USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 39
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He was admitted to the bar of Fayette county October 30, 1823, from which time he was eminently successful as an attor- ney. In September, 1825, he was appointed prothonotary and clerk of the court, which offices he held until February, 1830. In December, 1835, he was appointed attorney-general of the State by Governor Ritner and thereupon removed to Phila- delphia. This position he held until 1838, when he was ap- pointed president judge of the court of Criminal Sessions of the city and county of Philadelphia, in which position he remained
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until 1840, when the court was abolished by the legislature. He then resumed the practice of law in Philadelphia where he at once took a first rank among the leaders of that bar. He died in Westmoreland county, to which he had removed in 1852, September 3, 1863, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. A eulogy passed upon Judge Todd was that he was the architect of his own fortunes, and without the aid of schools or masters he won his way to the bar, to the legislature, to the cabinet and to the bench, acquitting himself in all with distinction.
James Veech was born near New Salem in Menallen town- ship September 18, 1808, and was graduated at Jefferson college, the youngest member of his class, and located in Uniontown in 1827, where he read law in the office of James Todd. He was admitted to the bar in October, 1831, and soon ranked among the leading practitioners of the bar. In 1834 he was ap- pointed assistant district attorney of Allegheny county and re- moved to Pittsburgh. He returned to Uniontown in 1838, and resumed his practice. In 1861 he was appointed paymaster in the army, where he remained until 1862, when he returned to Pittsburgh and resumed the practice of law with D. T. Watson until 1872, when he retired from practice, and spent his later years in the congenial pursuit of history and literature. He was for years a director in the Monongahela Navigation Company, and also in the Bank of Pittsburgh. His history, " Monon- gahela of Old," which was placed in the hands of the printer in 1850, and was issued later in an unfinished form, remains the foundation of the histories of Southwestern Pennsylvania upon which all future histories must be built. He erected and occupied the fine residence now the home of Mrs. Lenora T. Niccolls on West Main street. In later years he made his home at Emsworth on the Ohio river, six miles below Pittsburgh, where he died December 11, 1879.
John Littleton Dawson, son of George Dawson, was born in Uniontown February 7, 1833, but removed very early to Brownsville where he grew up. He was educated at Wash- ington college, and entered the law office of his uncle, John Dawson, and was admitted in September, 1835, but soon entered politics. In 1838 he was appointed deputy attorney-general of Fayette county, and in 1845, United States district attorney for the western district of Pennsylvania. He was elected to con- gress in 1850 and re-elected in 1852, and again elected in 1862
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and re-elected in 1864. At the close of the latter term he lei public life and retired to his estate known as Friendship Hil: the former magnificent residence of the Honorable Albert Gal latin, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died Sep tember 8, 1870.
Charles Edmund Boyle was born February 4, 1836, and after passing through the common schools he took a course a Waynesburg college. Being of an industrious turn of mind he often amused himself at setting type in the printing office, at which he attained proficiency. His career as a newspaper mar is given more fully in the chapter on "The Press." He entered the law office of Daniel Kaine and was admitted to the bar De- cember 2, 1861, and at once entered into partnership with his preceptor, which partnership lasted until 1865. In 1862 he was elected district attorney, which office he filled for three years. He was peculiarly fitted to grapple with the intricacies of the law, and his comprehensive summary of evidence and masterly exposition of the law made him one of the foremost lawyers of the state.
In 1865 he was elected as representative to the assembly, and was re-elected in 1866. In 1882 he was elected to congress, and in 1884 he was re-elected to the same office. Without solicitation on his part, in 1888, President Cleveland appointed him chief justice of Washington Territory where he arrived November 18th to take up the duties of that office, into which he was publicly installed on the 22nd. While on his way Judge Boyle contracted a cold which developed into pneumonia from which he died December 15, 1888. His remains were brought back to Uniontown and, amidst demonstrations of great sorrow, were interred in Union cemetery.
William Pope Wells was born in Greensburg, December 22, 1811, and after passing through the common schools he entered Jefferson college, after which he made his home for a while in Philadelphia, where he was married. He next settled in Uniontown where he was admitted to the bar in 1831, and became connected in the practice of law with his uncle, John Lyon. He was elected burgess of the town in 1851, and the amount of fines received for the year ending May 4, 1852, was $18.50, and the Burgess' fees for that year were just $10.00. Mr. Wells was somewhat of an orator and was invited to deliver an address on July 4, 1834, and another July 4, 1836. He had
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music in his soul, and often gave utterance to it in verse. His verses on " A View of Sunset from Laurel Hill " are preserved and are here quoted.
