USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 11
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business for a short time. George Craft was proprietor of the Walker House (March 25, 1829), until at least April 1, 1830.
William Byers took charge of the Walker House May 6, 1840, and continued it until his death and his widow continued in the business. Under his management it was known as the Franklin House.
Alfred McClelland conducted this Walker House while he was building the McClelland House. He was here Aug. 9, 1837.
Redding Bunting was proprietor of the United States hotel for two years.
Zalmon Ludington purchased this property in 1846 from the heirs of Zadoc Walker and occupied it as a private residence, except the corner room which was used as a business room. This room was occupied as the prothonotary's office while a new court house was building, 1845-47, after which Mr. Luding- ton opened a leather and shoe store in this room which was con- ducted for several years by his son-in-law, James T. Redburn as a partner.
Mr. Ludington had served in Col. Churchill's regiment of New York state in the war of 1812, and participated in the battle of Black Rock. He was a contractor in the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad near Old Town, Md., in 1839; and in 1840, he constructed and operated a tannery in Wharton town- ship. In 1847, he opened a shoe and leather store on the corner of Main and Morgantown streets, and after purchasing the Walker hotel property he continued in business here for many years. He died at the home of his son, General Marshall I. Lud- ington, in Philadelphia, April 21, 1889.
Hugh L. Rankin came into ownership of this property in 1886, and in 1891, he erected a row of business rooms fronting on Broadway to Peter street and extended the hotel to the same distance, and in 1896, he ran up the front to its present style.
The old business room on the corner was occupied in 1863, by Zadoc Springer as a hat and cap store, and later by Lewis and Rankin as a grocery, and in 1871, by Rankin alone. George W. Morrison was there in 1870 and 1872, with a hat store, and he was followed by M. Amberg with a clothing store, and in 1873, Henry Lape and Rankin opened a clothing and tailoring establishment which lasted for five years. Tom Lewis then fol- lowed with a grocery for several years and he was succeeded by I. Jackson with clothing in 1886-87.
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In remodeling the hotel this business room was converted into an office, the following persons have conducted it as a hotel : Feathers and McHugh, 1893.
Charles H. Rush, whose lease expired May 1, 1902.
Joseph O. Roe succeeded Rush May 1, 1902, for five years, Roe took in Frank Hagan as partner, May 27, 1904.
W. J. Huston purchased furniture, etc., from Mrs. Hagan January 28, 1907. Mrs. Hagan purchased the interest of E. D. Morse September, 1906.
James Moran purchased the property and took possession January 1, 1909, and has conducted it as a hotel since that time. In 1913 the office of the hotel was again converted into a busi- ness room.
General S. M. Baily who had established himself as a jeweler in the town in 1865, located his business in the business room in this property in spring of 1878, and continued here until 1900, a period of 22 years, when he sold out to Wallace Miller, February 9, 1900, and retired from business. Mr. Miller had been in the employ of the General Baily for 17 years and in con- nection with his brother, Marling, still continues the business.
Matthew Irwin, a son-in-law of Zadoc Walker, had been merchandising in this town prior to 1824, and he erected a two- story brick business and dwelling house on the western part of this lot, No. 43. He was appointed postmaster under President Van Buren, October 20, 1837, and kept the office, at least a part of the time, in the corner now occupied by the Second National Bank, and while he was here Daniel Huston occupied his room with a tailoring establishment. Daniel Smith was located in this room in 1842, with a casting, iron and nails store, and he was burgess of the town at the same time. James P. Hedges kept a furniture store here in 1845, and had his workshops in the rear of the hotel. Thomas R. Davidson occupied this room as a law office in 1851.
Armstrong Hadden kept the post office here during a part of one of his terms during the Mexican war, and it was his cus- tom to hand a newspaper out to be read to the people who were anxious to have the latest news from the seat of war.
John Bosler published the Fayette Whig from this room during part of the time that paper was published here. Mr. Bosler's career was beset with troubles which will be given more fully elsewhere. According to the files of the paper, the first
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humber was issued January 30, 1849, and, it is said, it ceased to be issued in June, 1851. F. H. Rice followed Bosler with a shoe store, he having moved from the next door west.
John Bierer purchased the Genius of Liberty printing of- fice January 1, 1885, and moved the office of publication to the rooms formerly occupied by the post office.
