USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 29
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Samuel Yarnell, a shoemaker, was an early property owner and resident on this street, as was Martin Armstead, a worthy colored man of the town, whose widow, Tabitha, still owns their property. Everhart Bierer erected a brick residence on this street in which he resided for some time and carried on his business as a butcher. This property became the home of William H. Hinsey who lived here for many years, when it was sold to J. N. Hibbs, who erected a large building next south of the residence in which he carried on the harness busi- ness, and later occupied as a livery stable.
Mahlon Fell owned two lots and lived in a small log house that stood on the corner of Mill street and Fell's alley. Fell's
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alley was twenty feet wide and ran from Morgantown street westward to Mill street and is now a part of West Fayette street, the latter was subsequently extended through to West Main street.
Mahlon Fell went out with Captain Collins' company in the war of 1812, as an ensign, and was marked on the roll of that company as dead. His office was filled by the promotion of Sergeant Benjamin Price, April 1, 1813. Nathaniel Jaquette lived in this house for sixteen years. Various tenants occupied this house until it became untenantable. John Allen Messmore built a new frame residence on this lot and occupied it for some time. J. K. Ritenour purchased this property and greatly improved it and has made it his home for several years.
John Miller purchased the lots from West Fayette street southward to Ray street. He learned the tanning trade with Jacob Beeson, whose daughter, Rebecca, he married. He erected the brick dwelling still standing on the southeast corner of West Fayette and Mill streets, which he occupied, and es- tablished a tannery next south of his residence, which he con- ducted successfully for many years, and acquired much other property in the vicinity of the town, and in 1818, the tax dupli- cate showed that he was the heaviest tax payer in the town. He, with Judge John Kennedy and others, became a contractor on the construction of the old National road. He married a Mrs. Carson of Somerset as a second wife and Mrs. Mary Ann Frazer, née Amos, as his third wife. He was a man of fine appearance and a most delightful conversationalist. Of his family of twelve children by his first wife, Jacob B. Miller, the well known founder and editor of the Pennsylvania Democrat, was the oldest, and of the two by his third wife, William H. Miller, Esq., was the youngest. He died of hemorrhage of the lungs at Rockford, Illinois, in 1840.
William Stone purchased the John Miller property on Mill street and, in conjunction with his sons, Thomas and Charles, conducted the tannery for many years. Eli Cope succeeded the Stones in this property and business for some years.
A woolen mill was erected on the site of the old tannery by a company of enterprising citizens of the town of which C. C. Hope was the moving spirit. This factory was successfully conducted for several years, and afforded employment for a number of men and women and turned out blankets and flannels
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of a superior grade. The plant was entirely destroyed by fire May 8, 1879, incurring a loss of about $12,000.
On the western side of Mill street beginning at South street William Hopwood erected a number of frame houses which, to- gether with those on South street, constituted what was known as Hopwood's row. These were built for the accommodation of stage drivers and others wishing inexpensive residences, and were principally occupied by persons who found employment with the stage companies and workshops. Some few of these buildings still stand, but most of them have long since gone to decay: Dr. T. N. Eastman purchased the lot on the north- west corner of West Fayette and Mill streets and erected thereon a fine brick residence which he occupied until his death.
William N. Irwin erected a tasty frame dwelling on the southwest corner of the above streets and here lived for a number of years. James I. Feather greatly improved this prop- erty and made it his home. Mrs. William Irwin owned two dwellings next south of the above which were occupied by various tenants. Charles Sinclair erected a frame residence next south and occupied it for several years. It now belongs to the mill property.
Albert Gaddis & Co. erected a large flouring mill at the south end of the original Mill street in 1887, and here conducted a flourishing business from the time of its erection. This mill was sold to John Hogsett & Co., 1906, who continued the business.
Mill street was opened out southward to McCormick street in 1903.
BERKELEY STREET.
Berkeley street originally extended from Morgantown street eastward, and was known as the road leading to Jeremiah Gard's mill. It was later named Friend street in honor of the two Quaker founders of the town.
This part of the street was slow in building up, as the old William McClelland barn was perhaps the first and only building on this road for some years. The small frame tenement erected by Daniel Huston and which was occupied for many years by Sammy Jackson, was also an early structure on this street.
