USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 16
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John Campbell received the appointment of postmaster at Uniontown November 18, 1807, and in 1820, the post office was kept in one of these small buildings.
John Campbell purchased the eastern half of lot No. 5 and nearly all of No. 4, February 9, 1824, for $2,900, not half the sum Mr. Evans had paid for it; but when it is remembered that Mr. Evans bought with depreciated money and sold for par money, it will appear that he may have realized a satisfactory profit. Mr. Campbell soon removed the frame buildings back on this lot, one of which he continued to occupy as a store and residence, and his father, Benjamin Campbell, occupied another as a residence and silversmith shop. John Campbell erected what was known as the " Round Corner " in 1828. It was so named from the fact that the corner of the building facing Main and Pittsburgh streets was built in a circular form.
Mr. Campbell, desiring that his new building should have the appearance of a pressed brick front, such as he had seen on his frequent visits to Philadelphia, had the bricks of which the front of his new building was constructed, rubbed upon a wet, sanded board until smooth ; thus giving to his new building the appearance
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of pressed brick. This building was most substantially built, with store room on the corner and residence in the rear. The main entrance to the residence was on Pittsburgh street, through a large door, with glass side panels and arched transom sash; a spacious hall led to the parlor at the west side of the store room on Main street.
The rear part of this lot contained some small buildings, among which was a small stone building which was occupied for some time by Joseph Kibler as a tinner's shop. Morgan A. Miller & Co., as tailors, occupied this stone building for a while, and they were succeeded by Charles D. Manship and Daniel Black as tailors, who conducted business here in 1818-19. Charles D. Manship and Joseph Kibler married sisters. Mr. Manship was a man of fine appearance, but had a club foot, and was a perfect gentleman.
When John Campbell moved into his new building, he used the small counting room facing Pittsburgh street for the post office, and much of the mail matter was received and delivered at the window facing the street. Mr. Campbell took the oath of office November 18, 1807. There is evidence that his predecessor, Cap- tain Thomas Collins, handed over to him the office in July pre- ceding, perhaps at the time Mr. Campbell received notice of his appointment.
Mr. Campbell held the office of postmaster, continuously, until October 20, 1837, a term of more than thirty years, and nearly, if not quite all of this time, the office was in charge of his father, Benjamin Campbell, and this accounts for the fact that so many people believed that Benjamin Campbell was the postmaster. This remarkable tenure of office is highly complimentary of the efficient and satisfactory manner in which the duties of the office were discharged.
Mr. Campbell's tenure of office as postmaster, however, was not all clear sailing, as the following letter, written by Richard W. Lane, prothonotary at the time, and addressed to the Honorable John Smilie, then representative in congress, will testify :
Union, November 26, 1812.
Dear Sir :
Mr. John Campbell, apprehensive that a petition for his re- moval from office of postmaster may be forwarded to you, has requested me to beg of you to suspend your opinion in that event until he inay have an opportunity of a hearing at least, and that
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you will have the goodness to apprise him of the nature of the charges, should any be made against him. He is well known to be an efficient officer, probably is not surpassed by any in the estab- lishment.
Yours truly, R. W. Lane.
To Hon. John Smilie, Washington, D. C.
From the length of time Mr. Campbell continued to hold the office, it is reasonable to infer that the above-mentioned remon- strance was either not forwarded or that it was entirely inoperative.
Again, in 1829, an effort was made to have Mr. Campbell re- moved, on account of his long continuance in office, and the names of Henry Ebert, George W. Rutter, Abner Greenland, Robert Kin- kead and Jesse Beeson were mentioned to succeed him. This effort, although giving Mr. Campbell much concern, also proved abortive.
Again, in 1833, a letter from William P. Wells, Esq., to the Honorable Andrew Stewart, then our representative in congress, stated that an effort was being made to have Mr. Campbell re- moved and to have Matthew Irwin appointed in his stead. In this letter Mr. Wells states that the opposition to Mr. Campbell was not from the patrons of the office, but from parties in Pittsburgh.
John Campbell paid a license in 1825, for selling foreign goods and liquors according to the Act of March, 1824. The names of those selling both foreign goods and liquors at that date were Isaac Beeson and John Campbell. Those who sold foreign goods but no liquor were George W. Rutter, Milton Baily, Hugh Thompson, McKean and Gibson, Samuel Y. Campbell, George Ebert, Robert Skiles, Skiles and Hadden (Isaac Skiles and John M. Hadden), and Matthew Irwin.
