USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 25
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Jacob F. Brant carried on his business as a gunsmith here in 1835, and his advertisement announced that he "makes a patent gun to put two loads in at once, and be discharged, separately, one after the other until all are discharged." Mr. Brant subsequently owned and carried on his business on the lot now occupied by the Teed House.
Armstrong Hadden purchased this property from Thomas D. Skiles in 1872, and at the death of Mr. Hadden it came into the possession of his son, James Hadden, who changed the old building into a photograph gallery which he occupied as such for several years. In December, 1890, this building was de- stroyed by an incendiary fire, and a three-story brick business block erected by James Hadden in 1891, since which time it has been occupied as a business room and offices, the third story being occupied as a dwelling. A frame building stood just south of the present Hadden building and south of this stood a log building. Benjamin Hellen purchased the lot on which these two buildings stood, together with his Main street prop- erty, and moved his hatting business into the frame and used
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the log building for a shop in which he manufactured hats. Mr. Hellen was located here in 1813, and also carried a stock of dry goods and groceries along with his hatting business.
Mr. Hellen tore away the frame building on the northern part of this lot and erected a two-story business block on its site. This new building was erected in 1847, and contained two business rooms on the first floor.
Dr. Smith Fuller, John W. Skiles and William Wilson were the first to occupy the northern of these two rooms with a new drug store, and they announced that they were now opening in the new Hellen building, opposite the old market house, an ex- cellent assortment of new drugs, February 4, 1847. The firm became Dr. Smith Fuller and John H. McClelland in 1849, and Dr. Smith Fuller and Ellis Beggs, his brother-in-law, in 1850, and Beggs sold his interest to William H. Baily January 24, 1853.
Fuller and Baily disposed of their drug store, October 30, 1856, to Charles A. Hyde and John A. Walters. These men were brothers-in-law and were from Masontown. Mrs. Hyde fur- nished the funds for the concern, which were soon expended in frequent trips to Pittsburgh and other unbusiness conduct, and the entire stock was advertised for sale at public auction on June 4, 1847, unless sooner disposed of. William H. Baily purchased the stock of drugs of Hyde and Walters and the stock of books and stationery of J. Ol. Stewart, July 2, 1857, and continued the business in the old room, where he did a thriving business for many years. He married a daughter of Alfred Patterson, Esq., a wealthy and prominent attorney at the Fayette county bar. Mr. Baily entered several other enter- prises after that of the drug business and finally became in- volved and moved to Minneapolis, Minn., where he died February 11, 1908, and his body was brought to Uniontown for burial.
John Austin Modisette & Co. purchased the drug store of William H. Baily in 1869, and continued the business in this room for several years, when they moved to Main street in the western room of the Bryan building. This room was subse- quently occupied by I. W. Miller as a tinner's shop, and he was succeeded by the Denny brothers who carried on plumbing and tinware.
The southern room of the new Hellen block was first oc-
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cupied by Levi D. Stephens who removed his store from No. 2 Commercial Row, April 1, 1847. Mr. Stephens associated with him in business H. R. Smith, but Mr. Smith soon withdrew and Mr. Stephens purchased the stock of Lippencott and Shallen- berger and moved his stock down to their room in the Bryan building known as "The Cheap Side," March 1, 1849. Louis D. Beall & Co. followed Stephens in this room with the " Good Intent Exchange " store, but were here only one year when Norval H. Hellen and Henry R. Beeson succeeded here in 1850. Beeson soon withdrew and Hellen continued a short time when he associated with him his brother, Benj. F. Hellen. This firm dissolved in 1852, and Benj. F. continued a short time when the business was placed in the hands of George W. Rutter to con- tinue and collect all arrearages or outstanding accounts.
This room was subsequently occupied by different restau- rateurs for many years, among whom were William Hilling, James Winterbottom, Macon W. Rine, John Rine and others. Macon W. Rine appears to have kept the most popular restau- rant in the town in early times, but his place was patronized by men only. A number of grocers succeeded the restaurants in this room, among whom were Theophilus Bowie after his place of business was burned out on Main street, as elsewhere men- tioned, and S. K. Brown with a boot and shoe establishment.
