USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 13
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Benjamin Hellen purchased a lot with 36 feet 3 inches frontage from James Hutchinson December 15, 1812.
Benjamin Hellen built a two-story brick residence and busi- ness room on this lot and occupied it for many years as a resi- dence and carried on his business as a hatter. Mr. Hellen was the son of William Hellen and was born in Calvert county, Maryland, and learned the hatting trade in Frederick, after which he located in Baltimore and there followed his occupa- tion for but one year and then came to Uniontown in 1802, with a capital of but twenty-five cents. The following day he secured employment with Peter Hook, perhaps the first hatter of the town, and on May 9, 1803, he married Drusilla Hook, the sixteen year old daughter of his employer.
Mr. Hellen lived and carried on the hatting business in this
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property from the time it was erected, at least as far back as May 2, 1815, to 1841, with a slight intermission, 1834-37. His manufacturing shop was located on the rear end of his lot which extended to the corner of South and Morgantown streets. This was a log building and stood on the bank of the old Beeson mill race. He was succeeded in the hat business by his son, P. H. Hellen and William Wilson, the latter having learned the trade with Mr. Hellen and subsequently became his son-in-law. Messrs. Hellen and Wilson conducted the business here from 1834 to 1837 when the firm dissolved and Benjamin Hellen again resumed the business for a short time. James Black, a fashionable hatter of Philadelphia, then rented the old estab- lished hat stand and carried on the business in 1845. Benja- min Franklin Hellen next occupied this room with a stock of dry goods. He styled his store "The Farmers' Exchange," and had branch stores at Morris' X Roads and at Masontown. He carried on business here for at least ten years. He was suc- ceeded here by John K. Fisher, who had conducted business elsewhere in the town for several years, and after a few years here Mr. Fisher met with financial reverses and entered the army, and became captain of Company G, of the 16th Pennsyl- vania Cavalry. He subsequently settled at Atcheson, Kansas.
George E. Hogg succeeded Fisher with a stock of dry goods, and he associated with him Charles S. Seaton. This firm was here 1861-64. Charles H. Rush and A. G. Smith suc- ceeded Seaton and Hogg, 1865-66. Rush withdrew and Col. George G. Johnston became a partner with Smith, March 1, 1867. Johnston withdrew and Smith conducted the business alone in 1868, but in 1869 the firm became Seaton & Smith. Max Baum succeeded Seaton & Smith with ready-made clothing. He moved to this room from a small room in the Tremont Building on Morgantown street in 1879 and remained here twelve years, when he moved to Concert Hall building. Max Baum was followed in this room by a millinery store, and this by S. K. Brown & Son with a shoe store to 1880. Browns were followed by I. Jackson & Bro. with a clothing store up to 1886, when they moved to the corner of Main and Broadway, and Henry Lape moved his tailoring establishment from the corner of Main and Broadway to the room vacated by Jacksons.
This property remained in the Hellen name until 1884, a period of seventy-two years, when it passed into the ownership
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of James R. Cray, and on May 5, 1887, it passed to the owner- ship of Charles D. Connor who improved it and added a third story. He transferred to William Allison the present owner. Among the later tenants in this property may be mentioned W. H. McClay with a billiard hall; C. H. Glenn, boots and shoes ; Hugh Mckean, boots and shoes; J. M. Kirby & Co., boots and shoes ; Murphy's 5 & 10 cent store, Loveland's furnishings and tailoring. An amusement show occupied this room for a short time which was followed by W. H. Guyton in May, 1908, with a drug store.
Next west of the Benjamin Hellen brick building was a weatherboarded log building in which Morgan A. Miller, one of the old time tailors of the town carried on business in 1815, and he was succeeded in the same business by Samuel E. and Thomas B. Lewis in 1823, and they were here also in 1850. John Carothers and W. H. Bennett carried on the shoe business here in 1847. John Henry McClelland was in this room with a whisky store in 1852, and he was succeeded by S. Price Beall & L. D. Beall with a grocery and liquor store. James H. Springer and Thomas B. Sturgis bought the stock of Price & L. D. Beall from the surviving partner, L. D. Beall, August 14, 1855, and here continued the business until August 7, 1857, when Springer withdrew and entered business on East Main street. Thomas B. Sturgis and William Selden continued the business here, and in 1858 Mr. Springer bought out the interest of Mr. Selden and continued in the same room. Springer was succeeded by Thomas H. Lewis and John Henry McClelland who conducted a grocery and liquor business here until 1866, when they sold out to George H. Wood and Armor S. Craig, September 16, of that year.