Thomas R. Davidson sold this property to John Manaway, February 28, 1870, who conducted a public house here for a short time under the name of the Spottsylvania house. He was succeeded in the same by Lloyd Manhaney. It was finally added to the old Walker house property and is now a part of the Central hotel.
William Secrest bought from Henry Beeson lots Nos. 44 and 45, June 13, 1787, paying therefore five pounds for the two lots, and after several conveyances it came into possession of David Ewing who for many years lived and kept a drug and grocery store in a frame building as early as 1796. His dwelling was on the eastern side of lot No. 44, and his store room on the western. David Ewing was well and favorably known by the whole community. This property passed out of his owner- ship by sheriff's sale in 1826, yet Mr. Ewing still continued in business for several years.
Dr. Hugh Campbell taking 421/2 feet of the eastern part and Isaac Beeson 30 feet of the western part of this lot.
Dr. Campbell erected a two-story brick building the full frontage of his lot, excepting a narrow alley-way on the east. He occupied the eastern room as a drug store and physician's office, and the remainder as a residence. David Ewing was employed in the drug store as a clerk. David Ewing and George Ewing, mentioned elsewhere, were brothers and were the sons of Alexander Ewing who died in this town August 2, 1823, at the age of 80 years.
Joseph Gadd, as Register and Recorder occupied this room during the building of the new court house, 1845-47, and he was succeeded here by F. H. Rice, who came to Uniontown in January, 1848, and established himself in the shoe business, and was among the first to manufacture fine shoes in the town. Mr. Rice was a Connecticut Yankee and pushed his business with considerable energy. He identified himself with the Pres- byterian church in which he took an active part. He after- ward removed his store to one door east.
D
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Garret T. Greenland occupied this room as an attorney's office in 1850.
Dr. Campbell removed to his suburban residence, half a mile west of town, in 1849, where he resided till he was ap- pointed warden of the Western Penitentiary, in 1865, when he removed to that place where he remained while he held that position. Returning to Uniontown in 1868, he boarded until he completed the brick building now known as the Hogg building, into which he moved and resided until his death, February 27, 1876.
James Smith, a shoemaker, occupied this residence in 1853. Daniel Kaine occupied this residence previous to 1859. Levi S. Lewis was a resident here in 1859 and 60, while employed as a clerk in Dr. Campbell's drug store on the Round Corner.
Armstrong Hadden occupied this business room with the post office in 1858-62.
William Hunt carried on his jewelry business in this room from April 1, 1867, to April 1, 1869.
Mrs. R. M. Modisette purchased this property and occu- pied it as a residence for several years. .
McClelland Leonard purchased this property from the Modisette heirs at public sale, July 19, 1900, and in 1902, added a third story, put in modern fronts and extended the building to Peter street.
G. W. Silverman occupied the eastern room with a dry goods store, 1887, Levinson Brothers occupied the western room with a dry goods store.
The second floor has since been occupied as business of- fices, and the third floor as a photograph gallery.
Hugh Espy, whose wife was a daughter of George Ewing, kept a store in the David Ewing room for some time before 1836, at which time he removed to the opposite side of the street.
A stone upping-block stood at the curb in front of David Ewing's store for many years to assist persons in mounting and dismounting their horses. One day Ellis Baily, a well remembered resident and merchant of the town, being in a reminiscent mood, penned the following lines concerning this old upping-block :
----
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
" Fourscore winters, bleak and cold, O'er my bald pate their storms have rolled Of snow and sleet ; Fourscore summers' suns have scorched My sides, and e'en my very vitals parched With fervent heat.
Through me there runs no marbled veins, Or Grampian granite's dusky stains,- I'm better stock; And can ten times as much endure ; I've got the sand, and am Simon pure Conglomerate rock.
I've had diurnal kicks and stamps; A couch been for nocturnal tramps, From night till morn; Have had ten thousand lies and scandals, That make me squirm in my old sandals, And hiss with scorn.
On me the weary, worn and feeble Would stop and rest till they were able To totter on; Regaining strength they'd rise and leave me ; I felt the silent thanks they gave me When they had gone.
The lassie wearing number three's, O'er me has skipped with grace and ease Into her saddle, While hob-nailed boots have raked me o'er When helping up some burly boor His beast to straddle.