Isaac Williams purchased a tract of ten acres at the east end of the street from the William McClelland estate, and in 1869 erected thereon a brick residence which he made his home.
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David Gans bought this residence and much of the land in 1901, and made it his home. This street now contains many fine and desirable residences.
Plans recorded July 24, 1896, show that George A. Mc- Cormick laid off a plan of lots from the rear of the Sophia Stevens lot westward to Coal Lick run, and that Joseph M. Hadden continued the same to South Mount Vernon avenue. This street was opened to Morgantown street, connecting it with Friend street, and the whole received the name of Berkeley street in remembrance of the location in Virginia from which the founders of the town came. This street later was extended westward through the Bierer and other properties to the Mc- Clellandtown road, and is now a very desirable residence street.
UNION STREET.
Union street was laid off about 1843 by Isaac Beeson and ran from Fayette street southward to Foundry street.
John Bradbury and Benjamin Wintermute erected a double frame house at the lower end and east side of this street. It was plastered on the outside, known as rough cast, and was afterwards weatherboarded. The northern part of this house has been owned and occupied for many years by Mrs. Mary A. Crawford. The southern part has been changed and owned and occupied by several people. William Brown erected a frame dwelling next south and it is still in the ownership of his heirs. Miles Hall built a double frame dwelling next which has been occupied by various tenants. Charley C. Hickle erected a mod- ern dwelling next south and made this his home. John Brad- bury and William Loomas together built a double brick house next south, Bradbury building the northern half and Loomas the southern half. William Hall purchased the Bradbury half and occupied it until his death, since which it has remained in the possession of some of his family. Thomas H. Fenn pur- chased the Loomas part and after occupying it several years, he erected a frame dwelling next south and he and his daughters occupied it until his death, since which his daughters have owned and occupied it. Isaac Wood bought a lot next south of the Fenn property and moved a small frame house onto it for a home for his son Ethelbert. It is still in the ownership of his widow, Sarah Ann Wood.
A narrow alley separates the above property from a lot on
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which Col. William Redick built a frame house on which the weatherboarding stood vertically, and was occupied by George Phillips, a moulder employed at Robinson's foundry. Jacob Ashcraft owned and occupied this house for many years and it is still in the ownership of his daughter. Rev. W. W. Hickman built and occupied a frame dwelling next south of the above. It is now owned and occupied by Joseph Hager. Eleazer Rob- inson built a four-roomed brick residence next south, which stood back from the street. He occupied this at the time of the death of his first wife. William Selden became the owner of this and occupied it until his death. Subsequently a frame front was added. Thomas Jaquette erected the frame dwelling on the corner of Union and Foundry streets and occupied it until his death, since which his widow has continued to occupy it. Thomas Jaquette learned the moulding business in the Robinson foundry and later became the proprietor and conducted the business for many years, and was one of the town's most re- spected citizens.
Foundry street was extended through to South Beeson avenue and was named Robinson street, on which have been erected several modern and desirable residences. John A. Poundstone built a frame dwelling next south of Foundry street and occupied it for several years. It is now owned and oc- cupied by Robert Powell. James M. Robinson erected a frame dwelling next to the Powell property and has since occupied it. George W. Green erected a frame dwelling next south of the above and made this his home. Ottis P. Powell erected a frame dwelling next south of the above and has since occupied it.
Beginning at the lower end on the west side of Union street and running south, John Bradbury owned a large lot on which kilns were built for the purpose of drying the lumber used in the construction of the court house, erected in 1846. Max Baum erected a frame dwelling on this lot, and after occupying it for some time he sold it to Mrs. Anna M. Huston, widow of Judge John Huston, since whose death it has been owned and occupied by her nephew, John Huston. Thomas Matthews built a frame dwelling next to the above and sold it to Nathaniel Hurst, who occupied it for a time. It has since been owned by his daughter, Mrs. Hankins. Joseph R. Marshall built a frame dwelling for a home for his mother, next south of the above, which she occupied until her death, since which it has
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been occupied by various tenants. Armstrong Hadden built a small brick house next south, and Frank Wilkinson, a wagon- maker, was a tenant. Jesse Emery, a shoemaker, purchased this property and occupied it for several years. Nathan H. Divvens purchased this property and improved it and occupied it for several years. He sold to George Shaw, a county com- missioner, who occupied it. Miss Foster made this her home for a few years. John M. Campbell purchased this and further improved it and made it his home. Samuel McDonald owned the lot next south and sold it to Mrs. Cruise, and Charley King, marrying Mrs. Cruise's daughter occupied the property. J. V. Ellis erected two dwellings on this lot.