Immediately south of the Hellen building was an alleyway leading to the rear of this and other properties belonging to Mr. Hellen which fronted on Main street. This alleyway had large tight gates which, when desired, closed it from entrance. Just south of the alleyway stood an old log building which was used for many years by Benjamin Hellen as a work-shop in which he manufactured hats. John Owings and William Ebert succeeded Mr. Hellen in this building as hat manufacturers, in 1814. Mr. Ebert soon withdrew from the firm and carried on the business elsewhere. He served as a private in Capt. Thomas Collins' company in the war of 1812, and was the father of the late Mrs. Sarah Teed of the Teed House. This old building was subse- quently used as a ware-house and for other purposes.
At the southern side of the above mentioned log building the old Beeson millrace ran, and spanning this race was a small frame building, and when the old market-house, which stood on the public grounds donated by Jacob Beeson, became too filthy for- use, Robert Patterson, who had occupied a stall in
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the old market-house, transferred his meat market to this small building contrary to the borough ordinance then requiring all meat markets to be kept in the market-house. Mr. Patterson defied the borough authorities on the grounds that the market- house was absolutely unfit for a meat market and he trium- phantly carried his point, and since which time the old market- house was abandoned as such.
Caleb F. McCormick and James W. McCormick purchased from the Hellen estate in 1884, the above described property, fronting 71 feet on Morgantown street. They remodeled the old store rooms and extended the building to South street, since which time it has been used as a business block and dwellings. J. K. Ritenour occupying the third room with a drug store and Caleb F. McCormick the southern room with a meat market.
Jacob Beeson laid off an addition to the town of Union which he named Jacob's Second Addition. This comprised a row of lots on the west side of Morgantown street running from South street southward to Foundry street and two rows of lots on Mill street.
A triangular piece of ground formed by the intersection of Morgantown, and South streets and Jacob's alley was known as the ".smoothing iron."
The first purchaser of this triangular piece of ground was John Vankirk who came here from Trenton, New Jersey, a chair maker by occupation, accompanied by his wife and one child. He purchased this lot on the day of his arrival, the deed bearing date of March 17, 1788, and the price was nine pounds, a sum equal to twenty-five dollars. The next day after purchas- ing the lot Mr. Vankirk set to work to construct himself a home, and from the timber cut on this lot, he erected a one-roomed log dwelling and shop combined, and on the third day after his ar- rival here he was happily if not comfortably fixed in his new home. He had just 50 cents of his small capital left after pur- chasing his lot and erecting his house. This little log building was erected on the corner of South and Cheat or Morgantown streets, now occupied by the John T. Robinson building. In this Mr. Vankirk not only lived but put up his turning lathe and carried on his chair making business. It had neither floor, door, window nor were the chinks daubed with mortar. A few bed clothes were hung around the bed to break the wind, and a comfortable did service as a door. In this condition Mr.
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Vankirk lived until the approach of cold weather, when he hung a door, put in windows and daubed the chinks. The following year he erected a frame addition into which he moved his family and used the log as a kitchen, and by industry and frugality soon began to prosper. In 1821 he tore away the frame and log and erected a two-story brick residence which was torn away preparatory to the erection of the Robinson building, 1899. In this he resided until his death, September 10, 1843. He left a widow and four children. His widow, familiarly known as Muzzy Vankirk, still made her home in this house under the care of her granddaughter, Mrs. Yeurith McClean, until her death, April 3, 1859, at the age of 90 years, 10 months and 2 days. John Vankirk erected a small frame shop on the rear of this lot in which he carried on his trade for many years. He also built a frame house on the front of the lot in which Feuel Cox and his wife lived for some years. Mr. Vankirk built, also, a brick building which was occupied by Ephraim Owings as a coach factory and later by James Ebert with a tinner's shop. William B. McCormick purchased this brick and the two adjoining frame buildings and here carried on a meat market, and he was suc- ceeded by his son George A. McCormick. William C. McCor- mick started a bakery in this building and ran it for a while and sold out to Mrs. Zane and in 1888 J. V. E. Ellis rented the bakery and in 1891 he purchased the property and later the frame adjoining on the south.