The hopeless outcast on me slept; The lost street-walker on me wept Hot tears of sorrow, And prayed, when looking down the past, That here, this hour, might be his last, And no tomorrow.
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
There's left but four, aye not one more, Of native birth that came before I sat down here ; To their long homes the rest have gone; I've seen them passing, one by one,
On hearse or bier.
Though old and rough, and grim and sooty, I'll keep my post ; I'll do my duty, Good deeds in doing ;
And when five hundred years are spent, I'll still be here a monument To David Ewing."
The above verses were written on the sixty-ninth anni- versary of Mr. Baily's birth. This stone was removed to the curb in front of Dr. Smith Fuller's office on Fayette street where it still remains.
" The western part of lot No. 44, containing a frontage of 30 feet came into the possession of Thomas Junk who erected thereon a two-story brick building. An entrance hall led to the residence in the rear and upper part and two business rooms to the west, designated here as rooms Nos. 1 and 2.
James F. Canon, a son-in-law of Thomas Junk, moved his hat store into room No. 1 in this new building in 1837, where he conducted business for some years. He was succeeded in the same business by Thomas Junk until 1857 when he was suc- ceeded by John S. Harah in the same business.
James F. Canon and James L. Bugh form a partnership January 27, 1848, and continue until August 18, 1853, when Bugh withdraws and Canon continues.
John Hagan kept a ready-made clothing store here for some time.
In room No. 2 of this building have been the following :
William Swearingen, Jr., with a dry goods store, 1837, Daniel Canon, son of John Canon, and John A. Rooney started in the boot and shoe business here in 1842, at the sign of the " Big Boot " and manufactured extensively. Rooney withdrew . from this firm January 7, 1845, and Canon continued for some time.
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Jonathan Allen occupied this room with a dry goods store in 1849.
Daniel Canon and John H. McClelland were located here with a laboratory where they mysteriously compounded "Dr. Butler's celebrated "Elixir of Brandy " and announced them- selves as wholesale agents for this wonderful discovery, February 20, 1851. They also manufactured Dr. Butler's " Balm of Elecampane " and a liniment known as " Sampson Liniment." William H. Fry was their distributing agent, and through him the country merchants were supplied. This firm lasted about three years (January 6, 1853) when Canon went into the drug business with Dr. Andrew Patrick under the firm name of Patrick and Canon.
Moses Shehan located here with his tailoring establishment in 1852, and advertises with poetry.
John Carpenter succeeded Mr. Shehan here with the tailor- ing business in 1853. Mr Carpenter was also agent for the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine and most probably sold the first sewing machine sold in the town.
Richard H. Austin bought out the Rooney and Canon firm, conducted the boot and shoe business in this room for some time and carried on the manufacturing in an upper room, where many workmen were employed. Among the workmen here em- ployed was one Jimmy Smith who was an inveterate tobacco chewer and the workmen, for the convenience of Uncle Jimmy, kept a plug of tobacco suspended by a string within easy reach so he might conveniently help himself to his beloved weed. One Tommy Walling, another eccentric genius, was employed in this shop. He was laboring under the hallucination that his satanic majesty, the Devil, perched upon his shoulder, and Tommy spent much of his time brushing his unwelcome visitor from his shoulder.
Mr. Austin sold his boot and shoe store to Benjamin F. Saint June 6, 1855, and Mr. Saint continued the business in this room. Mr. Austin was a son of John M. Austin, a prominent attorney at the Fayette county bar, and became a prominent minister in the Baptist church.
Daniel F. Cooper and Samuel Cooper, after running a store in the room west of this for some time, moved into this room where they greatly enlarged their business under the title of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Manufactory and Mercantile store.
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History of Uniontoren, Pennsylvania.
Here they conducted a grocery, hardware and general merchan- dising store from 1870 to 1882.
Leopold Kuth purchased this property in 188? and moved his bakery and confectionery and notion store into it; where he has since resided and conducted his business. Mr. Kuth has improved this property to a considerable extent. He claims to have put in the first plate glass front and the first steel ceiling in the town.
William Secrest, the first purchaser of lot No. 45, soon moved to Mason county, Kentucky and by letter of attorney, June 15, 1793, authorized Henry Beeson to convey this lot to Jacob Beeson who conveyed the same to Hugh Finley who in 1802, conveyed the same to Zadoc Springer.
