The Old Pike Part 33

The "Greene House," a popular tavern, was located on the east side of Main street, south of the Mansion House, and on a lot formerly owned by John L. Gow, esq. It was kept in 1842 by William Searight, before mentioned, who was succeeded by S. B. and C. Hayes, whose occupancy was brief, and about 1846 it came under the control of Daniel Brown, one of the most competent landlords of his day and generation. During Brown's inc.u.mbency it had the patronage of the Good Intent Stage company.

Brown's bar-keeper was Benjamin White, who wore his hair long and had a scar on his face. His employer always addressed him as "Benny," and confided in his integrity to the fullest extent, and in very truth "Benny" was entirely worthy of his employer's confidence. Whither this quaint old bar-keeper drifted, when the eclipse came over the sunshine of the road, is not known, but his name deserves to be perpetuated in history.

Most of the facts contained in this chapter rest on authority of Crumrine's history of Washington county, Pennsylvania.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE RANKIN HOUSE.]

CHAPTER x.x.xIX.

_Old Taverns and Tavern Keepers continued--Washington to West Alexander--Rankintown--John Rankin--Andrew McDonald--Freaks of an Old Wagon-maker--Robert Smith--John Coulson--Millers--Bedillions-- The S Bridge--Caldwells--Mrs. Brownlee--Another Widow McClelland-- Claysville--John Sargent--An event in the Life of Dan Rice--Basil Brown--Dennisons--The Walker House--Jonathan D. Leet--c.o.o.n Island-- John Canode--Rogers and the Doughertys--John Valentine._

After pa.s.sing Washington the ancient little village of Rankintown is reached. It is situated a short distance over the top of the hill leading up from Catfish, and a little over a mile from Washington. Here a tavern was kept in early times by one Spalding, who seems to have failed in impressing his name on the locality. His successor was John Rankin, who dying, left his name behind him. His house was a large frame building on the south side of the road, with the customary wagon yard attached. While this old tavern did a large wagoner's trade, its agreeable old host ministered largely to the wants of the traveling public without distinction. As before intimated wagoners as a rule preferred country taverns, and this is probably the reason so many of them halted at Rankin's rather than proceeding on to Washington, going east, where a number of good taverns were located, but being in a large town, more or less under the ban of "tony places." John Rankin owned the old tavern stand at Rankintown, and after conducting it for many years during the flourishing era of the road, to use a common phrase of the road, "died with the harness on." His widow continued to keep tavern at the old stand until about the year 1847, when growing old and tired of the cares and responsibilities of tavern keeping, concluded to retire to private life, and leased the premises to a Mr. Johnson, who conducted the house down to the fifties, when he was succeeded by Andrew McDonald, who remained in charge until the activities of the road ceased. The private residence of the late Hon. William Montgomery was for a number of years on the roadside near the old Rankin tavern. He was an ill.u.s.trious old pike boy and championed the glories of the road on many an occasion. Rankintown is now an incorporated borough, under the name and style of West Washington, but the glories of the old pike all rest and abide behind the present munic.i.p.ality.

In 1844 and subsequent to that date, Alpheus Murphy, a wagon-maker, lived and operated a shop near the old Rankin tavern. He gained a local notoriety for proclaiming in a loud voice in season and out of season, his sentiments on current topics, and especially political issues. He was a man of great physical strength, and a skillful workman. He had no scruples against taking an occasional gla.s.s of the pure whisky that abounded on the road in his day, and was a frequent visitor to Washington. Prompted possibly by the influence of the active element mentioned, he was accustomed to ascend the cupola of the Washington court house and from the bal.u.s.trade near its summit give vent to his feelings, mainly of a Democratic tendency, in stentorian tones that startled the whole community. Notwithstanding the boisterous fits that marked and may have marred his life, he pa.s.sed quietly away from the scenes of earth, and will be long and kindly remembered by those who knew him.

Two miles west of Rankintown Robert Smith kept a tavern as early as the year 1818. At this point the National Road crossed an ancient roadway leading from Washington to Wheeling, and Robert Smith kept a tavern here on the old road. It was a frame house on the south side of the road, and in after years became the homestead and private residence of Jacob Weirich, who died its possessor.