This old building was destroyed by fire April 8, 1878.
Nathan Divvens purchased this lot from the descendents of Benjamin Hellen in 1884, and erected thereon a five-story frame building in which he conducted his business as a cigar manu- facturer until his death, since which his son, Nathan, Jr., has occupied the property with the same business.
Next west in Jacob's Addition was a low log building which was used as a business room. Joseph Kibler carried on his business here as a tinner in 1819. Heck & Hunt carried on the tailoring business here in 1849. A. G. Benson carried on the barbering business here in 1852. He was succeeded in the same
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business by A. W. Carter and Wesley Fox in 1853. They were succeeded by Theophilus Bowie as a tinner and coppersmith. He had carried on his business for many years elsewhere in town before locating here, as noted elsewhere. Here Mr. Bowie conducted business until the building was destroyed by fire, April 8, 1878, after which time he was located over his grocery store on Morgantown street. He was one of the old time tinners and had been in business in the town since 1836, and was always known as a useful and industrious citizen. After the fire the old building was patched up and Amos M. Jolliffe ran a billiard room here for a short time.
John W. Wood, the well known saddler and harness maker, purchased this lot from the Hellen heirs in 1884 and erected thereon a two-story frame building in which he conducted a successful business until 1906, when he retired.
The Wood family had quite a record in this town as sad- dlers and harness makers. John Wood started in the business on part of the lot now covered by the First National Bank building, in a white frame house, in 1794, and continued in the business 38 years. His son, William Wood, who had served an apprenticeship under his father, carried on the business for 37 years, and John W. Wood, son of William Wood, served an apprenticeship under his father and carried on the business 31 years, making a continuous run of 112 years. Other members of the Wood family engaged in the same business in the town were: Comley, Isaac, George H., E. B., Clement, E. Oliver and Albert D. making ten in all of the name and all good workmen.
John W. Wood sold his stock to J. N. Hibbs and remodeled the room and rented it to Thomas T. Coffin who occupied it as a shoe store from April 1, 1906.
A tall two-story frame building stood on the lot next west of the above, and from the fact of its leaning considerably to one side, it was known as the "leaning tower," and by this at- tracted much attention. Peter Hook, Jr., son of Peter Hook, Sr., the hatter, occupied this building, and while on a journey down the Mississippi river, he died, leaving a widow and one son, Peter Uriah Hook. Captain Hugh Gorley married the widow Hook and lived in this building and carried on his busi- ness of shoe making in the same.
General William Wood started in the harness business here in 1832, and continued to reside and do business here until 1848,
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when he purchased the old George Bentley property, farther west and moved his family and business.
"The leaning tower " was torn down and a small frame building was removed from across the street and placed on this lot by L. D. Beall. This small building and lot became the property of James and A. D. Wood, and was occupied by them for several years and subsequently by various tenants. John W. Wood became the owner and it has since been occupied by his son, William Wood as a news and tobacco store and a barber shop.
Enos West built a one and a half-story frame building on 16.5 feet of lot No. 3 for a store room for Lucien B. Bowie, into which Mr. Bowie moved his drug store upon its completion, and here conducted his business for 52 years, at the sign of " The Big Mortar." This old frame building was torn away by Dr. A. P. Bowie, who had purchased the lot, and erected thereon a three-story brick business room and dwelling above. Among the occupants of this new room may be mentioned Joseph Nutt, stationery and confections ; John C. Breading in the same business; Ed. H. Yeager, variety store ; Harry Beeson succeeded Yeager with a news, book and stationery store from 1893 to 1906, when he moved to his West End theater building. In 1893 E. E. Strickler purchased this property and Darl W. Smiley opened a gents' furnishing store in this room, April 1, 1906, and remained five years when he sold to Frank Herren and Joseph Dellahunt, who continued in the same line of business.
Next east of what is now the Brunswick Hotel where now stands the Strickler building, William McCleary and his father-in-law, William Swearingen, known as River Bill Swear- ingen, built a one and a half-story frame building about 1837, in which they kept a store as McCleary & Swearingen, al- though Mr. Swearingen gave the business no part of his atten- tion. After a year or so McCleary assumed full ownership for three or four years, then moved his store to one door west of the Seaton House, on the opposite side of the street. He next went to Smithfield. William McCleary was a son of Ewing McCleary, proprietor of the McCleary Hotel, now known as the Brunswick.
