patterson; Benjamin Phillips; Isaac
Phillips; Jenkins Phillips; John Phillips; Thomas Phillips; Richard
Poundstone; 

Adam Quarden; John Quarden;  

Andrew Reed; Caleb Reed; Giles Reed; Richard Reed; Samuel Reed; Thomas
Reed; Thomas Reed Jr.; Jonathan Rees; Nathaniel Reeves; William Rhoades;
Jacob Riffle; Robert Ritchey; Henry Robinson; James Robinson; Joshua
Robinson; William Robinson; Henry Rogers; Philip Rogers Sr; Philip Rogers
Jr.;  

William Salisbury; G Sangston; John Scott; Jonathan Shacklet; John
Shanks; William Sharon; Basil Sillwood; Philip Slick; Andrew Smith;
Charles Smith; Corbet Smith; George Smith; Henry Smith; Peter Smith;
Philip Smith; Phelty Smith; William Smith; Peter Snider; Jacob Southard;
Zadoc Springer; Samuel Stephens; Joseph Stillwell; James Steel; John Street; 

Hendrick Taylor; John Taylor; Joseph Thomas; Levi Thomas; George Tobin;
Obadiah Truax; John Tucker; 

U Vandeventer; 

James Walker; William Watson; William Welsh; Abraham White; Isaac White;
James White; James White Jr.; John White Sr; John White Jr.; Ruth White;
Levi Wells; Daniel Wood; David Wood; Samuel Woodbridge; Ephraim Woodruff;
Jesse Worthington; Zachariah Wheat; 

Jeremiah York; Jesse York

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 759 
Springfield township, Fayette County, Penna 

Taverns, Springfield and Brownsville

Samuel Long was the first to open a public house in the lower part of
the village (of Springfield). This house has been used for the
entertainment 
of the public almost ever since; among the keepers of the inn being: Moses 
Coughenour; Eli Gallentine; Samuel Kooser; Martin Kring; and William H Brooks. 

At the upper end of the village J W C Brooks kept an inn from 1871 to
1872 which was known as the "Utah House." J H Miller also entertained 
the public and lately Benton L Miller has accommodated the traveling public,
the Brooks house also being continued. 

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 436 
Brownsville Borough and Township, Fayette County, Penna 

TAVERNS

The name of the first public house in Brownsville is not known but it
appears likely that it was kept by Thomas Brown as there is found in the
records of the West Augusta, Virginia, court held at Fort Dunmore in
April, 1776, an entry dated the 16th of that month as follows: "License
to keep an Ordinary is granted to Thomas Brown at his house at Redstone
Fort. Bazel Brown on his behalf entered into bond according to law."
Nothing further is found of the Ordinary of Thomas Brown. 

The earliest inn of Brownsville of which anything definite is known as
to its location and landlords was the "Black Horse Tavern," a stone
building a part of which is still standing in the more recently erected
stone building located between the residences of N B Bowman and James
Slocum. The date of the opening of the old tavern cannot be accurately
fixed, but it is known that the public meeting at Redstone Old Fort July
27, 1791, usually referred to as the first public act in the Whiskey
Insurrection was held at the Black Horse Tavern. The last meeting of the
insurgents was also held at the same place, August 28 and 29, 1794. 

In the WESTERN TELEGRAPH, published in Washington, Penna, March 29,
1796, is found the following advertisement, viz.:
Amos Wilson begs leave to inform his friends and the public that he has
purchased the house formerly occupied by Mr. Patrick Tiernan, the sign of
the Black Horse, on Front Street, Brownsville, well known by the name of
Redstone Old Fort, where has opened a Tavern," etc.

The tavern property together with four other lots in Brownsville,
"belonging to 
Charles Armstrong; Elijah Clark, boat builder; and Capt T. Shane" were 
sold at public auction on the 31st of December, 1796, by James Long, auctioneer; 
but it seems probable notwithstanding the sale, Wilson still continued as 
landlord of the Black Horse Tavern and was keeping it in 1799, from an account 
of the celebration of St John's Day, June 24th in that year by Brownsville Lodge 
No 60 of Free Masons, viz.: 
"In the evening repaired to Brother Wilson's at the Black Horse Tavern
and spent the evening in festivity." 