William Ebert, whose wife was a daughter of John Van- kirk, erected a frame building south of the brick in which he carried on his business as a hatter. This small building was destroyed by fire and he erected a larger frame in which he established an oyster saloon and confectionery in his old days. Mr. Ebert was a soldier of the war of 1812, and served as a pri- vate in Captain Thomas Collins' company. He was the father of the late Mrs. Sarah Teed. Mr. Ebert built the second frame building south of the brick as a residence and here he resided all his married life. He was succeeded here by his son-in-law, John Teed, John Knight, Joseph M. Oglevee, Mrs. Mary Co- burn, who conducted an ice cream parlor, some Chinamen, who carried on the laundry business, and others. The first frame house above mentioned was used for the last six and a half years of its existence as a printing office by the People's Tribune printing company: A destructive fire broke out on Tuesday,
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July 1, 1851, in a stable on the north side of South street which soon spread to the adjoining buildings. The market-house was badly damaged and all the borough records destroyed. Mrs. Vankirk's brick residence was nearly destroyed, a stable and the house in which Feuel Cox lived were entirely destroyed and the whole row of houses up to Aunt Becky McClelland's was badly damaged. This was one of the most destructive fires in the history of the town up to that time.
After the death of Mrs. Vankirk, the lot on the corner of South and Morgantown streets became the property of Mrs. Yeurith McClean; and Joseph Marshall purchased that part of the lot on which the house occupied by Feuel Cox had formerly stood and erected the frame building now occupied as a marble shop and dwelling.
George A. McCormick purchased the Yeurith McClean prop- erty and for some years carried on a meat market in the old brick on the corner. John T. Robinson purchased the McCor- mick property and erected the present three-story brick business block covering the lot, in 1899. J. K. Ritenour occupying the corner room with a drug store, the next room south was occu- pied by C. McClure with a plumbing business, and he was suc- ceeded by Robinson and Walters in the same business, and various tenants occupied the rooms on South street, while the second and third floors have been occupied as living rooms.
In 1888 J. V. E. Ellis rented the bakery and conducted it for a while, and in 1891 he purchased the brick building from W. B. McCormick, and later the frame from Mrs. Ella Thorn- dell; and Oliver Burchinal purchased the frame to the south and together they erected, in 1903, what is known as the Ellis- Burchinal three-story brick business block, the first floor of which is used for business purposes and the second and third floors as residences.
A one-and-a-half-story log house stood on the upper end of this triangular lot and was owned and occupied by Aunt Becky McClelland, the mother of Joseph P. McClelland. She conducted a millinery business in a small frame building im- mediately on the point of this lot and was in business here in 1815. She died at the home of her son-in-law, ex-Sheriff John A. Sangston, who owned and lived in what was recently known as the L. B. Bowie residence. Other occupants of this old log house were Robert McGill a colored man and a tanner
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by trade. While Robert was an industrious and law-abiding citizen, some members of his household were erratic. One night trouble occurred in this house and a man was seriously but not dangerously cut with a butcher's knife. The following morning a number of boys took the old Union fire engine to West's pump, filled it with water, and ran it around in front of McGill's house. The first dash of the chilling bath brought the erratic-wife from her couch and she was given a further bath as she ran up the street. That night the boys made a further raid on the house and one Rachel Allen was seized and given a coat of tar and feathers and Rachel bade the town a hasty and final adieu.
James Thompson once occupied this house. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and served throughout the entire campaign on the northern lakes. Joseph Johns was another oc- cupant of this house and died there. The little frame on the corner was at one time occupied by Samuel T. Lewis as a tailor's shop, Cary Stuck as a shoemaker's shop, and by Simon Sampsel for the same business and by James Polk Winterbottom, also a shoemaker. Mr. Winterbottom tore away the two old build- ings and erected the present two-story frame now owned and occupied by Mrs. Ann Crawford.
Lot No. 1 in Jacob's Second Addition comprised the lot on which the Protestant Episcopal church now stands and also a portion of the lot on which the residence of Hon. Nathaniel Ewing now stands. John Bostick was the first purchaser of lots Nos. 1 and 2 in Jacob's Second Addition, December 2, 1796, and the price paid was 36 pounds, a sum equal to $95.00. These two lots had a frontage of 145 feet on Morgantown street and ran back to Strawberry alley, a distance of 150 feet. By the opening of a street between lot No. 1 and the Public Grounds donated by Jacob Beeson, 22 feet of lot No. 1 were absorbed by that street, the Episcopal church occupied 30 feet and Judge Ewing's lot the residue of No. 1 and all of No. 2.
