A Portrait of Old George Town Part 3

The ships _Ritson_ and _Felicity_.

The sloops, _Lydia_ and _Betsey_, plying between George Town and New York. These ships from the North were laden with whale oil to be used for the lamps which, in 1810, were placed on the streets to "enable the citizens to go safely to and from evening service."

The _Columbia_ from Martinique, and the ship _Lydia_, Lemuel Toby, master, for London, which on September 6, 1792 had this advertis.e.m.e.nt in _The George Town Weekly Ledger_:

Will sail in twelve or fifteen days: such as may be desirous of taking pa.s.sage in said ship may depend on being genteelly accommodated. For further particulars apply to Col. Wm. Deakins, or the Captain on Board.

Out beyond the northern limits of the Town, just opposite where Mount Alto Hospital now stands, high on a hill which has been dug away, stood in those days a tremendous oak tree which was used by the pilots coming up the river to guide them on their way. For a hundred years it stood, known as Sailors' Oak, but like so many other things, has had to go in the interest of Progress.

Chapter III

_The Taverns, Shops, and Schools_

With ships arriving and departing and the land travel pa.s.sing from North to South and back again, besides the country gentlemen coming to town to sell their crops and tend to other business, there was need for many taverns, and plenty of them there were in George Town.

According to Mr. O. W. Holmes of the National Archives who has recently written a fine article on the Colonial Taverns of Georgetown for the Columbia Historical Society, which he read before the Society on January 16, 1951, the earliest tavern of which there is record was kept by Joseph Belt who was granted a license by the newly created Frederick County Court in August, 1751 "to keep a Public House of Entertainment at the Mouth of Rock Creek."

Previously Thomas Odell had pet.i.tioned for such a "Lyssance" in 1747 to Prince George's County for one year--but we hear no more of him so are not certain that he continued in business. But Joseph Belt did and in the _Maryland Gazette_ (Annapolis) for March 19, 1752, is this announcement:

Notice is hereby given that the Land appointed by Act of a.s.sembly to be laid out into a town, by the name of Georgetown, adjacent to the warehouse at the Mouth of Rock Creek, in Frederick County, is accordingly laid out, and the lots will be sold the 4th Monday in March, being the 23 of the month at the House of Joseph Belt, living in the said Town in ten of the Clock before noon.

Per order of the Commissioner Alexander Beall, Cl.

In 1760 Mr. Belt bought two of the most desirable lots in town at the southeast corner of Water Street (Wisconsin Ave.) and Bridge (M) and apparently built on the southernmost one of them a tavern where real estate sales took place frequently--and again in the _Maryland Gazette_ for September 19, 1771, is this insertion:

Frederick County, Sept. 8, 1771

The Subscriber continues to keep a House of Entertainment in George Town, at the Kings Arms, and as he is provided with Good Entertainment, Stabling, and Provender for Horses, would be obliged to all Gentlemen travelling and others for their customs and they may depend on kind usage, by their Most Humble Servant,

JOSEPH BELT

So it is quite possible that it was still here and that General Braddock's soldiers attracted by the name and sign stopped to slake their thirst before continuing their long march to the West.

This Joseph Belt appears to have been the nephew of Col. Joseph Belt, the original patentee of Chevy Chase. He was a highly respectable man and well thought of.

Another tavern of that period was kept by John Orme who in his pet.i.tion for a license promised as did others of that period "to keep Tavern in George Town, to keep good Rules and Orders and not suffer the loose and disorderly persons to Tipple, Game, or Commit other disorders or irregularities within his aforesaid House."

In the _Maryland Gazette_ in September in 1760 is a notice of horse races to be held at George Town, the horses "to be Entered the Day before Running, with Messrs. Joseph Belt and John Orme in George Town."

The same notice again in 1761. I wonder where the races took place. John Orme was the son of the Rev. John Orme, a Presbyterian minister who served as pastor at Upper Marlboro from 1720 until he died in 1758.

His tavern was apparently on the northeast corner of the present M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, where the Farmers and Mechanics Branch of Riggs Bank now stands.

In the _Maryland Gazette_ of September 29, 1768, Thomas Belt offers for sale "At the house of Mr. John Orme, in George Town ... part of a Tract of Land, called Chevy Chace, containing 200 and 300 acres about 5 miles from said Town."

After the death of John Orme in 1772 his widow inserted a notice in the paper--and added, "N. B. The Executrix will continue to keep Tavern for ready money only. Lucy Orme."

But they were not left in straightened circ.u.mstances, and the three Orme daughters married very well.

There is mention of a Cornelius Davies and also of John Wise keeping tavern for short periods. This may have been the same John Wise who later opened a tavern in Alexandria which became the well-known Gadsby's Tavern.

Also there was Christian Boncer, during the Revolution who like John Orme, before him, was likewise running a ferry over the Potomac.

And then in October, 1779, John Beall is referred to as occupying the home where Joseph Belt formerly kept tavern.

In November 1782, Mr. Beall announced that he was moving "into the large Stone House near the Square, the best calculated house in town for entertaining Gentlemen, Travellers, and Others."

And then Mr. Ignatius Simpson moved into the "House formerly occupied by Mr. John Beall," and the next year, 1783, the Commissioners record meeting at the "House of Mr. Ignatius Simpson." And in 1784 Mr. Simpson had no license issued and the Commissioners met "at the House of Mr.

John Suter." It would seem that this same house had been a tavern ever since Joseph Belt built a house there.

From then on Suter's Tavern became the best-known meeting place in town and even the birthplace of the District of Columbia for there was signed the agreement with the proprietors of the land for the Federal City.

Christian Hines says in his little book _Early Recollections of Washington_ that Suter's Tavern was a one-story frame and stood on High Street, between Bridge and Water Streets, a little east of the ca.n.a.l bridge. Christian Hines as a youth of fifteen was an apprentice living with the Green family just across the street from this building, and although he wrote his Recollections when he was an old man, it is a well-known fact that old people remember happenings of their youth better than those of last month or last week.

It was a rather small building, a story and a half high, according to an old print, and had a large Inn Yard at the side and back for the accommodation of the coaches, wagons and steeds of its patrons.

John Suter was a Scotsman who had been living out in Montgomery County but apparently from 1784 until his death in 1794 his tavern was a very busy place. Here it was that General Washington stayed when he was pa.s.sing through.

This notice shows John Suter's standing in the community:

Georgetown, August 21, 1790

All persons having claims against the Estate of John Cornne, deceased, are desired to bring them in legally attested. Those indebted to make speedy payment to

John Suter, Administrator

From the _Times and Potowmack Packet_:

Meeting at Mr. Suter's Tavern in George Town, 14 December, 1790, for erecting a New Warehouse contiguous to the Old Inspection on Col.

Normand Bruce's property in George Town.

Edward Burgess Bernard O'Neill

For Sale. On Monday the 3d of January next will be offered for sale at the House of Mr. John Suter in George Town that Lot or _Acre of Ground_ whereon the _Old_ Warehouse formerly stood.... A good t.i.tle will be given agreeably to the last Will and Testament of Thomas Hamilton deceased of Prince Georges County.

December 11, 1790 Andrew Hamilton

Then there is this little item from the same paper:

The subscriber has for sale, by the Box, a small supply of fresh Lisbon LEMONS, imported in the Potomack Planter.

Capt. James Buchanan George Town Sept. 7, 1790 John Suter

Fresh fruit was evidently an event.