After the death of Zadoc Springer his daughter, Ann, inter- married with Noah Morrison, fell heir to plot number seven in the sub-division of this property. On the eastern part of this lot stood some small frame buildings which were used by various tenants for different purposes, among which may be mentioned :
Jacob B. Miller and William Baily as a law firm; in the eastern building, John Loor, tailor ; John L. Means, tailor; Mc- Cuen and Springer, tailors ; Joseph L. Wylie, tinner ; he was fol- lowed by John A. Rooney with a shoe shop. William Baily, jeweler, repaired clocks and watches here for a while ; he was fol- lowed by Jacob Stahl in the same business, and he by Samuel T. Lewis, tailor, and Lewis was followed by John Carpenter.
Mrs. Morrison sold 48 feet of the eastern part of this lot to Samuel Bryan, February 16, 1848, reserving the small frame building thereon, then in occupancy of Jacob B. Miller as a law office, which was moved to a lot then belonging to Mrs. Rachel Skiles on Bank alley, where he continued to occupy it as a law office.
Samuel Bryan came here from Philadelphia and was the contractor who erected the new Fayette county court house in 1846-47, and from the profits of this contract purchased this lot and erected thereon a three-story brick building, which was ever afterward known as the Bryan building.
Two narrow hall-ways in the middle led to the upper floors, with business rooms to the east and west. This building was never intended for residence purposes and was never occupied as such.
THE DAWSON LAW BUILDING.
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
In 1851, financial difficulties overtook Mr. Bryan while erect- ing the court house at Waynesburg, and this property was sold at sheriff's sale to Eleazer Robinson and William Thorndell, but it subsequently developed that Mr. Bryan's title was de- fective in that it failed to have the signature of Noah Morrison, who had gone to the West some years before the sale to Mr. Bryan. Jacob B. Miller visited Mr. Morrison at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and from him obtained a better title and recovered the property by action at law.
Among the occupants of the east room in the Bryan build- ing may be mentioned John W. Skiles who conducted a book store here from 1849 to 1855, when he sold out his stock to Nels. and Mat. Patrick, who had already purchased the " Little Book Store " from Samuel McDonald. Patricks combined the two book stores and took D. Goodlander in as a partner, February 1, 1855, but this partnership terminated December 20, of the same year.
While John W. Skiles occupied this room with his book store the office of the Genius of Liberty was moved into the back part of the same room. John Irons, the father-in-law of John Skiles, had purchased the Genius of Liberty in 1840, and kept the office of publication the greater part of his ownership in a frame building at the west end of town. Mr. Irons died of cholera July 30, 1850, and the office of the paper was removed to the rear of Mr. Skiles' store where it was published by Mrs. Irons and Mr. Skiles until it was sold to R. T. Galloway, who moved it to the room over the store. After the death of Mr. Irons his widow and Mr. Skiles continued the book and station- ery business as John W. Skiles & Co. Mr. Skiles was a member of Colonel Roberts' regiment in the war with Mexico, and again entered the service of his country in the 23rd Ohio regi- ment, and was wounded September 14, 1862, near Frederick, Maryland, and had his arm amputated.
ยท The Adams Express company established an office in Union- town and John W. Skiles & Co. were the agents for that com- pany as early as December 30, 1852. The first delivery wagon of that company was put on in 1867, with Thomas S. Wood as driver and Joseph M. Hadden as agent, with office at the Fayette county railroad station where Mr. Hadden was also ticket agent.
The Post Office Department first issued stamped envelopes
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
in 1847, and John W. Skiles & Co. announce that they have the exclusive sale of these envelopes for Uniontown, and that the first installment had just been received, July 14, 1853.
Great dissatisfaction was expressed by the public respecting the new envelopes on account of an advertisement printed on the same. The back of each envelope bore the name of a Mr. Nesbitt as an advertisement. The New York Tribune an- nounced that many heavy commercial houses were so disgusted with the idea of using government stationery for private adver- tising that they have decided not to use the envelopes, and the general opinion was that the Postmaster-General should cancel the whole stock and issue a new supply without any advertising.
M. W. Hopwood and J. O. Stewart purchased the stock of books and stationery of Mat. Patrick, November 13, 1855, and continued in the same room until July 2, 1857, when Wil- liam H. Baily purchased the stock and moved it to Morgan- town street.