It will be remembered that General Lafayette visited the United States in 1824-25, as the nation's guest, and it was eminently de- sirable to have him visit this county that bore his illustrious name, and as Mr. John Campbell had business in Philadelphia in the fall of 1824, he was appointed as one of a committee to extend to General Lafayette the wishes of the people of this county, and as a report, he wrote the following letter to Samuel Evans, Esq., who was acting on the committee of entertainment during the General's visit to Fayette county.
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Philadelphia, Monday, October 4, 182-4.
Dear Sir :
My brother Benjamin and myself have this moment returned from the Mansion House hotel, where we had the pleasure of an introduction, by John Bouvier, to General Lafayette. It was very difficult to gain admittance, but Mr. Bouvier told one of the com- mittee that he had presented to the General, some days before, an address, etc., from Fayette county, and that there were two gen- tlemen now with him from Fayette county that wished to receive his answer if ready. After some time, perhaps an hour, we were ad- mitted, and after Mr. Bouvier broached the subject, the General re- plied : " My dear sir, it has been out of my power to give an answer yet, my situation has been as you now see me ever since, nor will I be able to write an answer until after my arrival at Washington, and it will be after the sitting of Congress before I can visit that place. His son, George Washington Lafayette, was present and about five or six others only, when we were introduced. I have hurried to give you the first information of the above.
Your friend,
John Campbell.
To Samuel Evans, Esq.
John Campbell was born in Hagerstown, Md., February 5th, 1778, and came to Uniontown with his parents in 1792. On De- cember 13th, 1821, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Coulter of Greensburg, Pa., by whom he had two children; Richard, who was born February 3rd, 1823, and who died July 1st, 1828, and. Mary, who became the wife of Samuel Duncan Oliphant, and had ten children, all boys. She died at Trenton, N. J. John Campbell died in Uniontown, July 27, 1842, in the 65th year of his age.
Before the death of John Campbell, his brother, Dr. Hugh Campbell, moved his drug store into this room, and it was con- tinuously used as a drug store by different proprietors until 1883, when the First National Bank of Fayette County purchased the property and converted it into a banking room.
It was publicly announced through the papers, that on the 4th day of July, 1854, there would be a grand celebration held at Fort Necessity, in commemoration of the surrender of Major George Washington to the French, and that at this place and time there would be patriotic speeches and the laying of a corner-stone preparatory to the erection of a suitable monument at that place.
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The night before the 4th, a brass cannon, known as a six- pounder, that was kept about the town for firing salutes on celebra- tion occasions, was brought out and placed at the intersection of Main and Morgantown streets and discharged repeatedly with such force as to break all the windows in the adjoining buildings. Every light of glass in the "Round Corner," and in the old "White- wash " corner, facing Pittsburgh street, was broken out.
John Campbell continued to occupy the residence part of this property until his death. His daughter, Mary C. Campbell, was married to S. D. Oliphant, Esq., in 1847, and they, with her mother, continued to occupy the residence part of this property for some years.
Dr. Hugh Campbell & Co. commenced business under a new firm, in the " Round Corner," May 31, 1830, with dry goods, wines, etc. They advertise Western Reserve cheese at the sign of the mortar. They also want twenty bushels of Indian turnips, from which they compounded some remedy. They kept the oil of grape vine for the hair. They sold "Red Drops," the quintessence of a plant found on the "Wilds of Africa," for toothache. They had two pairs of candlesticks with pendants, also sugar, cheese, butter, soap, etc.
Dr. Campbell took Daniel Canon, a former clerk, into partner- ship with him in 1850, and the firm became Campbell & Canon. This partnership did not last over two years, when Canon removed to Newark, Ohio, and started a drug store at that place. Here he had no camel to bear his burden, so he soon broke up and returned to Uniontown, and Dr. Campbell generously took him in as a nominal partner once more. After Canon left the second time, Dr. Campbell took in Levi S. Lewis of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, who also had been a former clerk. During this partnership the store was moved into the Tremont Corner and the old store room in the " Round Corner " was remodeled and considerably enlarged, and the parlor just west of the store room was converted into a busi- ness room. After six month's stay in the Tremont building, the drug store was returned to the "Round Corner." Mr. Lewis' con- nection with this firm lasted only two years, and he retired in 1860. Their advertisement of September 20, 1860, announces that they sell coal oil at one dollar and ten cents per gallon.