" Ere the god of day had set Upon the West-there lingered yet A gorgeous stream of golden light Like blazing coronet on brow of night- Far o'er the west its splendors fell On woodland slope and shadowy dell, Shedding on all the richest ray That ever passed the gates of day.
'Twas Sabbath eve-holy and still On all the plain and distant hill As if Nature's prayer arose on high Mingling earth's praises with the sky, Joining in one sweet mystic lay A solemn anthem to the holy day. The blushing clouds around the sun Told from the skies, his goal was won, Gleaning on earth with borrowed hue As fairy isles in heaven's own blue, Floating upon the tide of space As though 'twere happy spirits' resting place. How dear to memory was the hour When mind asserts her majestic power, Opening the hallowed fanes of thought To every joy the muse has wrought.
Hope in the future, for the past a fear, Then claimed the icy tribute of a tear, A hope that when life's race is run The soul may pass, as that bright sun. Fading from earth like tents of even, To shine in that better land-in Heaven."
Other effusions from the pen of Mr. Wells were " Ohio- pyle Falls," "Lines on the Fragments of the Hessian Banner taken by George Washington at Trenton," and "Views of the West from Laurel Hill." From Mr. Wells' suavity of man-
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ners he acquired the sobriquet of " Prince," a title by which he was generally known. He died at his home in Hopwood, April 2, 1859.
Moses Hampton Todd was the son of Judge James Todd who was appointed attorney-general of the state by Governor Ritner, December, 1835. He was born in Philadelphia August 31, 1845. After the death of his father at Greensburg in 1863, the family returned to Uniontown where he read law with G. W. K. Minor, and was admitted to the bar at September term, 1868, and soon removed to Allegheny county where he remained a short time, and on January 23, 1869, he was admitted to the bar of Philadelphia. He was appointed attorney-general by Governor Stewart January 16, 1907.
RICHARD BEESON, EsQ.
Richard Beeson was the son of Jacob Beeson, merchant, and grandson of Henry Beeson, the founder of Uniontown and a brother of Isaac Beeson, merchant. He was born May 9, 1799 ; was admitted to the bar of Fayette county in November, 1816; was clerk for the board of commissioners from January 20, 1823 to October 23, 1826. He held by appointment the of- fice of deputy attorney-general under Frederick Smith from 1826 to 1829, and was appointed prothonotary and clerk of the courts of Fayette county July 11, 1833, and again February 6, 1839, and was elected to the same offices October 8, 1839.
He was endowed with much of a military spirit, and was captain of the Union Volunteers September 7, 1826, and the rolls of that company of September 18, 1833, give Richard Bee- son among others, as having been members of that company for the past seven years. On the occasion of a military parade being held in Uniontown July 4, 1827, at the request of the joint committee of arrangements on the part of the Union Volun- teers and the Lafayette Artillerists Captain Beeson delivered the oration which is given in full in the chapter on military affairs, as are some verses written on the occasion of a military parade September 10-11, 1828.
In early days it was customary for the carrier of the weekly papers to issue what was known as the "Carrier's Address " in which many transactions of the old year and predictions of
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the new year were written in verse. The sale of these "ad- dresses," with the advertisements contained thereon, netted the carrier a snug little sum. It will be remembered that the Penn- sylvania Democrat was established by Jacob B. Miller, the first issue of which was dated July 25, 1827, and on January 1, fol- lowing the " Carrier's Address " from that paper made its first appearance with Richard Beeson as versifier ; his effusion start- ing off thus :
" Old Kronos, stop, on thy bald pate Write seventeen hundred twenty-eight. Come, smoothe thy beard and stroke thy brow, While the carrier makes his bow."
The following verses from the pen of Mr. Beeson were pub- lished in the Genius of Liberty of September 7, 1824, as a wel- come to General Lafayette who had just landed in America as the " Nation's Guest ":
" The sons of Columbia all welcome thy landing, Brave champion of freedom, thy welcome resounds
From the eastern Atlantic, north and southward expanding To where the Pacific our continent bounds. The trumpet of fame re-echoes thy name, And thy deeds patriotic our warriors inflame.
Our navy rejoices to see the first founder Of that noble fabric she stands to defend ;
Our youth, independent, with glorious wonder, Behold their reliever; their country's friend With wonder behold. The hero of old ; His name shall descend in letters of gold.