C. Brown Snyder, who had been in business on the corner of Main and Morgantown streets, succeeded Mr. McCleary in
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this room in 1845, and in 1846 he moved his stock of goods to Searights where he continued in business for some time. He was succeeded here by Jacob Stone and Samuel P. Griffin in 1846. Mr. Stone was a son of Aaron Stone who became pro- prietor of the old McCleary tavern in 1846, and a brother-in-law of Samuel P. Griffin, his partner. John H. McClelland con- ducted a grocery and liquor store in this property after Stone & Griffin and on April 6, 1854, he sold to James T. Gorley who continued in the same business for several years. John Man- away was here for a short time with a grocery. George S. Evans kept a grocery store here for about three years and sold out to John S. Dawson. William Brownfield and James Moore were here with a grocery for some time. Frank McCray suc- ceeded Moore and Brownfield and kept a grocery for five years.
A small one-story frame building stood against the east end of the old McCleary hotel which was occupied principally by shoemakers and tailors, among whom may be mentioned, John Loor, a son-in-law of Gabriel Getzendanner, who carried on the tailoring business here for some time, as did D. M. Springer and John McCuen. They were followed later by James L. Irwin in the same line of business. Captain Hugh Gorley was here with his shoe shop for a number of years, and for a while it was occupied as the bar-room for the Wyatt Hotel.
Joshua Strickler purchased the lots on which these two buildings stood and tore them away and erected the present three-story building in 1883, and A. D. Conwell and J. A. Strickler occupied it as a shoe and hat store for eighteen years. On January 22, 1901, Conwell retired and the firm became Strickler, Hathaway & Co., and subsequently the firm became The Campbell-Hathaway Company, by the addition of John M. Campbell. John M. Campbell withdrew from the firm January 1, 1910.
Lot No. 3 in Jacob's Addition was purchased by Robert Skiles March 14, 1814, and was bounded on the west by Jacob's alley, now known as Arch street. By an article of agreement, December 18, 1823, Mr. Skiles conveyed this lot to Ewing Mc- Cleary and after his death the deed was made to Catharine McCleary, his widow.
Ewing McCleary built a two-story brick tavern stand on the corner of Main street and Jacob's alley, now known as Arch street, where he commenced business in 1819, and con-
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tinued until his death, February 5, 1828. His hotel was one of the most popular in the town. After his death his wife con- tinued the business for ten years. Ewing McCleary was a native of Adams county where he was born in 1782. During Mrs. McCleary's proprietorship of this hotel, the smallpox broke out and George Currier and another employee of Blanchard's traveling show died at this hotel, September 21, 1830, and the disease spread until there were 15 genuine cases of smallpox in the town, only the two of which proved fatal. This, of course, interrupted the business of Mrs. McCleary's tavern, and she, on October 18, announced that her house had been disenfected and renovated since persons had the smallpox there and she so- licits a renewal of her former custom. Mrs. McCleary subse- quently married William Hart who had been bar-tender for William McClelland and more recently in charge of the Mc- Cleary Hotel. They left town and settled in Centerville, Wash- ington county, where Mrs. Hart died, and was buried in the Methodist Episcopal graveyard at Uniontown.
Selden B. Hays, who formerly conducted a tavern at Washington, Pa., and more recently of the McClelland House, succeeded Mr. Hart as the proprietor of the McCleary hotel, and he was succeeded by Joshua Marsh who conducted it for one or two years, when L. W. Stockton opened the National House on Morgantown street and Mr. Marsh was placed in charge of it. Redding Bunting succeeded Mr. Marsh as pro- prietor of the McCleary hotel for a short time and he in turn was succeeded by Aaron Stone, who had been proprietor of the Fulton House, April 1, 1846. Mr. Stone announced that his hotel would be known as the Fayette House. Mr. Stone was very popular as a landlord.
Zadoc Cracraft succeeded Aaron Stone in 1850, and he changed the name to that of the Eagle Hotel, and had a large swinging sign at the curb on which was lettered the name and a large spread eagle. The house retained the name for many years under the numerous proprietors which followed.
During Mr. Cracraft's proprietorship a fire broke out in the rear of the property, in 1851, and destroyed much adjacent property on Morgantown street, the market-house, and much damage to this hotel. Mr. Cracraft then purchased the pro- prietorship of Stephen Snyder of the Clinton House and con- tinued the business at that place.