Theophilus Bowie built a large brick residence next north of a small alley, and made this his home for many years. His heirs sold it to Thomas Jaquette in 1899, and it came into the ownership of his son, Andrew D. Jaquette, who greatly im- proved it and made it his home. Theophilus Bowie was one of the town's oldest and most respected citizens. He was a coppersmith and tinsmith by trade and carried on his business here from 1839 until his death. John Hagan built a double brick dwelling next south of the alley, about 1841; his son, William, occupying the northern side and his daughter, the wife of Joseph . White, the southern side. A granddaughter, Mrs. Stephen McClean occupies and owns a greater part of the property. D. Howell Phillips and Andrew Byers owned several lots on the west side of this street and sold to Adam George who erected several small frame dwellings thereon. Sam Sibley, the stage driver who upset Henry Clay in the streets of town, lived in one of these houses at the time of the occurrence. Other occupants of these houses were Samuel Betts, George Dawson McClelland, Mrs. Julia Sutton, Andrew Dutton, Alexander Chisholm, Mrs. G. D. McClelland, Henry Farwell, Isaac Moore and many others. This row has been greatly improved and is now composed of comfortable dwellings. The two dwellings next north of Foundry or Robinson street were built by Thomas Jaquette and occupied by his sons, Nathaniel and Andrew D .; the former now owns them both.
A red frame house was removed from the location of the present Teed House on Morgantown street to the lot next south of Foundry or Robinson street by Eleazer Robinson as a tenant
THE OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
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house and was usually occupied by persons employed by Mr. Robinson. John Gadd and Joseph Hayden were tenants here for many years. It is now owned by Mrs. Costolo.
John Walters erected a modern frame dwelling next south of the above which is occupied by some of the family. B. Frank Humbert built a modern frame dwelling next to the Walters house and made this his home. Mrs. Rock built the house now owned and occupied by James Stuck. Andrew Bryson erected a double frame tenement house which has been occupied by various tenants. Samuel Hatfield purchased this property and his widow still owns it.
John A. Poundstone built a small frame house next south of the above and lived here for some time. Elmer Kefover, John Collier and others occupied this as a residence. James T. Gorley owned it for a while. It now belongs to Mrs. Hanna R. Moore, and occupied by two families.
Thomas B. Semans erected a neat frame school building on his lot next south of the above in which a select school was taught by the Misses Hopwood.
Daniel Huston purchased a lot at the head of Union street and facing on Berkeley street on which he built a small frame house for a home for his faithful servant, Samuel Jackson, who had been in his family for so many years. Here Sammy ended his long life December 22, 1891, aged about 85 years; he was known and respected by the community. Sammy was known as the most polite and easy mannered colored man of the town. He served as waiter at the banquet given in honor of General Lafayette on the occasion of the latter's visit to Uniontown in 1825. Sammy's faithful wife was nurse for the Honorable James G. Blaine in his early childhood.
UNION STREET EXTENSION.
Union street extension was laid off through a piece of land that had been given by Henry Beeson, Jr., to his daughter, Mary, the wife of George W. Rutter. In the early history of the town this was a beautiful grove and was a favorite place for holding 4th of July celebrations.
This addition comprised five lots on West Berkeley and some forty lots on both sides of Union street extension. The
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plot was recorded December 16, 1910, and is now built up with modern and comfortable dwellings.
PENN STREET.
At an election held on May 2, 1853, it was determined by a vote of 250 that Penn street should be opened from Pittsburgh street eastward to the old Connellsville road in the rear of the court house. This street was opened in the fall of the same year.