Welcome, thrice welcome, thou favored of Heaven, The sons of Columbia all welcome thee here, The flower of thy youth was by providence given T' extirpate tyrants and freedom to rear. The trumpet of fame re-echoes thy name, And thy deeds patriotic our warriors inflame.
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May Heaven direct to the west of the mountains The brave one who fought our country to free ; We'll welcome him here, he shall drink of the fountain That flows from the root of that sacred tree ; The tree of the brave whose proud branches wave O'er the tomb of our heroes who died but to save."
The following verses were written in 1835, and titled The Fall of Babylon.
" On Shinar's wide bosom the cloud-piercing spires Of Babylon kindled their refluent fires ; The temple of Baal raised its turrets on high, And Euphrates expanded her breast to the sky.
In the hall of Belshazzar, the revel goes round ; In the fumes of their wines, all their senses are drowned. But they drank from the cups of the house of the Lord, And were swept from the earth by the breath of His word.
Belshazzar! Belshazzar! the hand on the wall, In letters of fire hath engraven thy fall. The walls and the towers-the gods of thy land Defend thee not-'twas Jehovah's command.
Great city of pride ! o'er thy portals of brass, The Satyr shall dance, and the lizzards shall pass ; Proud city of Nimrod ! thy glories are o'er, Thy excellence past, and thy beauty no more.
The following thoughts were penned on "Table Rock " while on a visit to Niagara Falls about 1836, and were published at the time in the " Baltimore Monument."
To Grand Old Niagara.
" Deep, dark, tremendous river that pourest thy flood sublime ! Forever and forever 'mid the solitude of time ! The rainbow for thy diadem, and wrapped in silver clouds; Crowned, sceptered, throned in majesty, thou art the king of floods !
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Alone in grandeur thou hast stood, as I behold thee now, With thy foaming robe around thy feet, thy glory on thy brow! With heaven's high arch pavilioned in, the music of the spheres Resounding through thy hollow caves, falls on my listening ears.
Behold the overflowing of the waters passing by ; The deep, too, uttereth his voice and lifts his hands on high. ' Tis the altar of the universe, where clouds of incense rise, And the pealing anthem of the floods rolls through the vaulted skies.
Approach, thou nature's worshiper-Come with unsandaled feet ; The footprints of the Deity are 'round this wild retreat.
'Tis hallowed ground. These rocks, these hills, this mighty waterfall,
And thou, and I, and all are His, and He is Lord of all."
Mr. Beeson owned considerable property in and about the town, among which may be mentioned the lot on which the National Bank of Fayette County now stands, the old Jesse Beeson mansion at the junction of Connellsville and Coolspring streets with East Main street and the old Boyle mansion now occupied by the palatial mansion of Josiah V. Thompson. As a lawyer and citizen Mr. Beeson stood high. He removed to Pittsburgh and was admitted to the bar, and was made clerk of the mayor's office and was, in 1856, appointed clerk of the United States District court. His children were Richard, Horace, Jacob, Walter, Frances, Alice, who became the wife of S. Reed Johnson and Ella who became celebrated as an artist and singer. Mr. Beeson died at his home in April, 1864.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE POSTAL SERVICE-THE NATIONAL ROAD-THE TELEGRAPH SERVICE-THE RAILROAD SERVICE-THE TROLLEY SERVICE-THE TELEPHONE SERVICE.
The post office is the solar plexus of the community in which it is located. From it radiates the social and commercial communication of the people, and the present system of the mail service has reached that degree of efficiency that it appears little more could be desired.
In 1786 a postal service was established between Philadel- phia and Pittsburgh by which mails were received twice a month. In 1789 there were but seventy-five post offices estab- lished ; the length of the postal routes then being but 2,275 miles ; and the gross revenue accruing to the government was $7,510; the expenditures being $7,560.
The receipts at the Uniontown post office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, were $68,862.46, and the annual payroll of the office is $30,520.
The postal rates of 1792 were 6 cents, not exceeding 30 miles; 8 cents from 30 to 60 miles; 10 cents from 60 to 100 miles; 121/2 cents from 100 to 150 miles; 15 cents from 150 to 200 miles; 17 cents from 200 to 250 miles; 20 cents from 250 to 350 miles; 22 cents from 350 to 450 miles and 25 cents for all over 450 miles, these rates were for single sheets; double sheets were double postage. The postal rates for 1800 were for single sheets, not exceeding 40 miles 8 cents, over 40 and not ex- ceeding 80, 121/2 cents ; over 150 and not exceeding 300, 17 cents ; over 300 and not exceeding 500, 20 cents; over 500 miles, 25 cents ; double sheets, double postage. At this rate the postage on a single sheet to Philadelphia was 17 cents, and to New Orleans, 25 cents.