An old one-and-a-half-story log building stood on lot No. 1 back from the street, leaving a yard in front, the kitchen being connected to the house by a covered porch, which was subse- quently boarded up, thus making an intermediate room. This property came into the possession of John Wood, Esq., mer- chant and saddler, elsewhere mentioned, but he never occupied it but rented it to different tenants. Old Granny (Sarah)
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Richie once occupied this property, and she had a most beautiful granddaughter by the name of Sally Sutton who made her home with Granny. Lee Haymaker courted and won the beautiful Sally, and the Pennsylvania Democrat of July 1, 1829, announced that Leroy Haymaker and Miss Sarah Sutton were married by Rev. Thornton Fleming, June 24, 1829, and added, " Reader, drive the mist from your eyes, and go thou and do likewise." After the death of Lee Haymaker his widow re- mained in widowhood for many years, but on April 1, 1863, she was married to Eli Finley of near New Salem with whom she lived on his farm until her death at the age of 64 years.
In deed book 11, page 133, is recorded a deed from L. W. Stockton to the vestrymen of St. Peter's church, bearing date of October 26, 1842, for $1.00, for a lot on Morgantown street for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. This lot was supposed to be a present from Mr. Stockton, who practically ran the church at the time with the same zeal as characterized him in running his stage-coach lines. But the chagrin felt by the congregation when they learned that Mr. Stockton had charged the church with his contribution of $500.00 with in- terest from date, and other sums, amounting in all to $1,200.00, all of which was demanded by Mr. Stockton's administrators, and which, with much difficulty, was eventually paid, can better be imagined than described.
The first church edifice was erected in the year 1842, and in October of that year was consecrated by Bishop Onderdonk of the diocese of Pennsylvania. This church was constructed of brick and plastered on the outside, and the rough plank benches elsewhere mentioned were used in this church until suitable pews were procured.
In 1711 a bell was cast in England during the reign of Queen Ann, bearing the date, 1711. Queen Ann presented this bell to Christ church of Philadelphia, and it was used by that church almost 50 years, and in 1760 it was transferred to St. Peter's church of the same city where it remained for more than 80 years, being displaced in 1842 by a chime of bells which had been presented to that church at that time. Daniel Smith, knowing the history of this bell, secured the loan of it for the
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new church, and the following is the article of agreement on which the loan of the bell was procured :
" November 28, 1842, We, the undersigned, composing the wardens and vestry of St. Peter's church, Fayette county, Pa., hereby covenant, agree and bind ourselves and members of said vestry hereafter, to return to the vestry of St. Peter's church, Philadelphia, at any time they may demand it, a bell which we have asked of them the favor of borrowing until such time as they may ask the return of it. Signed, John Sowers, H. V. Roberts, M. D., wardens; W. P. Wells, John Dawson, L. W. Stockton, Daniel Huston and Daniel Smith, Secretary.
This historic old bell was placed in the belfry surmounting this new church, where for 35 years it called the little group of worshipers to assemble in the vine-clad church below. The belfry of this church was blown off by a fierce mountain storm which raged all the night of February 4, 1868, and from which time the bell was covered by a temporary roof until its owners requested its return. It was taken down and on May 21, 1877, was shipped to St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia.
The present modern stone church edifice was erected in 1884 by Laughead, Modisette & Co., contractors of Uniontown, at a cost of $11,000.00; additional grounds being added to the lot at the rear for a Sunday-school room. The decorated win- dows and furniture, together with a new pipe organ, amounted to an additional $6,000.00. The stone for the church edifice was the generous gift of William and John Kennedy Beeson. This new church was consecrated by Bishop Cortland White- head, November 19, 1885. A magnificent new bell was donated to this church the same year in which it was consecrated, by John Austin Modisette of Minneapolis, Minnesota, accompanied with the following request: "The donor of this bell to St. Peter's church requests that it may be tolled for fifteen minutes, at one o'clock each first day of May, in memory of his daughter, Robert M. Modisette, who died May 1, 1881, aged 4 years." This request has been faithfully complied with.