Just east of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad tracks William E. Beall erected a frame grain and feed warehouse in 1882, and in connection with his brother, Alpheus Beall the business was conducted for some time. Charles S. Seaton became interested in the business, and the building was converted into a flouring mill, and was known as the Enterprise flouring mill. Abraham Hustead owned and operated it for some time. He sold it to Samuel Mosser and George Seaton January 12, 1901, and Seaton sold his interest to David D. Johnson and it was destroyed by fire Friday night, April 22, 1904, entailing a loss of about $25,000.
On this street lived the Downer family, one of the most prominent families in the history of the town.
About 1778, Jacob Downer and his wife, Elizabeth Starner, with their family, removed from Lancaster county, Pa., and stopped at Old Orchard camp, near the grave of General Brad- dock, in Wharton township, where they lived in a log cabin for two years. The father proceeded to look out for lands in Ken- tucky and embarked on a flat boat on the Monongahela river, and was never heard of afterwards, it being supposed that he was killed by the Indians. The family then moved to Uniontown, where the mother lived to be 105 years of age. The daughter, Susan, married Jacob Harbaugh ; Katy married Cornelius Lynch, and after his death she married Jonathan Rowland; Daniel was drowned in attempting to cross the Youghiogany river at Ohio- pyle falls, and John started a tannery in Uniontown on land he purchased from Henry Beeson, March 8, 1780. He sold this tannery after conducting it a few years and removed to Kentucky.
Jonathan Downer, another son of Jacob, was born in 1754, and married Drusilla Springer, who died July 27, 1843, in her 74th year. He purchased the land lying between Peter street and Redstone creek and between now North Gallatin and
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History of Uniontoren, Pennsylvania.
North Beeson avenues and hereon conducted a tannery. In about 1783 he erected a log house on Peter street and here lived for several years and in which several of his family were born. This was the house referred to by General Douglass in his letter to General William Irvine, as quoted elsewhere. He moved back to Wharton township in 1818 and built a tavern stand on the old Braddock road and, subsequently, in 1823, he built what was ever afterward known as the Chalk Hill house, on the National road eight miles east of Uniontown. Here he died at the age of 79 years. He was the father of thirteen children, viz., Levi, Williami, Ann, who married Henry H. Beeson; Jacob, who served in the war of 1812; Elizabeth, who married Jonathan Allen; Daniel, David, Drusilla, who married Jonathan West; Hiram, who served in the war with Mexico and died on the Ohio river on his way home; Sarah, Rachel and Ruth the youngest who was born November 9, 1802, and died February 27, 1887.
Levi Downer, the father of the Uniontown family of that name, was born in Uniontown November 11, 1788; was married to Elizabeth Hall of Berkeley Springs and who died in 1869, carried on the old tannery until 1841, when he retired, leaving the business to his sons, William and J. Allen Downer who conducted it until about 1880, after a continued operation of at least one hundred years. The buildings were subsequently used as a foundry, and were torn away in 1900. Mr. Downer died of apoplexy October 2, 1854, at the age of 65 years.
The family of Levi Downer consisted of eight sons and two daughters, viz .: William, who conducted the tannery after his father retired, died in 1885; J. Allen died suddenly July 24, 1882, at the age of 67 years. Major James P. was born Feb- ruary 7, 1818, and died November 5, 1893, in Saguache, Colo- rado, where he had resided for about 20 years. He served under General Scott in the war with Mexico, and was one of the " Forlorn Hope " party to scale the walls of Chapultepec. He was twice elected to the legislature of Pennsylvania, 1848 and 1849, and served through the war of the rebellion in the Second Kentucky Infantry, and was twice wounded. He was captain of a company of the Second regiment of Kansas Volunteers in the battle of Wilson creek near Springfield where he was wounded in the knee. He had a very valuable sword presented to him before the battle by General Lyon who was killed in that battle. He was buried at Uniontown.
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Dr. Hugh H. Downer was born April 5, 1819, and died March 2, 1888. In a company of over one hundred men he left Iowa city for California in October, 1849, and arrived at their destination in December following, and he settled in Sacra- mento city.
Daniel was born November 27, 1820, and practiced law at the Fayette county bar for 50 years, and had the distinction of being the only one of the bar who had Abraham Lincoln as a client. He died May 5, 1897.
Jacob died in 1888.
