USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 6
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
John H. Deford, Esq., purchased this property and occu- pied it for some time and had his office as an attorney in a small frame building on the east of the dwelling. He was one of the attorneys expelled from the Fayette county bar by Judge Thomas Baird, an account of which is given in full elsewhere. He made his last residence on Morgantown street in property formerly owned by L. W. Stockton. His first wife was Miss Biddle of Philadelphia, and a cousin of Charles Biddle. His second wife was a daughter of John Deford of Hopwood. Their fathers were brothers and their mothers were sisters. Many and various were the tenants of this residence and office until 1890, when Lloyd Mahaney bought part from Miss Julia Wood and part from Samuel Shipley and tore away the old buildings and erected a four-story hotel building known as the Hotel Mahaney, 1891. Here Mr. Mahaney conducted a public house until 1898, when it changed ownership and the name was changed to the Exchange Hotel, by which name it has been known since under various owners.
A two-story frame building occupied forty-two and a half feet of the western part of lot No. 27, and contained a business room on the west, a parlor in the middle and a hall on the east, and a small alley separated this from the property on the east. General Thomas Meason became owner of this property and oc- cupied it as a residence and office for some years. He was a son of Col. Isaac Meason, the owner of the Mount Braddock farm, whose land extended from the line of North Union township to the Youghioghany river and comprised 6,400 acres. General Thomas Meason was born on the Mount Braddock farm in 1773, and read law with James Ross of Pittsburgh, and was admitted to the bar of Fayette county in 1798. In 1802 he was married to Miss Nancy Kennedy, a sister to Hon. John Kennedy. He rode from here to Washington city to offer his services in the war of 1812, but upon the way he contracted a severe cold which terminated fatally soon after his arrival at his destination and he was buried in the Congressional Burying Grounds. He was at one time the owner of the farm on which Fort Necessity was located, and the lot in Uniontown on which the present court house is partly built. One of General Meason's daughters married Joseph Williams who subsequently became chief-justice of Iowa.
Richard Beeson purchased this property April 18, 1832.
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
He was a brother of Isaac Beeson and a prominent attorney of the Fayette county bar. He removed to Pittsburgh where he became eminent at the bar. A fuller account of him is given in the chapter on the bar of Fayette county.
James McKean was located in this property with a store in 1829, and later in his own property west of Middle alley. Mat- thew Irwin who was appointed postmaster in 1837, kept the post office a part of his term in this property. Mrs. Samuel King occupied this property as a boarding house and Senator Waitman T. Willy was a boarder with her while a student at old Madison college. Among the physicians who have had their offices in this property may be mentioned, Dr. Alfred Meason, Dr. Kirkpatrick, 1822; Dr. D. H. Johnson, 1844-45; Dr. R. M. Walker. Armstrong Hadden occupied this property in 1845 and kept the post office at the same time in the business room.
David Clark purchased this property and occupied it as a residence and carried on the business of shoemaking for many years. He was well and favorably known in the community and it was said he could make a better fit by looking at a man's foot than most shoemakers could after a measurement.
Henry Farwell succeeded Mr. Clark in the ownership of this property and he, too, carried on the shoemaking business. He was well known and highly respected.
The National Bank of Fayette county purchased this property, tore away the old buildings and erected a two-story brick bank building and store room into which the bank was moved about April 1, 1878. In 1897 the building was very greatly enlarged and improved to meet the increasing business of the bank. L. N. Singley was the first occupant of the store room with a stock of dry goods, and since which it has been occupied by various tenants.
James McCullock purchased this lot, No. 28, as before stated, and here carried on his trade as a blacksmith and cutler on the western part of the lot next to Middle alley.
John Lyon purchased thirty-six and a half feet of the eastern part of this lot and here lived and practiced law for many years in a frame building, having the parlor on the east, hall in the middle and office on the west. Two half millstones formed the steps at the two front doors. Further mention of Mr. Lyon is made in the chapter on the bar. His widow continued to occupy this property until her death, August 20, 1855. Miss Sophia
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Gadd purchased this property, having a frontage of thirty-six feet and three inches, February 13, 1868, and occupied it for many years as a residence and small confectionery. Upon her death she willed the property to her niece, Miss Alice E. Donaldson who continued the store, and after whose death the property was sold at public sale, December 20, 1899, to Charles H. Seaton for $15,000. Mr. Seaton removed the old buildings and erected a three-story brick business block, which was ready for occupancy in April, 1905, the eastern room being occupied by Charles F. Hagan with a confectionery, and the western room by R. E. Springer with a drug store. The upper floors being occupied as offices.