This church building was remodeled inside in 1902. New seats were installed, a gallery was erected, a new decorated window was added and the Sunday-school room was thrown
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into the main auditorium, a new heating system was installed, and after having been closed for four months, the church was re-opened for service, November 3rd.
THE OLD STAGEYARD.
Daniel Moore of Washington, Pa., J. E. Reeside of Lan- caster, Pa. and L. W. Stockton, son-in-law of Daniel Moore, and a native of Flemington, New Jersey, bought out the line of stage-coaches on the old National road and conducted their business under the name of the National Road Stage Company.
The two lots, Nos. 1 and 2 in Jacob's Second Addition, were purchased by L. W. Stockton in 1825 for offices and man- ufacturing shops and stables for the National Road Stage Com- pany. Mr. Stockton deeded to the vestry of Saint Peter's church a lot off the northern part of this property as related elsewhere, and the space of 92 feet south of the lot deeded to the church was known as the stage-yard. In this large yard sheds were arranged on two sides for the sheltering of stage-coaches and in the rear was a large stable, a blacksmith shop and a wagon- maker's shop. A well pump stood in the yard which supplied a large trough with water. On the north corner of the yard stood a one-story brick building of one room in front and one room back which was used as an office and storage of baggage. This little building was subsequently used by various tenants for offices and other small business.
Large tight-board gates closed the driveway into the yard, and south of these gates stood a long one-story brick building, containing two rooms on Morgantown street. This building was used for the storage of trunks and baggage.
After the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad from Cumberland to Wheeling in 1852, and of the Pennsylvania railroad from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in the same year, the travel over the National road did not justify the maintenance of the old stage-coach lines, and they were withdrawn from the road, and the old stage-yard and stables and shops were rented to different tenants. Different blacksmiths carried on business in the old shops, and liverymen conducted business in the stables and yard.
After the withdrawal of the four-horse stage-coaches from the National road. Redding Bunting, who had been so promi- nently identified with the old stage lines on the road when in
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the zenith of its glory, associated with himself William Hall of Cumberland, and they put on hack lines and did quite a busi- ness for some years. Thomas Swan, L. D. Beall and others carried on the livery business here for some years, and Alfred Newlon used this yard while he ran a hack line between Union- town and Washington, Pa.
In a small brick building south of the entrance of the stage- yard there were two rooms which were for some time occupied as offices. Daniel Smith occupied the northern one as an office while a justice of the peace, in 1845, and for some years sub- sequent to that date. Alfred Howell, who afterward became prominent, first hung out his "shingle " as an attorney-at-law, one door south of the office of Daniel Smith, Esq., March 16, 1848.
In 1863, the old stage-yard was sold at sheriff's sale as the property of John Canon, and on August 8, 1868, Alfred Pat- terson, Esq., transferred this property to his son-in-law, William H. Baily, who erected the dwelling now occupying the grounds. Mr. Baily occupied this as a residence for some years when he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nathaniel Ewing, Esq., pur- chased this property at Sheriff's sale, December 30, 1878, and has occupied it since the following spring.
Charles Hickman was the first purchaser of lot No. 3 in Jacob's Second Addition, and Nathan Hatfield was the first pur- chaser of lot No. 4 in Jacob's Second Addition, August 28, 1797. These four lots made a solid block from the lot on which now stands the municipal building, on the north to what was knowli as Fell's alley on the south.
Thomas Irwin, Esq., purchased these two lots and in 1817 erected thereon a three-story brick building as a residence and occupied it as such for several years. He was admitted to the bar in April term, 1811, was appointed district attorney, 1812; was elected a member of the legislature, and in 1828 he was successful in being elected to the 21st. congress over Hon. Andrew Stewart. In 1831 he was appointed by President Jack- son to the honorable position of judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, which position he held nearly thirty years, when he resigned it. He was an able jurist and a gentleman of the highest type. He died in Pittsburgh May 14, 1870, at the age of 86 years.
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