Less than a mile west of Smith's John Coulson kept a tavern as early as 1820, and probably before that date. His house was a frame building, on the south side of the road. The old building was torn down many years ago, and a brick structure erected in its place. Coulson, the old proprietor, has been dead fifty years, and at his death his tavern was closed, and not again re-opened as a public house. The old wagoners and stage drivers who were familiar with Coulson's tavern long since pa.s.sed to other scenes, along with its old proprietor.

About one mile west of the old Coulson House the well remembered and popular wagon stand of John Miller is reached. Miller moved to this point in 1836 from a stand two miles west of Pratt's Hollow, and east of c.u.mberland, as before stated. The Miller house here is a large brick building, with all the necessary outbuildings for a tavern, and a good wagon yard. It is situate on the north side of the road. To gain the wagon yard going west, old wagoners ascended a steep grade, but on the other side the way was level. Miller had a good custom at his tavern east of c.u.mberland, and his old friends followed him to his new location. He had long experience as a tavern keeper, and furnished satisfactory entertainment to the traveling public. Previous to 1836 Levi Wilson kept this house, and entertained the first crop of wagoners on the road, and tradition attributes to him a good fame as a tavern keeper. Miller died in this house. A son of Levi Wilson married a daughter of John Miller, and since the death of the latter has been occupying this old tavern-stand as a private residence.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE JOHN MILLER HOUSE.]

At the foot of the hill west of Miller's, and on the north side of the road, is the old Bedillion tavern. This house was kept as early as 1830 by one Scott, and as late as 1848 by Christly Wolf, and later by George Boyd, but owing to a usage, in some instances difficult to account for, it is better known as Bedillion's, especially among old wagoners, than by any other name. Bedillion was a German, and his first name was Abraham, and he probably possessed German traits and practices which made an impression on old wagoners not to be forgotten. He kept this house in 1836. Wolf also was of German origin, but his manners and methods were of the American type. He was a man of prominence in his neighborhood, and wielded considerable local influence, and was likewise a member of the firm of Buck, Lyon and Wolf, contractors, before mentioned. The old Bedillion tavern is a large frame building, with a high porch in front. George Boyd took charge of this house in the early fifties. He exchanged the shoe business in Washington for what he no doubt considered the more profitable pursuit of tavern keeping on the old pike. In this he seems to have been disappointed. His career as a tavern keeper was not successful, and there were two reasons for it.

First, he began too late, and second, he was not a pike boy, and therefore not familiar with the wants and ways of the road.

On the north side of the road, about one mile wrest of the S Bridge, and as far back in the past as seventy years, one Andrew Caldwell (not a relative of James, hereinafter mentioned), kept a small wooden tavern and entertained primitive travelers and neighborhood callers in primitive style. An old blacksmith, bearing the surname McSwiggin, was found dead near this old tavern, and there was an undercurrent of suspicion in the neighborhood that Andrew Caldwell, aforesaid, had, in some manner and for some purpose, taken the old blacksmith's life.

However, no prosecution was inst.i.tuted, and, in fact, no legal investigation made as to the cause of the mysterious death; and it is to be hoped, for the reputation of the early pike boys, that the suspicions whispered against the old tavern keeper were groundless.

The next noted old tavern on the westward march is Mrs. Caldwell's, seven miles from Washington. Before reaching Mrs. Caldwell's, the celebrated S Bridge is pa.s.sed. This bridge takes its name from its shape, which resembles the letter S. It is a large stone bridge over a branch of Buffalo creek. Near this bridge a county road leads to Taylorstown, celebrated in recent years for its oil developments, and in this vicinity reside James n.o.ble and John Thompson, two old wagoners of the road, mentioned in a previous chapter. There is a postoffice here called "S Bridge," which affords postal facilities for a rich and populous neighborhood. In early times there was a tavern at the eastern end of the S Bridge, and one at its western end. These old taverns accommodated the public in their day, but their facilities were limited, and they ceased to entertain strangers and travelers previous to 1840.