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After the rebuilding of the McCleary hotel William Beatty took charge as proprietor, April 1, 1852, and he was succeeded by William Gans in 1854, who after two years was succeeded by Peter Uriah Hook, in 1856. Aaron Wyatt succeeded Hook and he began to purchase the property from the heirs of Ewing McCleary in 1862, and conducted the hotel as both owner and proprietor until his death, from which time his widow continued the business until her death. James Wyatt succeeded his mother as proprietor until his death and he was succeeded by his widow.
Russel Beall purchased this property in 1882 and changed the name to that of The Brunswick, added a third story and extended the building back to South street.
The first lot west of Jacob's alley now known as Arch street was designated as lot No. 15 in Jacob's Addition, the eastern half of which was sold to Jesse Graves October 8, 1791. An old weatherboarded house stood on the corner of this lot next to Jacob's alley in which Daniel B. McCarty lived and carried on his occupation as a shoemaker before 1815. He was a most excellent man and a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He with Benjamin Hellen and George W. Rutter com- prised the building committee for the erection of the second Methodist Episcopal meeting-house at the west end of Peter street in 1832-33. Nathaniel Jaquette, who had served his country in the defense of the city of Baltimore in the war of 1812, and whose wife was a half sister to Daniel B. McCarty, was con- nected with Mr. McCarty here in business.
Colonel Ewing Brownfield, who with his brother, John, had been in business on Morgantown street, purchased this lot, and in 1837 erected a large two-story brick business room and residence on the corner. These he occupied as such, and in connection with his dealings in wool he amassed a fortune. He was one of the town's most popular, upright and successful old time merchants, and retired from business with the confi- dence and respect of the entire community. Col. Brownfield was born near Winchester, Va., September 7, 1803, of Quaker parentage, and was brought here when two years of age by his parents, Thomas Brownfield and wife, who settled in Union- town in 1805. He was of a military spirit and joined the Union Volunteers, a military company of the town, when twenty years of age. He formed one of Captain Bolles' drill squad and under
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whose instructions he became one of the best drilled men of the community. Capt. Bolles was a graduate of West Point mili- tary academy and was exceedingly proficient in the manual of arms. He with others escorted General Lafayette from Union- town to the home of Hon. Albert Gallatin on the occasion of the former's visit to this place in 1825. In 1828, Col. Brownfield was elected major of the first regiment of the Pennsylvania volunteers, which position he held for two years, and upon the resignation of Col. Samuel Evans, he was elected to the colonelcy without opposition, which office he filled for five years. He also took a deep interest in the fire department of the town, and was captain of one of the companies for many years. Col. Brown- field was married in 1842 to Miss Julia Long, daughter of Capt. Robert Long, a prominent citizen of Springhill township, by whom he had three children. He conducted branch stores in Upper Middletown under the management of Edward G. Roddy, at Smithfield, under the management of William McCleary and at McClellandtown. He retired from the dry goods business in Uniontown December 1, 1862, after a successful business career of 32 years, when he sold out his stock of goods to Armstrong Hadden, and thus originated the firm of T. & J. M. Hadden. This firm conducted business in this room until De- cember 1, 1867, when the goods were removed to the old store room of Henry H. Beeson and sold to Rev. Alfred Newlon, who had recently purchased the store of Thomas D. Skiles, and the stock of the two stores consolidated. Charles S. Seaton, an old merchant of the town, succeeded the Haddens in this room in 1867, and he soon associated with him Mr. A. G. Smith, a former partner. They were succeeded in this room by the People's Bank of Fayette county which opened its doors for business July 14, 1873. This bank transacted business here until 1902, when it removed to its new quarters in the old Bryan Building.
This property was sold by the heirs of Col. Brownfield December 3, 1904, to Daniel P. Gibson, Charles J. McCormick and John T. Robinson at public auction. This property has been greatly changed and improved within the past few years, by the addition of several business rooms.
John Cupp, a barber by occupation, purchased the western portion of lot No. 15 in Jacob's Addition in 1814, and conducted his business in the front and occupied the rear of a log build-
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ing which stood back from the street, as a residence. This building stood over the old Beeson millrace. Cupp was put in jail for debt, but on February 20, 1823, he was released under the insolvent act, and as it was believed that he had abundant means by which he could have discharged his obligations, but preferred being committed to jail and released under the in- solvent act, his creditors gave expression to their feelings through the columns of the Genius of Liberty of April 1, 1823, in the following " Lament ":
" Come a' guid folks wi' ane consent, Come join us in our guid intent, And let nae time be now misspent, Nor let us pout, But let us a' at ance lament ; Ould Cupp 's let out.