Dr. Campbell next sold a half interest in the store to Dr. James B. Ewing, and as neither of the proprietors could give the business their personal attention, Benjamin Campbell was em-
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ployed to take charge of the business. This partnership terminated in about two years, when Dr. Ewing accepted a position at Dixmont asylum.
Benjamin Campbell purchased the interest of Dr. Ewing, and the firm again became Campbell & Co. In about two years Ben- jamin bought out the interest of his father, Dr. Hugh Campbell, and conducted the business under his own name and ownership, and in about two years he sold to Louis E. Beall and John C. Breading, who conducted the business as Beall & Breading. Beall retired, and Breading ran the business alone until February, 1876, when he sold out to Altha L. Moser and Joseph Kidwell Ritenour. Ritenour severed his connection with this firm in 1880, when he purchased the drug store of Dr. Smith Fuller & Son on Broad- way, and Moser continued the business on the "Round Corner " until 1883, when he removed his stock to the first room in the new opera house.
In 1883, the First National Bank put a third story on this old building and remodeled the old drug room for a banking room, and occupied it as such until May 16, 1901, when the bank was removed to the new Thompson-Ruby building.
The hall and room on Pittsburgh street were converted into a business room. The first occupant of this room was the Southwest Natural Gas company, as an office, next followed the post office, under Maryetta Johns, and was continued under the administra- tion of O. J. Sturgis, and part of the term of Michael D. Baker, who removed the office to the second room in the opera house.
The post office was succeeded in this room by the Western Union Telegraph company, while part of the room was occupied as a Hungarian bank.
Benjamin C. Paine succeeded S. D. Oliphant in the occupancy of the residence, and also removed his stock of boots and shoes and work-shop into the room next west of the "Round Corner " and was its first occupant, in 1860. Mr. Paine retired from business here in December, 1878, and Daniel J. Johnson succeeded Mr. Paine in this room with a boot and shoe store, and in eighteen months he sold out to George S. Seaton and Joseph Jones, Sep- tember, 1879, and they in turn sold out to Albert D. Conwell and J. Arthur Strickler. Harry S. Clark, druggist, succeeded Conwell & Strickler, October 27, 1883, with a drug store, and occupied it as such until 1901, when he moved to the first room in the opera block.
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The second and third stories of the " Round Corner," after it was remodeled by the First National Bank, were occupied as offices principally.
The old " Round Corner " was torn away in 1901, and the first stone in the foundation of the new First National Bank build- ing was laid shortly after noon, July 16, 1901. This magnificent structure was finished for occupancy August 18, 1902, and the First National Bank moved into its new quarters March 31, 1903. Robert Hunt and Jay Collier opened a fine jewelry store in the first room west of the bank, and Isaac Silverman moved into the next room to the west, with a large line of dry goods and notions, and Long Brothers occupied the third room from the bank with a fine department store, and M. A. T. Scott moved an immense 5- and 10- cent store into the western room. Other business rooms were located in the arcade and occupied for business purposes. The upper part of this immense building was soon filled with offices and residences.
John Wood sold the western half of lot No. 5, September 21, 1795, to Christian Wireman, from whom it was sold by the sheriff, September 28, 1799, to Thomas Hadden, who settled here from the eastern part of the state, and was admitted to practice at the bar of Fayette county at September term, 1795. Mr. Hadden mar- ried a daughter of Colonel Alexander McClean and went to house- keeping in a red frame house which stood on this lot. Mr. Hadden sold to James Allen, who transferred it to Benjamin Campbell, March 22, 1806.
Benjamin Campbell was born at New London Cross Roads, Chester county, Pa., February 5, 1749. When a young man, he settled at Hagerstown, Md., where he learned the silversmith busi- ness. Here he was married, January 30, 1775, to Mary Adair, who was born March 15, 1759. During the Revolutionary war he per- formed a short military tour in New Jersey, which, under an act of Congress, would have entitled him to a pension, but he never presented his claim. Mr. Campbell, being known as a man of excellent parts, was solicited by a number of gentlemen of our town to bring his family and locate here, and they actually contributed to the expense of his removal.