Caldwell's is the tavern mentioned by Mr. Blaine, in the opening chapter of this volume on old taverns. James Caldwell owned and conducted this old tavern from the time the road was opened up for travel, or very soon thereafter, until the year 1838, when he died, and his widow, Hester Caldwell, kept it going as a tavern from that date until 1873, so that she was one of the oldest tavern keepers of the road. The house is a large and handsome structure, near the summit of a long hill, and on the south side of the road. It is, at the present time, occupied by J. A.

Gordon, who entertains the public, and as of old, the house is a favorite resort of pleasure seeking parties.

A half a mile west from Caldwell's, the widow Brownlee kept a tavern in the early history of the road. Her house was a frame building on the south side of the road. Robert Hall afterwards kept this house, and upon his retirement it ceased to do business as a tavern.

On the top of the hill west of Mrs. Brownlee's the widow McClelland kept a tavern sixty years ago. She was not of the famous tavern keeping family of McClelland, of Uniontown. This widow McClelland was keeping tavern at the point mentioned before the widow McClelland of the McClelland House in Uniontown was born. The Baltimore & Ohio railroad at this day pa.s.ses through a tunnel near the old tavern of widow McClelland.

Claysville is next reached. It is stated in Crumrine's history of Washington county, that John Purviance was the first tavern keeper in Claysville, and that he was the founder of the town. "When it became certain," says Crumrine, "that the National Road would pa.s.s through the place, Purviance caused the following notice to be inserted in the Washington _Reporter_:

"The subscriber having laid off a number of building lots in the new town of Claysville, will offer the same at public sale on the premises, on Thursday, the 8th day of March, next. Claysville is distant ten miles from Washington, westward, and about eighteen east of Wheeling, and six from Alexandria. The great National Road from c.u.mberland to Wheeling as located by Col. Williams and confirmed by the President, and now rapidly progressing towards its completion, pa.s.ses directly through the town.

Washington, April 21, 1817.

JOHN PURVIANCE."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE "S" BRIDGE.]

It goes without saying that this town was named in honor of Henry Clay, the unrivaled champion of the road. As at other towns mentioned, the road forms the main street of Claysville. In 1821 James Sargent kept a tavern in Claysville, at the sign of the Black Horse. He moved to Claysville from Washington, and the house he kept in Claysville was a brick building, occupied formerly by John Porter. Claysville was a stage station, as before stated. Bazil Brown kept a tavern in Claysville as early as 1836, and probably before that date. He kept a wagon stand and had a large patronage. Some time during the forties, Dan Rice, after his circus stranded, was exhibiting a "learned pig" to the people of Claysville, and in Bazil Brown's tavern. On the night of the entertainment Brown lost an overcoat, and charged Dan Rice with stealing it, and had him sent up to Washington jail to await trial. Dan employed Seth T. Hurd to defend him, and was acquitted. Soon after Dan appeared in Claysville with a new circus, and sang an original song in the ring intended to embody his recollections of the overcoat escapade, and to lampoon Brown for prosecuting him. The song was smooth, as all Dan's were, and the thrusts at Brown sarcastic and severe, and much enjoyed by the local hearers. Despite this unfortunate occurrence Bazil Brown was a popular landlord, and kept a good house. The old circus man is still living, and has probably forgotten and forgiven the old tavern keeper for accusing him of felony, but the old tavern keeper long since pa.s.sed beyond the dark waters, and entered upon the realities of another and unknown realm. James Dennison kept a tavern in Claysville as early as 1840. He subsequently kept at Beallsville and at Hopwood as before stated. He was an old wagoner and kept a wagon stand, but had the patronage of one of the stage lines in Claysville, as well as a wagon custom. Old wagoners felt themselves entirely at home at Dennison's tavern, and thoroughly enjoyed his agreeable entertainment. David Bell, John Walker, James Kelley, Stephen Conkling and John McIlree were all old tavern keepers at Claysville, and kept stage houses.

There was also a Watkins who kept tavern in Claysville. The house he kept was destroyed by fire previous to 1850. It had the patronage of the Good Intent stage line. David Bell was an old stage driver. His house in Claysville was a brick building on the south side, diagonally opposite the old Walker House. He subsequently kept the Fulton House in Washington in 1862 and 1863. The Walker House was a frame building, on the north side. Walker subsequently located at Wheeling and kept a tavern there. Conkling kept the Walker House. McIlree kept the Brown House. Kelley also kept the Walker House, and it was in this house, and in Kelley's time, that Jim Burr, the noted stage driver, "knocked out"

the Cincinnati buffer, before mentioned. The Stockton line of coaches stopped at the old Brown House, and the Good Intent line at the Walker and Watkins Houses.