The Union Bank of Pennsylvania purchased the western half of this lot from James McCullock on which he had his blacksmith shop and erected thereon a brick residence and bank- ing room. The residence opened on Middle alley, which name was now changed to Bank alley, and the banking room occupied the eastern part of the building into which the bank was moved in June, 1814, and remained during its brief career. A fuller history of this bank will be found in the chapter on the banks of Uniontown.
A Mr. Huston of Maryland occupied the old bank building with a store in 1837. He also ran a distillery back of the court house, and a fulling mill at the west end of town. He failed in 1838, and his property was sold by the sheriff. Daniel Smith conducted an iron store here in 1840, where he sold Oliphant and Duncan's iron, nails and castings. M. C. Baker conducted busi- ness here as a tailor in 1842, and William P. Wells had his office as an attorney here before 1848. Armstrong Hadden occupied this old bank room at two different times with the post office. The Bank of Fayette County occupied this room for several years.
Robert P. Flenniken was an occupant of the residence part of this property for many years, and for much of the time he also occupied the banking room as an attorney's office. A fuller mention of Mr. Flenniken will be found in the chapter on the bar of Fayette county.
The old bank property passed through a number of titles, among which was that of Robert Long and William Crawford.
The Southwest Pennsylvania railroad company purchased this property from the Fayette County bank and after using
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
it for several years as a station, tore away the old building and erected the present station.
Lot No. 29 was the first lot west of Middle alley, now South Beeson avenue, and was purchased from Henry Beeson by James McCullock March 16, 1784, for five pounds. John Slack kept a tavern at the sign of "The Spread Eagle," near the center of the town, July 24, 1799, and by some it was thought that he was established on this lot. He subsequently kept a tavern on the summit of Laurel Hill on the old Braddock road, now known as the location of Washington Springs. Jacob Beeson came into possession of this lot, and he sold it to Chris- tian Tarr, February 3, 1791, and Mr. Tarr conveyed it back to Jacob Beeson, March 10, 1812.
Christian Tarr was a man of considerable ability and busi- ness energy. He owned other property in the town. He was a potter by trade and carried on a pottery on this lot for some time. He was a member of the 15th and 16th congresses, 1817- 1821. He announced himself as a candidate for congress against Andrew Stewart and Charles Porter, in 1820. The election held October 10, 1820, resulted as follows: Christian Tarr, 1,518 votes; Andrew Stewart, 1,500 votes; Charles Porter, 457 votes. Tarr ran far ahead of Stewart in Brownsville, Franklin and Washington townships and some ahead in Connellsville and German township. Mr. Tarr returned to Jefferson township, and lived on what was later known as the J. S. Elliott farm, and for many years conducted a pottery there. He had on his place a colored man named Charles Smothers who had fought with Perry on Lake Erie, and for whom Mr. Tarr succeeded in obtaining from congress an allowance of prize money for his share at the capture of the British vessels. After Mr. Tarr's death his family moved to Ohio.