No change was made in these rates until the administration of President Polk, 1845, when the rates were reduced to 5 cents for 300 miles, and over 300 miles, 10 cents, the postage to be paid at either end of the route. By the Act of March 3, 1847, the use of adhesive stamps was authorized and stamps of the denominations of 5 and 10 cents were issued.
In 1851 the rate of postage was reduced to 3 cents for every half ounce for 300 miles, and 6 cents for greater distance within the United States. In 1853 stamped envelopes were introduced.
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These envelopes contained the advertisement of a Mr. Nebitt which met with such remonstrance from the press and the people that the issue was withdrawn and others without ad- vertisements were issued. In 1858 the prepayment of postage was made compulsory, before which time each postmaster kept a book of accounts against patrons of the office. In 1863, a uni- form rate, without regard to distance, was fixed and reduced from 3 to 2 cents per half ounce, and in 1885 the rate was re- duced to 2 cents per ounce. The registry system was introduced in 1855. The money order system was established May 17, 1864, which enabled the soldiers engaged in the War of the Rebellion to send their money home to their families. Postal cards were introduced in 1873. Through the efforts of Post- master Patterson the office was raised to that of a Second Class office July 1, 1890. Free delivery by carriers was established at this office October 1, 1891, with the following as carriers : Frank M. Whaley, A. Ewing Baily, Jacob S. Miller and Charles Jack- son with Charles Greene as substitute, who, upon the resignation of Mr. Miller became a regular and George Jenkins became a substitute, who upon the retirement of Mr. Greene became a regular and Clarence Crable, Edgar O'Neil and Charles E. Mc- Gill became substitutes. Joseph Johnson was appointed special delivery boy July 1, 1894.
Rural Free Delivery was established from this office No- vember 3, 1903, with the following carriers: Route No. 1, William E. Chick, substitute, Frank Crossland; Route No. 2, William M. Cloud, substitute, Ed. Humbert; Route No. 3, Harry Hayden, substitute, John R. Hayden; Route No. 4, Charles Kerr, substitute, Morgan Kerr; Route No. 5, James F. Reed, substitute, James Frasher. This last route was soon abandoned and Mr. Reed took Route No. 1 upon the resignation of Mr. Chick.
The office was brought under the Civil Service rule in 1893; and a Sunday service was tried here as an experiment in 1898, but meeting with no demand, was discontinued.
The Parcels Post law became effective January 1, 1913, by which fourth class matter, not exceeding eleven pounds, could be sent by mail for a distance not exceeding fifty miles at from 5 cents for one pound, to 15 cents for eleven pounds ; and graded up to 1,800 miles for 12 cents for one pound to $1.32 for eleven pounds. Special stamps were issued to be used on matter sent
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by parcels post which could not be used interchangeably with the ordinary postage stamp. These parcels post stamps ceased to be issued after July 1, 1913.
Samuel King, a merchant of the town, was the first post- master, receiving his appointment from President Washington, and established the office in his store January 1, 1795.
John Cadwallader succeeded Mr. King, receiving his ap- pointment from President Adams, April 1, 1799. He served but one year.
John Lyon succeeded Mr. Cadwallader, receiving his ap- pointment also from President Adams, April 1, 1800.
Thomas Collins succeeded Mr. Lyon, receiving his appoint- ment from President Jefferson April 1, 1802.
John Campbell succeeded Mr. Collins, receiving his appoint- ment from President Jefferson November 18, 1807. Mr. Camp- bell held the office for thirty years, lacking one month, the longest tenure in the history of the office.
Matthew Irwin succeeded Mr. Campbell, receiving his ap- pointment from President Van Buren, October 20, 1837.
William McDonald succeeded Mr. Irwin, receiving his ap- pointment from President Tyler, July 13, 1841. Owing to dis- satisfaction in the mail service he was relieved from the office.
Daniel Smith succeeded Mr. McDonald, receiving his ap- pointment from President Tyler, May 19, 1843.
Armstrong Hadden succeeded Mr. Smith, receiving his ap- pointment from President Polk, May 5, 1845.
John F. Beazell succeeded Mr. Hadden, receiving his ap- pointment from President Taylor, May 13, 1849.