Far weil may we now grunt and grain, And shed sault tears as thick as rain,
But a' our tears must be in vain, Wi' out a doubt,
For after a' our labor tak'n, Ould Cupp 's let out.
''T would nae do,' the lawyers prate,
'Twas a' in vain, and a' too late, It seem'd as if 'twere fix'd by fate, And a' our rout Did not avail a single hate, Ould Cupp 's let out.
Nor would be heard the blath'ring gabble, Of any one among the rabble,
We tried our best to kick and scrabble, And make a rout,
But we were told to 'hush our gabble,' And let Cupp out.
And wha that saw his siller gear, That he'd laid past frae year to year, Or wha that e'en of it did hear, Could be so stout,
As not to drop a single tear, Since Cupp 's let out ?
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Or wha that saw his money bags, As lang as any callan's leg,
Would nae believe that he had kegs, Concealed about, Filled up wi' cash of which he'll brag, Since now he's out?
Or who that ever heard folks say That he'd made scores of crowns per day,
And that his debts he would na' pay, Will have a doubt
That thousands he will take away Since he 's let out.
Oh! wha that ever saw bright siller, Since the guid days of old Van Twiller,
If he's not worse than a puir tiller Or lazy lout, Would nae greet and grin and beller, Since Cupp 's let out.
But he is gone, and what is worse Alang wi' him is gone his purse,
Of which he 'll be a careful nurse, There is no doubt.
And now he'll cram it 'till it bursts, Since he is out.
Nae mare we'll see his face in town,
Nae mare we'll see his surly frown,
Nor see him walking up and down The streets about.
Nor ever will his cash be found, Since he 's got out."
The act allowing imprisonment for debt was passed in 1705, and continued in force until repealed, July 12, 1842.
A debtor could be discharged under the insolvent act after an imprisonment of three months and the surrender of all his property to his creditors; but while imprisoned his creditors were liable to the charges of his confinement.
John Cupp gave notice in the Genius of Liberty of January 21, 1823, that he had appealed to the court of common pleas of Fayette county for the benefit of the insolvent laws of Pennsyl-
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vania, and the said court appointed the 20th of February, 1823, to hear him and his creditors at the court house in Uniontown where all who thought proper might attend.
Billy Smith, a blacksmith, married Sarah Cupp, a daughter of John Cupp, and it was related that during the ceremony when she was asked if she would accept this man to be her lawful and wedded husband she simply nodded assent, when her sister, who was an interested and anxious spectator, called out, " Why don't you say 'Yes,' Sal, I would if I had that chance." Billy Smith carried on blacksmithing on the opposite side of the street. The lot of John Cupp was offered at sheriff's sale October 25, 1830.
A frame building stood on the front part of this lot in which Joseph Kibler carried on the tinning business and succeeded Cupp in the occupancy of this property. He was a tinner and coppersmith by occupation, and had conducted his business elsewhere in the town before locating on this property. He was a most excellent man, was a member of the session of the Presbyterian church in 1825, and was very active in church work, and was for a time the superintendent of the Sabbath school. He was tax collector of Union borough for the year 1826, and collected his duplicate in full.
Joseph Kibler removed to Hillsborough, Ohio, October 8, 1832, where he established himself in business and became pros- perous. His second wife was Miss Mary Campbell, daughter of Benjamin Campbell. At the time of this second marriage Mr. Kibler was 70 years of age and Miss Campbell was one and a half years his senior.
William B. Roberts succeeded Mr. Kibler in this property with a grocery store and conducted business here during the erection of his four-story brick building near the west end of Main street.
Peter Uriah Hook succeeded Mr. Roberts in this property with a dry goods and grocery store. He had been in business in McClellandtown from 1833 to 1837, and in the latter year he came to Uniontown and clerked for Foster & Nixon, across the alley from the Seaton House. Foster & Nixon broke up in 1840, and Hook took their stock of goods for his wages with which he started his store. Mr. Hook had many peculiar- ities and was favorably known by the whole community. His verbosity and most excellent voice gave him superior advantages
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