Mr. Campbell settled in Uniontown January 21, 1792, and his first residence was in a log house belonging to Colonel McClean, and stood east of the court house, on the lot now occupied by the resi- dence of the heirs of Dr. R. M. Walker. Here Mr. Campbell car- ried on his business as a silversmith for several years, paying $25.00
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
per year rent for the same, and here his son, Dr. Hugh, was born.
Benjamin Campbell purchased from James Allen, March ??. 1806, the western half of lot No. 5, and moved into the red frame house just vacated by Mr. Hadden, and here lived and carried on his business until 1828, when he moved the frame building back on the lot and occupied it until he erected a two-story brick building on its site.
When John Campbell received the appointment of postmaster, the post office was removed into the same room as Benjamin Camp- bell's silversmith shop, and he took charge of the office from July, 1807, at which time it was handed over by his predecessor, Captain Thomas Collins, before the commission arrived. Here the office was kept until April 1, 1826, John Campbell paying twelve dollars a year for rent of the room and fifty-two dollars a year to his father for attending to the duties of the office.
Benjamin Campbell was exceedingly methodical and accurate in all his business. He wore his hair in a queue, and wore knee breeches, and large silver buckles on his low-cut shoes and at his knees, and was a typical old-fashioned gentleman, who commanded the respect and veneration of the people of the town. He never saw the stone bridge at the western end of the town but twice since its erection in 1820; he was never out of the county since he re- moved to it except. on one occasion, when he made a business trip to Morgantown. He never saw one of the other towns in the county. He was frequently two years at a time without being out- side the limits of the borough. Months would elapse without his being more than a few steps from his home, except when he went
to church or to an election. It is said that Alexander Hamilton called at his shop for consultation when here to suppress the whisky insurrection. He kept his books in a most methodical manner, and the state of the weather was kept for thirty years without the omis- sion of a day. He was a subscriber for the Fayette Gazette and Union Advertiser, the first newspaper published in Uniontown. His subscription started with the first number of that paper, January 12, 1798, and he made large type and double rules and cuts to be used in that issue. His son, William, was an apprentice to the printing trade in that office, and established the Fayette and Greene Spectator in Uniontown, January 1, 1811.
. Dr. Alexander Hamilton Campbell, a son of Samuel Y. Camp- bell, purchased this property from the executors of the will of Benjamin Campbell, February 9, 1850, and occupied it as a residence
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
and physician's office. He married Miss Mary Howell, a sister to Alfred Howell, Esq. He commenced the practice of medicine, May 25, 1843, along with Dr. S. S. Rogers, in the John Campbell row on Pittsburg street.
Charles S. Seaton purchased this property from the widow of Dr. Campbell April 3, 1864, and occupied it as a dwelling. The east parlor was converted into a business room for the accommodation of the First National Bank of Uniontown, and that bank moved into it on Monday, May 2, 1864. This room was subsequently used for business purposes. Mr. Seaton died here October 31, 1886. The First National Bank purchased this property and tore it away for the erection of the new bank building.
John McClean purchased lot No. 6 in Jacob's Addition, March 8, 1790, and sold to Pearson Sayer, and Sayer sold to Joseph Pryor. The latter was a tailor by trade, and served as a private in Captain Thomas Collins' company, on the northern lakes, in the war of 1812. He was a fine old bachelor gentleman, and died at the home of Hannah Collins, the widow of Captain Collins, one mile west of town, April 13, 1837, aged 73 years.
Joseph Pryor sold to James Fletcher, and Fletcher sold to Henry H. Beeson, and the latter sold, March 23, 1827, twenty-four feet and nine inches off the eastern side to Robert Skiles, a merchant of the town, at which time there was thereon a small two-story frame dwelling.
This frame dwelling was removed to a lot on Morgantown street, where the Presbyterian parsonage was subsequently erected, and became the dwelling of Jesse King, and still later that of Carey Stuck.
Robert Skiles built a two-story brick dwelling on this lot and his brother, Isaac, occupied it as a dwelling and store room. Robert Skiles died April 10, 1838, and willed this property to his brother, Isaac.
Isaac Skiles associated with him John M. Hadden, a brother of Armstrong Hadden, and here carried on merchandising before 1824, and for several years thereafter. Later the firm became Isaac Skiles & Son, his son, Isaac, being associated with him.