The widow Calahan kept a tavern in Claysville prior to 1840. Jonathan D.

Leet married her daughter. Leet was a pike boy of no little distinction in his day. His discernment and good taste in wedding the fair daughter of an old tavern keeper were not the only proofs of his wit and worth.

He was a lawyer of ability, a major of militia, postmaster of Washington during the presidency of President Polk, and member of the Legislature for Washington county. A large man with prominent features, and somewhat awkward in manner, he was the personification of Mars, when arrayed in the elaborate uniform of the old militia system. The great gilt rolls of the ponderous epaulette, and the immense three cornered and sharp pointed chapeau produced a feeling of awe among all beholders, and struck terror to the hearts of young folks. Major Leet being a lawyer was Judge Advocate at all courts martial during the time he was in commission. Those courts were frequently held in Washington, and their members were required to sit, hear and determine in full uniform. On such occasions Major Leet was "the observed of all observers," and elicited the admiration of his many friends. There was an old silversmith in Washington by the name of Galt, a man of acute intelligence, given to the amusing side of life, and a close friend of the philosopher Dr. Creigh, of the same place. These old worthies were warm friends of Major Leet, and their enthusiasm knew no bounds in expressing delight over the triumphs of the Major, in conducting these courts martial. In 1848, when Major Leet was postmaster, he was an ardent advocate of the election of General Ca.s.s to the presidency, and accustomed to allude with emphasis to the fact that his favorite was "a brave old volunteer." His candidate, however, was defeated, and under the rule of partisanship, he was superseded in the postoffice by a friend of the victorious columns. Subsequently he was elected to the Legislature, and after serving his term did not return to live among his const.i.tuents. He was essentially a pike boy, devoted to the memories of the road, and fond of its a.s.sociations, yet he died in a strange land, and his is not the only instance wherein a seat in the Legislature has led a man from the gentle paths and innocent pastimes of his early days.

Three miles west from Claysville, at the foot of a long hill, the romantic, not to say cla.s.sic spot of c.o.o.n Island is reached. Here was an old tavern stand, for many years kept by John Canode previous to 1840.

It was on the north side of the road, and a wagon stand. The stages stopped here also at times, and it was a regular relay for the express wagons. After Canode's time the tavern here was kept by John Brotherton and sons. It was a prominent point during the flourishing era of the road. As late as 1853 a Mr. Reed kept the old tavern at c.o.o.n Island. The old stage and wagon lines, however, were withdrawn previous to that date, and some small local lines subst.i.tuted, as if to prevent an abrupt termination to the high prosperity which the road enjoyed for so long a period. The origin of the name c.o.o.n Island is presumably unascertainable, else Crumrine in his history of Washington county would have given it, as the locality is within the limits of that county. That c.o.o.ns existed and flourished in the neighborhood from time immemorial, there is scarcely a doubt, but an island has never been witnessed there since the subsidence of the great flood in Noah's time. The point is now a station on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and the name is changed to Vienna. The old name is more appropriate, albeit the island is absent.

It is more appropriate, because it is familiar to the people, but it seems to be the inevitable doom of many old familiar names to fall before the advance of modern fancies. Think of an old wagoner going back to c.o.o.n Island after an absence of half a century, to find himself "a mere looker on in Vienna!" Shades of the old pike, hide this ruthless and senseless innovation from the eyes of mankind.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DAVID BELL.]

Two miles west from c.o.o.n Island and a short distance beyond the site of the old Catholic church, an old tavern was kept in early days by one Rogers, and subsequently by Jacob and Michael Dougherty. It was a frame house, on the north side of the road. A good water trough was maintained at this old stand, and travelers halted here for water. In 1830 this old tavern was kept by Jacob Jones, the father of the distinguished iron manufacturer and politician, B. F. Jones, of Pittsburg. The old church mentioned, which will be remembered by all who are familiar with this section of the road, was taken down a few years ago, and rebuilt at Claysville, a more central point for the parishioners. Before reaching Dougherty's another old round toll house is pa.s.sed, the last one on the road in Pennsylvania. Here William McCleary collected the tolls for many years.