Later, it was kept successively by John Sheldon, Josiah Tannehill, Joseph
Noble, Mrs. Dr Lewis Sweitzer, and others. It was discontinued as a public
house many years ago.

Basil Brashear was in Brownsville as early as 1795 and soon afterwards
built the stone house now occupied by Mrs. Wesley Frost and Mrs. Couldren.
At that place he kept a tavern for many years. The first meeting of the
Borough Council was held at "the council room in Basil Brashear's
tavern." This was 
one of the most famed of the early public houses of Brownsville. It was kept 
by Brashear and was the principal hotel of the town when Lafayette made 
his visit here in 1825.

John McClure Hezlop was in Brownsville in 1797 and three years later he
built the stone house at the head of Market Street. It was, afterwards
kept as a tavern, by John Beckley. The house was continued, by his widow,
Nancy Beckley, for some time after his death. In 1843 Jacob Workman was
its landlord. It is now the Girard House.

James Auld, "Innkeeper and Shoemaker," kept a tavern at the head of
Front Street in 1819. Afterwards James C Beckley kept at the same place. 
In 1820 public houses were kept in Brownsville by: John Conolly, William
McMullen, and James Reynolds. The building on Market Street, in which the
Central Hotel was afterwards kept was built in 1816.

The Snowdon House building was erected about 1823 by Robert Clarke who
lived in it until his death about 1840. It was first kept as a hotel by
Andrew Byers who was also a landlord at Uniontown, Connellsville and
several other places. The house is still a hotel.

The Monongahela House, located in "the Neck" was built as a private
residence by Samuel J Krepps in 1832. About twelve years later it was
purchased by a McCurdy who opened it as a hotel and kept it for a time,
but failed to make the payments on the property and was obliged to give
it up. It was then leased to a Ganz, a Vance, and other successively and
was finally in 1870 taken by John B Krepps, son of Samuel Krepps, who
kept it until his death in January, 1881, and it is still kept as a
public house by his widow.

The other hotels of Brownsville at the present time are the United
States on Water Street by George W Poundstone; the Snowdon House on
Market Street by Harry Sawyer; and the Girard House at the head of Market
Street by Jacob Marks.

History of Fayette County, 
by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, 
L H Everts and Company, 1882, p. 287  
Uniontown Borough, Early taverns 

Early Taverns, Uniontown

The first public house in Beeson's Town was that of John Collins who in
the year 1780 purchased the village lots Nos. 40 and 41, where Commercial
Row was afterwards erected, and built thereon a log tavern, which he kept
until 1799. The earliest mention of this tavern that is found in any
record or other document appears in the minutes of a "Court of Appeal"
held by Alexander McClean, sub lieutenant of the county of Westmoreland,
"at the inn of John Collins in Union Town on the 8th day of May, 1782."
Similar mention of of Collins tavern at later dates if sound in other
parts of the same minute book.

At the first session of the court of Fayette County in December, 1783,
John Collins, Jonathan Rowland, Daniel Culp, Matthew Campbell, and John
Huston, all of Union and Thomas Brown of Redstone Old Fort were
recommended 
as suitable persons to keep taverns. The place where Jonathan Rowland kept 
his tavern is now known. There is no record of a later application by 
him for a license. 

Daniel Culp had purchased lot No 25, near where Dr Roberts now lives, on
which he had erected a log tavern, which he sold in July, 1784. The
purchaser was John Huston who had been licensed in December 1783, but
where the house was which he occupied prior to this purchase from Culp
does not appear. The court records show that he was licensed as an innkeeper 
for two or three years after the purchase.

Matthew Campbell bought in 1784 lot No 10 at the west end of the present
Fulton House and erected a log tavern upon it; but in 1785 and for
several years after that he was licensed in Menallen township.

In September, 1784, the names of William Patton and William Brinton
appear as inn keepers. Two indictments were borough against the latter for
keeping a tippling house. The last indictment in 1787 seems to have
driven him out for his name does not appear among the licensed tavern
keepers after that time.