In January of 1844, the building on the southwest corner of Main and Morgantown streets, then in the occupancy of L. M. Kline, as a general store, was destroyed by fire, and a few years thereafter Isaac Skiles purchased the lot and erected thereon a three-story brick building, known as Skiles' corner. Into this new
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
building Mr. Skiles and son moved their store, which was con- tinued under the' Skiles name for many years. Isaac Skiles re- tired from business in February, 1852, and spent the remainder of his life in comfortable retirement. He was a miller by trade, and at one time operated the old Beeson mill at the west end of town, and while thus employed he lived in that part of the mill that was fitted up for that purpose. He was born July 12, 1789, and died January 8, 1865.
Thomas Jaquette and Joseph Keffer purchased this property from the heirs of Isaac Skiles, and Marshall N. Lewis was their tenant. They sold to John S. Roberts, who occupied it as a resi- dence and grocery store until his death, about 1878, and his widow continued the store in connection with a boarding house until the property was sold to the First National Bank and torn away. Henry H. Beeson purchased this lot No. 6 in 1814, and in 1816 erected on the western part a three-story brick building. A large hallway was in the middle and a parlor on the west, and a store- room on the east. Into this building Mr. Beeson moved his family and opened a store, where he continued in business until 1833.
Mr. Beeson was the youngest of the twelve children of Jacob Beeson, one of the founders of Uniontown, and was born March 9, 1788, in what is now known as the Gilmore mansion, on West Main street. He served his country in the war of 1812, along the northern lakes. He purchased the farm of Joseph McClean, about a mile north of the village of Hopwood, in 1860, and moved thereto, where he died March 16, 1869, in his 82nd year.
Mrs. F. B. Titlow, a daughter of Mr. Beeson, occupied this residence for several years. Dr. R. M. Walker also occupied this property as a residence and physician's office. Frank Reynolds kept a boarding house here, as did also William Gordon and S. K. Frey.
Samuel Harris kept a cap store in the Beeson store room for a while, and he was succeeded by William D. Barclay, who was here in 1835. William Bryson was an occupant here with a dry goods store in 1837, for one year only, when he sold out to William D. Swearingen and William McCleary, who continued the business in the room until they erected a building on the McCleary tavern lot, upon the completion of which they moved their store. Bryson went to Hopwood and purchased a tavern stand.
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William Wilson moved his hatting establishment from the Hellen building, on the opposite side of the street, into this room, April 1, 1841, and while here he took Ed. Rine in as a partner, 1845. This partnership did not continue long, and Mr. Wilson conducted the business alone until at least 1854. William Wilson learned the hatting trade under Benjamin Hellen, and married Mr. Hellen's daughter, Minerva. He later entered the banking house of John T. Hogg, and became one of the best known bankers of the town.
Dick H. Austin opened a boot and shoe store in this room, succeeding Mr. Wilson, October 5, 1854. He also manufactured boots and shoes. He soon moved to the James F. Canon building, but soon sold out and quit the shoe business. He was a son of John M. Austin, Esq., one of the leading attorneys of the Fayette county bar. He later became a minister of the Baptist church, and died July 5, 1900.
Dr. James Fuller occupied this room as a physician's office from 1854 to 1864, and he was succeeded by Dr. R. M. Walker, who was, in turn, succeeded by Dr. William M. Semans, 1866-67. Thomas and John M. Hadden moved their stock of dry goods from the Col. Ewing Brownfield room into this room in October, 1867, in order to close out their stock and quit business.
G. Calvin McKnight opened a ladies' furnishing goods and notion store here in 1882.
McClean and Herrington opened a boot and shoe store here, and they were succeeded by John M. Campbell in the same line of business, and he was the last tenant in this room.
Daniel P. Gibson purchased this property and occupied it as a residence and carried on the harness business in the western room, which he had fitted up for that purpose. W. F. Fredericks, with pianos, organs and musical instruments, succeeded Mr. Gibson, and William D. Garnes, with a barber shop, was the last tenant when the building was torn away.
William McClelland purchased lot No. 7 from Jacob Beeson, September 15, 1794, for thirty pounds, Pennsylvania money, equal to eighty dollars. Back from the street and on the eastern side of this lot was a frame building, and to the west of this Mr. McClelland built a two-story frame addition, which was painted white. A porch ran in front of the tavern upon which he used to sit in his big armed chair with his cane in his hand. His tavern was known as the "Spread Eagle." On the rear and western part of this lot
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