A few hundred yards further west the old and popular tavern of John Valentine is reached. It is a frame house, on the north side of the road, large and commodious, and was a favorite resort of wagoners.

Valentine kept this tavern a great many years. If he had a predecessor or a successor in this house, his name is totally eclipsed by that of John Valentine. He possessed the talent for tavern keeping in a rare degree, and was a brother of Daniel Valentine, the old and popular tavern keeper of Washington, and of Charles Valentine, an old wagoner of that place.

CHAPTER XL.

_Old Taverns and Tavern Keepers continued--West Alexander to Wheeling--A Modern Gretna Green--Dr. McCluskey--Crossing Another State Line--Abram Carr--The Widow Beck, with whom Abram Lincoln boarded, and at whose house Robert T. Lincoln was born--The Widow Rhodes and Abram Beagle--John White, Isaac Jones, Roney's Point, Ninian Bell, John Bentley, James Kimberly, Triadelphia, John D.

Foster, Col. Thompson, the Widow Gooding--The Clay Monument--Col.

Moses Shepherd and his wife, Lydia--Samuel Carter--Michael Blackburn--Steenrods--Wheeling--John McCortney, and others._

Crumrine's history of Washington county states that West Alexander was first laid out in 1796 by Robert Humphreys, that most of the lots were subsequently acquired by Charles D. Ha.s.s, who in the year 1817 sold them by public outcry; that the National Road at the last mentioned date was in process of construction, and had been actually opened for travel from c.u.mberland to the Big Crossings, and it was believed that all the towns upon its route would become places of prosperity and importance; that the town of West Alexander was destroyed by fire on May 4, 1831, but slowly recovered from the disaster, and in the succeeding twenty years became a thriving village, by reason of the prosperity of the great thoroughfare on which it was located. A house called the "American Eagle" was the first tavern in West Alexander, established by Duncan Morrison in 1796, and kept by him for a number of years. Subsequent tavern keepers in West Alexander were Charles Mayes, Zebulon Warner, John Gooding, John Woodburn, William McCall, Solomon Cook, James Sargent, Charles Hallam, Mary Warner, James Bell, Silver Gilfillan, Samuel Beamer, James Matthers, John Irons, Moses Thornburg, Samuel Doak, Joseph Lawson, Joseph Dowdal, William F. Gordon, William McCutcheon, and perhaps others. Joseph Lawson was probably the best known of all these old tavern keepers. He kept a wagon stand for a long time during the prosperous era of the road, and was extensively patronized. He had been an old wagoner himself, and knew the secret of agreeably entertaining old wagoners. He is mentioned in a previous chapter as a "fancy wagoner"

of the road. His tavern in West Alexander was a large and commodious frame building at the western end of the town, on the south side of the road, with a large and well arranged wagon yard attached. He owned the property, and died in possession. Beside being a successful wagoner and tavern keeper, Joseph Lawson was a staunch citizen, a man of influence and highly esteemed. He was at one time, for a brief period, Superintendent of the road from Brownsville to the Virginia line.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JOSEPH F. MAYES. (OLD JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.)]

There was, during the prosperous era of the road, an academy at West Alexander under the management of the Rev. Dr. John McCluskey, where many boys were trained for entrance to Washington college. Dr. McCluskey was an eminent scholar, an able preacher, a successful educator and a worthy man in all the walks of life. He devoted a long and laborious life here, to gain a better one hereafter, and let us hope he is now realizing its enjoyment. West Alexander is also noted as a rival of the celebrated Gretna Green, of Scotland, by reason of the many clandestine marriages which have taken place there. Joseph F. Mayes, an old justice of the peace of the place, married nineteen hundred and eighteen couples from 1862 to 1881, more than nine-tenths of whom were elopers. It is estimated that from 1835 to 1885, the date of the enactment of the Pennsylvania marriage license law, over five thousand eloping couples were married in West Alexander.