George W. was born March 20, 1823, and served in the war of the rebellion in the Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserves, and while attending a reunion of his company September 21, 1885, at Brookville, Pa., he fell into a stream and was drowned.
Eliza Melvina was born January 21, 1826, and died February 27,1900.
David was born January 15, 1832, and engaged in the pub- lication of several newspapers in the West and died April 9, 1908.
Miss Caroline, the youngest and last survivor of this re- markable family, died at the old Downer home June 1, 1912, at the age of seventy-seven years. She had called at a neigh- bor's house in the morning and while there was taken ill and was removed to her home where she died at 2:30 o'clock the same day. She left an estate estimated to be worth $200,000.
This street has been greatly improved by the erection of business properties and dwellings.
James Huston erected a small three-story stone house at the eastern end of Penn street in 1841. This house, being con- structed of stone from the flag quarry, had a very cheap and queer look. It stood here for many years.
Several small frame dwellings have been erected on the north side of East Penn street, and this section is called Green row on account of the color of the houses, and still farther east lies the famous "Coon Hollow " mostly inhabited by colored people, and was known as the plague spot of the town.
BEESON AVENUE.
What is now known as North Beeson avenue was known in the original plat of the town as Middle alley, and from the fact that Samuel Harah owned the property on one side and Zalmon
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Ludington on the other, it was for many years known as Harah's alley and Ludington's alley. On this alley Mr. Ludington car- ried on a currying shop for the finishing of leather. Upon the finishing of the Fayette County railroad this narrow alley was opened into a street by the tearing away of the Harah property and that in the rear as far as Penn street, and the new street was named Broadway which was subsequently changed to North Beeson avenue.
On the east side of Broadway Dr. Smith Fuller purchased the property from Main street to Peter street and erected thereon a row of business houses.
Among the firms that have done business in this row may be mentioned S. Fuller & Son, druggists, with whom George W. Litman, Jr., was associated for five years. They were suc- ceeded by J. K. Ritenour and he by L. L. Crawford. Over the drug store have been located H. S. Young, J. E. Moffitt, A. C. McKay and James J. Kenney, dentists; next north have been P. M. Hochheimer, millinery; T. P. R. House, groceries ; John Jones, tinner ; Joseph McCoy, tinner ; S. K. Brown, shoemaker ; William Farwell, job printer ; still north were George H. Wood, groceries, succeeded by Win. Wood and Eli Cone, Jr., John A. Bryson, Thomas H. Lewis and Robert Knight, and Barney Cohen and others with dry goods, etc.
C. H. Beall established a large livery stable between Peter and Penn streets and here conducted business for several years. This property was destroyed by fire in 1898. Mr. Beall soon erected a business block which extended from Peter to Penn streets which has since been occupied by various tenants for business purposes.
The passenger and freight station of the Fayette County railroad was located on the north side of Penn street at the terminus of the road. A new passenger station was erected on North Gallatin avenue in 1905, and the old station used only for freight and freight offices.
Some small business rooms stood on North Beeson avenue between Main and Peter streets in the rear of the Central hotel. Among the several tenants who were engaged in business here were West and Thompson, photographers; W. E. Alexander, groceries ; I. N. Hagan, restaurant ; the post office and William A. Mouck, furniture. When the Central hotel was enlarged these store rooms were also enlarged and "The Fair " depart-
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ment store was established by Cohen and Davis; and other business firms have since occupied this block. Next north of Peter street stood a brick building in which the Genius of Liberty printing office was located for thirty-two years. On August 6, 1902, H. L. Rankin sold this building to S. Cohen who remodeled it and established a large furniture store. John Barre established himself in the livery business on the lower part of this lot in 1865, and here carried on his business for several years. Zadoc Springer established himself here in the sale of farming machinery and fertilizers and did a large business. John R. Carothers succeeded Springer with a large line of farm- ing implements and hardware. This was entirely destroyed by fire June 4, 1906, and David Freedburg and Arthur Strickler purchased the ground and erected the present brick business block in 1907.
The Uniontown gas works were erected just south of Red- stone creek in 1869, and here continued to operate until sup- planted by the introduction of natural gas. The plant was abandoned as such in September, 1904, and the buildings used for other purposes.
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