Other occupants of this room were: J. A. Uhler, who con- ducted a butter and egg store and ran a huckster wagon and did considerable business. He lived on Fayette street, 1860.
Daniel F. Cooper and Brother, teas and groceries, 1865.
General S. M. Baily, jeweler, 1867.
J. W. Brown, groceries and provisions, 1870.
Thomas H. Lewis and Allen C. Bowie, groceries and pro- visions, 1872.
Henry White, groceries and hardware. Mr. White had been in business in the town for many years, he closed out his business here and moved to Washington county and thence to near Cadiz, Ohio.
William H. Miller and David J. Hopwood succeeded Mr. White here with a dry goods store (1882).
George Roth was located here 1894, with a clothing store. Kobacker and Siegel, with a stock of clothing, were the last tenants in this room.
It appears that Levi D. Stephens and H. R. Smith located in the western room of the Bryan building as early as April 1, 1849, with a dry goods store which they had moved from Morgantown street. Stephens and Smith advertised their store as located on the "Cheap Side."
Colonel Lippincott and George A. Shallenberger, both from Mount Pleasant, engaged in the mercantile business. in this
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History of Uniontoren, Pennsylvania.
room April 1, 1852. They displayed the sign of the "Golden Beehive " by which their store was known. Their store became very popular, and it is claimed that this was the first store in the town to be devoted entirely to dry goods. They whole- saled their entire stock to R. L. Barry, March 15, 1855. Mr. Barry remained in this room for some time and bought out several stores, with the intention of moving West, and there engaging in business, but the steamboat on which his goods were being conveyed was burned and his whole stock of goods was destroyed.
George A. Shallenberger subsequently engaged in the saddle and harness business in this town, being connected for a while with Armstrong Hadden. He entered the service of his country and became a lieutenant-colonel. For the last twenty years of his life he filled the office of superintendent of the reform school of the District of Columbia, where he died July 4, 1902, at the age of ?5 years, and was buried in Arling- ton cemetery. His brother, W. S. Shallenberger, served as second assistant postmaster-general.
Myers Hollander and Brother carried on the clothing busi- ness in this room for some time and removed to two doors west April 1, 1861. Mr. Hollander was engaged in business in this town for more than ten years and owned and resided in the brick residence which stood on the lot now occupied by the Gallatin hotel.
Charles H. Rush carried on merchandising in this room for several years.
R. Hunter Newlon succeeded Mr. Rush here with a stock of goods he moved from the old Skiles corner, and here closed out his stock and moved to the West.
J. Austin Modisette followed Mr. Newlon here with his stock of drugs, paints, etc., which he brought from Morgantown street. Mr. Modisette sold out to George W. Litman, Jr., who continued in this room, 1879-87.
John N. Dawson occupied this room for a while as a grocery store.
George M. Baily purchased the western half of the Bryan building and occupied this room with his jewelry store from 1887, until it was sold to the Citizens' Title and Trust com- pany, August 1, 1901.
The Citizens' Title and Trust company moved their busi-
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
ness into this room November 2, 1901, and in connection with the People's bank continued here until they constructed a four- story steel and brick improvement on the rear of this lot, to which they moved until the improvements were extended to Main street in 1908.
Soon after the completion of the Bryan building the ladies of the Methodist Episcopal church initiated the second floor by holding therein a grand church festival.
The office of the Genius of Liberty occupied the eastern room of the second floor from which the paper was published from October, 1850, to January 1, 1855.
The office of the American Standard was located in this same room for many years and passed into the hands of several proprietors while here, as related elsewhere. The News Stand- ard, the successor of the American Standard, was the last news- paper to be issued from this building.
Eldridge M. Stanton, a Canadian, carried on the photograph business on this second floor for some time, about 1861-2. He was a good photographer for his day, was a fine looking man and bore every indication of a gentleman. He was succeeded in the same business by D. L. McElhenny, October 23, 1862-63.
Later this second floor was occupied as offices for various purposes.
The third floor of the Bryan building was arranged for lodge rooms. The eastern room was intended for the lodge room of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the western room was arranged for the Fayette Lodge, No. 228 Free and Accepted Masons, and these rooms were occupied by these respective orders from the time they were ready for occupancy for many years.
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