One mile distant from West Alexander on the north side of the road, Abram Carr kept a tavern as early as 1836. It was a frame building, and a wagon stand. After Carr this old tavern was kept by Silver Gilfillan, before mentioned in the list of tavern keepers at West Alexander. Carr and Gilfillan well knew the ways of the road, and were competent men in their line. Old wagoners were accustomed to lay aside their coin, to pay bills at Gilfillan's tavern, under a belief that he coveted silver because of his Christian name. This was the first tavern located in Old Virginia on the westward march, being less than a mile from the Pennsylvania State line.

Two miles further west a large frame tavern on the north side of the road, was kept by Mrs. Sarah Beck as early as 1832. It was a station for the Stockton line of coaches. Mrs. Beck was succeeded in this house by Samuel Node, who retained the good will and patronage extended to his predecessor. Mrs. Beck was the widow of James Beck, of the old bridge building firm of Kinkead, Beck & Evans, frequently mentioned in these pages. Her son, William G. Beck, still living in Fairfield, Iowa, was the hero of the exciting race between two coaches from c.u.mberland to Piney Grove, mentioned in a previous chapter. James Beck, the husband of Sarah Beck, died in Wheeling in 1829, while keeping a tavern in that place. His widow was of a heroic mold, and resolved to carry on the battle of life on her own account, and continued in the business of tavern keeping. She kept tavern at various points, and finally about the year 1847 bade a last adieu to the scenes of the road, amid which she had been reared, and emigrated to the then far west. Leasing a house in Springfield, Illinois, she resumed the business of tavern keeping. While a member of the Illinois Legislature, Abraham Lincoln was a boarder in Mrs. Beck's house, and Robert T. Lincoln, the late United States minister at London, was born under her roof. Thus an old tavern keeper of the National Road was closely a.s.sociated with, and enjoyed the confidence of, one of the most ill.u.s.trious personages of his time or of any time.

A short distance, less than a mile further west, the widow Rhodes kept a popular wagon stand as early as 1830. Another widow, and no exception to the rule, before stated. Her house was a frame building, on the south side of the road, and a busy, bustling hostelry. Abram Beagle, an old wagoner, became the husband of the widow Rhodes, as elsewhere in these pages stated, and relieved her of many of the active cares of tavern keeping, until his death, which occurred in this house, leaving his wife a second time a widow, and she continued the business of tavern keeping as the widow Beagle, with her usual success. Abram Beagle was likewise, and before he married Mrs. Rhodes, a contractor on the road. His work was near the Little Crossings.

The next old tavern on the west, and a short distance from the widow Rhodes' house, was kept as early as 1830 by John White. It was a frame house on the north side of the road. Mrs. Beck, before mentioned, subsequently bought this property, improved it in many details, and especially by the erection of a substantial new stable, with a capacity for sheltering one hundred horses. She conducted this tavern in 1833, and kept the stock and boarded the drivers and other employees of the Stockton line of coaches. She was a favorite of that line, and patronized by it at all points of the road where she kept a tavern, except at the Greene House in Washington, where she had the favor and patronage of the Good Intent line. The old White stand was kept by the widow Miller and her son, after Mrs. Beck left it, and they were succeeded by Peter Perkins, and he in turn by John Brotherton.

One mile further west Isaac Jones kept a tavern as early as 1835, and probably before that date. His house was a frame building on the north side of the road. He was not active in soliciting patronage, and after a brief and not very successful career as a tavern keeper, closed his house to the public and continued to occupy it as a private residence, and it was never thereafter opened as a tavern.

Rooney's Point is next reached, a stage station ten miles from Wheeling.

The original owner of the land here was Roney, and its peculiar conformation, a high ridge ending in a point on the south side of the road, gave it the name of Roney's Point. It is a familiar name, and was a lively place during the palmy days of the road. On the north side of the road, at Roney's Point, a large stone tavern was kept by one Ninian Bell, prior to the year 1828. He was succeeded by James Beck, Mrs. Sarah Beck, Moses Thornburg, and Jacob Beck, in the order named. James and Jacob Beck were not relatives. The old Simms line of stages stopped at this house when it was kept by James Beck, and it was the stopping place of the Good Intent line, when kept by Jacob Beck.