Empson Brownfield opened a tavern in 1785. He had purchased March 7,
1780, lot 39 lying between John Collins' house and the old mill race, but
had not occupied it and it does not appear that he was a resident in the
village for his name is found as a supervisor of highways in Georges
township in 1784. But in 1785 having asked and received a license to keep
a public house, he opened a tavern on his lot adjoining Collins and
continued to keep it until 1790.

Colin Campbell, who name first appears in 1784 in a deed conveying to
him lot No 43 on Elbow Street near where the Standard office is, was
licensed as an innkeeper in December, 1785. In 1786 he sold his property
to Samuel Salter for 140 pounds but continued as landlord of the house
until 1789 when it was taken by Salter who kept it till 1810 when he
removed to Dunbar Township and opened a public house there. Before coming
to Uniontown in 1789 he had been for at least two years a tavern keeper
in Wharton Township.

Margaret Allen was licensed as a tavern keeper at the June session in
1788. Her stand was on the east side of the creek where is now the
residence of William Shipley. The locality was for many years known as
"Granny Allen's Hill." She died in 1810 at the age of ninety-one years.
Patrick Logan and Jacob Knapp were licensed in 1788. Logan's name does
not appear afterwards but Knapp was licensed in succeeding years to 1792.

Dr Robert McClure opened a tavern in December 1792, on the west part of
the ground now occupied by the residence of Alexander Ewing. He kept the
house until 1813 and was owner of it as late as 1819. In April of that
year he advertised it for sale, mentioning it as "the house nearly
opposite the courthouse which has been occupied as a tavern, and is one
of the best stands in the town."

Thomas Collins, son of John Collins the pioneer innkeeper of Uniontown,
received a tavern license in 1794 and opened a house where the Tremont
building now stands on the southeast corner of Main and Morgantown
streets. This became one of the leading public houses of the town.  An
open grass plat adjoining the house on the east was a favorite resort for
lawyers and clients during the terms of court. South of and adjoining the
tavern lot was the market lot on which stood the old wooden market house,
though the date of its erection is not known.  Thomas Collins kept this
tavern until 1811. In the war of 1812 he was in command of a company
locally known as the "Madison Rowdies." When the major of the regiment to
which it was attached was wounded, Captain Collins, as senior line
officer, became major.

Captain John F Gray, the veteran conductor on the Pittsburgh and
Connellsville 
Railroad and grandson of Captain Thomas Collins, has or recently had in his 
possession an ancient and time yellowed card printed on the ace of hearts 
being an invitation to a young lady of Fayette County to attend a merry 
making at Collins Hotel eighty years ago. The following is nearly a 
facsimile of the card:
Union: November 9th 1802
The company of Miss Molly Meason is requested at a Dance on 
Thursday evening 
the 16th inst at the House of Col Thomas Collins in Union-Town. 
Thomas Hadden, James Morrison, William Lyon, Managers
The Miss Molly Meason mentioned in the card became the wife of Daniel
Rogers of New Haven, Fayette County, Penna. She was a daughter of Col
Isaac Meason, the first proprietor of Mount Braddock, who built the
mansion now occupied by William Beeson. She was a sister of General
Thomas Meason, the eminent lawyer of Uniontown, with whom the Hon John
Dawson, father of E B Dawson and John N Dawson, studied law. She was
likewise the sister-in-law of Mrs. Mary Meason who died quite recently in
Uniontown. Thomas Hadeen, James Morrison and William Lyon, the managers
mentioned in the card, were members of the Fayette County bar and the
former was the grandfather of the Messrs Hadden of Uniontown.

More Early Taverns, Uniontown

Cornelius Lynch was licensed as an innkeeper in March 1795. He owned
and carried on a brewery on the west side of Morgantown Street near Main
and his tavern house was doubtless at the same place. After his death his
widow kept a baker shop there for many years.

Richard Weaver, who first received license in June 1795, kept a log
tavern on Elbow/Main Street at or near the present site of the McClelland
House. Later the property passed to William McClelland who was licensed
as an innkeeper in December, 1802. Alfred McClelland, the son of William
McClelland, built the McClelland House, which is still owned by the
McClelland family and carried on as a hotel.