Armstrong Hadden succeeded Mr. Beazell, receiving his ap- pointment from President Pierce, April 19, 1853, and was re-ap- pointed by President Buchanan, April 12, 1858.
James H. Springer succeeded Mr. Hadden, receiving his appointment from President Lincoln, April 17, 1861.
Peter Heck succeeded Mr. Springer, receiving his appoint- ment from President Lincoln, July 12, 1865.
Peter A. Johns succeeded Mr. Heck, receiving his appoint- ment from President Grant, June 7, 1870.
Mariette Johns succeeded Mr. Johns, receiving her appoint- ment from President Grant, October 4, 1876.
Orin Jones Sturgis succeeded Miss Johns, receiving his ap- pointment from President Arthur, March 26, 1884.
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Michael D. Baker succeeded Mr. Sturgis, receiving his ap- pointment from President Cleveland, October 8, 1885.
Robert I. Patterson succeeded Mr. Baker, receiving his ap- pointment from President Harrison, February 27, 1890.
George W. Semans succeeded Mr. Patterson, receiving his appointment from President Cleveland, April 11, 1894.
C. H. Beall succeeded Mr. Semans, receiving his appoint- ment from President Mckinley in March, 1899, and took charge of the office April 1st.
J. L. Malcolm succeeded Mr. Beall receiving his appoint- ment from President Roosevelt, December 17, 1903, and was re- lieved of the office April 1, 1908, which was placed under the care of J. V. E. Ellis until the appointment of his successor.
William W. Greene succeeded Mr. Malcolm, receiving his appointment from President Roosevelt, April 6, 1908, and took charge of the office May 1st.
Harry Hagan succeeded Mr. Greene, receiving his appoint- ment from President Wilson, June 13, 1913, and took charge of the office July 1st.
Peter A. Johns died in office September 20, 1876, and Marietta Johns died in office January 2, 1884. She had held the office of deputy postmaster for seven years and five months, and that of postmaster for exactly the same length of time. Upon her death Robert F. Hopwood was placed in charge of the of- fice until the appointment of her successor.
THE NATIONAL ROAD.
The first road of communication over the Allegheny moun- tains connecting the East with the unsettled West was over the old Indian trail which had been worn by the foot of the red man. This was opened to a bridle path in 1748 by the Ohio Company which had acquired a grant of 500,000 acres of land on the Ohio river, and had established a handgard or storehouse at the mouth of Redstone creek. This bridlepath was widened by Washington's little army in 1754 as far west as the crest of the mountains, and still further improved for the passage of Braddock's army in 1755, and Col. James Burd opened it from Braddock's road to the Monongahela river in 1759. Over this primitive road the early settlers laboriously wended their way into the Ohio valley with their packhorses ladened with their few household effects. It is asserted that the first wagon load
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of goods that crossed the mountains was in 1789, when John Hayden, with a four-horse team, brought 2,000 pounds of mer- chandise for Jacob Bowman of Brownsville, requiring one month to make the trip. Other wagons were put on the old road which was used until the advent of the great National road.
No sooner had the clouds of the Revolutionary war cleared away, and a new nation been born to mother earth, than the warrior-statesman of that day realized the necessity of a bond of federation ; of reorganization and the construction of internal improvements.
Washington, no less a statesman than a warrior, realized the fact that a bond of union must be established between the set- tlers west of the Allegheny mountains and those of the Atlantic seaboard. This range of mountains had already encouraged France to establish herself in the great Mississippi valley, and would prove a barrier to estrange the inhabitants of the West from those of the East.
With this object in view, Washington made a tour, in person, in 1784, to the Ohio valley, on which occasion he met and consulted with the more intelligent and practical inhabitants as to the most feasible plan of connecting the headwaters of the Potomac with those of the Monongahela. He had traversed the rough road over which he had led his little army against the French, and over which Braddock had marched to defeat. It was a problem as to how to effect the desired object. .
It was during this tour of inquiry and inspection that Washington first met Albert Gallatin, then a young man, who suggested the most feasible route over the Alleghenies. Noth- ing further, however, was accomplished during the lifetime of Washington.
Before the construction of the National road a private cor- poration had already built a good road, having Baltimore as its eastern and Cumberland as its western terminus. The ex- tension of a great highway from this point over the Allegheny mountains into the Mississippi basin would open for settlement three millions of square miles of the richest land on the planet, and for which two great powers of the old world had yearned and fought, and this was the most important step in the move- ment of internal improvement and national expansion conceived at that time.
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