At the September session of 1796 there were before the court forty eight
applications for tavern licenses in the county of which twelve were by
parties in Uniontown among whom, besides such as have already been
mentioned, were: Joseph Baker; Anthony Swaine; Ellis Bailey; John Slack;
John Tarr; David Morris; and James Langley. 

John Slack's tavern was on the corner of Meadow Alley and Main Street on
the Judge Nathaniel Ewing property. In the FAYETTE GAZETTE AND UNION
ADVERTISER of August 23, 1799, he made the following announcement:
TO THE PUBLIC: The subscriber respectfully informs the Public that he
continues to keep a House of Entertainment at the sign of the Spread
Eagle near the center of Uniontown. He flatters himself he will be able
to entertain gentlemen to their satisfaction that may be pleased to favor
him with their custom.  
John Slack
July 24, 1799

Slack closed his business at the Spread Eagle in 1800 and in the same
year received license to keep a tavern in Wharton township. He remained
there till 1810 when he was again licensed for Uniontown. He was foreman
of the jury in the trial of Philip Rogers for the murder of Polly
Williams. Three 
years later he was again established in Wharton and remained there till 
his death.

At the September term of court in 1797 the following names appeared for
the first time as receiving tavern licenses: Jacob Hagen; John McCormick;
Simeon Hendrickson; Rue England; Matthew Knapp and Uriah Martin.
James Gregg 
received his first license in Uniontown in June, 1798. His stand was on lot 
37 of the original plat, which was purchased by him February 2, 1792, being 
the site of the present residence of Dr J B Ewing. The tavern was kept by 
him, until his death about 1809. In 1810 his widow, Nancy Gregg, was licensed 
and continued for some years to keep the house, which under her management is 
still recollected by some of the older citizens.

Ebenezer Bebout, Jesse Barnes, James Allen, John Rackstraw and James
Medtart were licensed tavern keepers in Uniontown in 1798. Medtart's
stand was a log house that stood where Mrs. William Wood now lives on Main
Street. He as well as Allen and Bebout closed about 1803.

Pierson Sayres kept a public house in 1799 on Elbow Street where E B
Dawson now lives. Daniel Miracle and Lydia Hoffman also had tavern
licenses in the same year. Mrs. Hoffman's place was in Henry's Addition on
Morgantown Street south of Fayette Street.

In 1801 William Downard opened business in a log tavern opposite Gregg's
on Main Street where now are the law offices of Judge Ewing and Judge
Campbell. He continued there until about 1808. He afterwards kept at the
"watering trough" on the side of Laurel Hill five miles east of
Uniontown.

James Piper received a license in 1801 and commenced keeping tavern on
the south side of Main street opposite the present residence of the Hon
Daniel Kaine. There he swung the sign of  "The Jolly Irishman." He was a
large burly man while his wife, Isabel, was small of stature. It was her
custom to sit in the bar room and spin while she chatted pleasantly with
the patrons of the house. At night she would frequently ask her husband,
" Weel, Jimmy, how much money have ye made the day?" His usual answer
was, "None o' yer bizness, Bell." But as he was generally pretty well
intoxicated at that time in the evening, she often managed to secure a
share of the proceeds and lay it by "for a rainy day." James Piper, the
son of this couple, was their pride. They gave him a fair educational
advantage by which he was enabled to fill with credit several county
offices. Mrs. Piper continued the tavern after her husband's death in
1819.

William Merryman was the keeper of a tavern near Margaret Allen's east
of the creek. His first license, for a house at that place, was received by
him in 1802.

Jacob Harbaugh, ex sheriff of the county, opened a tavern in 1811 in a
log house owned by Peter Hook which stood on the west part of the site of
the late Judge Nathaniel Ewing's residence. The stand was kept, by
Harbaugh, until 1813. 

George Manypenny, first licensed in August 1814, was for a time the
keeper of a public house on the south side of Main street near where is
now Judge Campbell's office. the time of his continuance there is not
known.

It would be hardly practicable to make mention of all the ephemeral
taverns which have existed in Uniontown during the century which has
passed since John Collins opened the pioneer hostelry in the incipient
village. It was only intended to notice a few of the most ancient ones,
but enough have already been mentioned to show that more than fifty years
ago the Main Street of the town had been thickly studded with public
houses on both sides and from end to end.

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