Robert Skiles married Rachel Beeson, a daughter of Jacob Beeson, the founder of the western part of the town. Mr. Bee- son deeded this property to Robert Skiles, February 10, 1813, and Mr. Skiles erected thereon a two-story brick residence on the eastern part, lining on Middle or Bank alley, and a brick store room on the western part in which he carried on merchan- dising for several years. He subsequently connected the resi- dence and store room by erecting a two-story building between. Mr. Skiles was not only a leading merchant in his day, but a man of great generosity and a liberal supporter of the enter-
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
prises of the town. He made his brother, Isaac, a present of a valuable house and lot, now covered by the First National Bank building. He died childless, April 10, 1838, at the early age of 41 years. His widow continued the business in the same store room for a few years as R. Skiles and Company, with Jonathan Springer as her business manager. Mr. Skiles willed this property to his wife during her natural life, but she refused to occupy it on these terms and built a new residence on Church street to which she moved and spent the remainder of her days. Aunt Rachel Skiles, as she was familiarly known, was a lady of considerable means and her kindness and generosity were pro- verbial. She died at her home on Church street April 19, 1865. R. Skiles & Co. were succeeded in this room by Oliphant and Duncan with an iron store with, perhaps, Daniel Smith as man- ager, and they in turn were succeeded by S. and H. Rosenbach & Co. with a ready-made clothing store, in 1845. John F. Beazell occupied this room with the post office during his term of office, 1849-1853, and he was succeeded by Jonathan D. Springer who occupied it for many years with a hardware store and his office as justice of the peace.
The front room of the Robert Skiles residence was for many years used as a business room. Samuel Harah and James F. Canon had a hat store here in 1827, where they sold their own manufacture of hats. James Gibson carried on merchandis- ing on the corner of Main street and Bank alley before he built and located farther west. Matthew Irwin kept the post office here during part of his term of office. Armstrong Hadden kept the post office in this room for some time, and James H. Springer occupied the residence and kept the post office in this room dur- ing his term of office, 1861-65. George W. Morrison was here with a hat and cap store. Other occupants of the residence were: Joshua B. Howell, Esq., Mrs. William Byers, Mrs. Samuel S. Austin, James T. Redburn, Thomas Renshaw, David G. Sperry, Dr. Andrew Patrick, and others. The intermediate building between the residence and the store room was for many years occupied as a residence by John F. Beazell, editor of the American Standard.
On June 6, 1865, Jonathan D. Springer, as executor of the will of Robert Skiles, sold this property to Daniel Sharpnack, who, on March 31, 1871, sold part to Jabez Thorndell, and on April 1, 1873, he sold the remaining portion of the eastern part
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
to Ernest E. Weniger. Mr. Weniger moved into this property and carried on his business as confectioner and baker, and after his retirement, his son Ed. E. Weniger carried on a variety store until the building was torn down.
In March, 1900, Charles J. McCormick purchased the entire interest of Mr. Weniger in this property, and in May following he sold to Charles H. Gorley the middle part, fronting on Main street and extending back to South street, and to the Second National Bank of Uniontown the corner, fronting thirty feet and nine inches on Main street and running back on Beeson avenue eighty-one feet; and to Isaac Hagan the rear corner fronting sixty-nine feet on Beeson avenue and thirty feet and nine inches on South street.
The Second National Bank erected a fine five-story brick banking house and offices in 1901. The first floor was occupied by the bank and the upper floors were occupied as offices. Charles H. Gorley erected a two-story brick business room the full length of the lot, with dwelling apartments on the second floor. Isaac N. Hagan erected a three-story brick building on his lot, with dining rooms on the first floor and tenements above.
William Hunt purchased nineteen feet frontage, including the old store room of Robert Skiles and the half of an alley that had been left between lots Nos. 29 and 30 for the accommoda- tion of the owners. Into this old store room Mr. Hunt removed his jewelry store 1869, and has since conducted a prosperous business. Mr. Hunt started to learn the jewelry business on May 1, 1852, with Henry W. S. Rigden whose shop was then located in the old Levi Downer building in the room since occu- pied by the James A. Searight Insurance Agency. He opened business for himself in Uniontown in 1858, and his business has been continuous and prosperous ever since.
Jesse Clevenger, a blacksmith by trade, purchased thirty- three feet front by 150 feet back, off the eastern part of this lot, No. 30, from Henry Beeson June 7, 1794. He was joined on the west by Jacob Bickle at that time. This lot would include all the present Gilmore hardware store property and about half of the Moser drug store property.
Zadoc Springer became owner of this property and after his death it became the property of his daughter, Ann, who was the wife of Noah Morrison, a carpenter by trade. A frame build- ing occupied the eastern part of this lot, leaving a narrow alley
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
between it and the Robert Skiles store room on the east, this alleyway belonging half to each adjoining property.
The Union Bank of Pennsylvania commenced business in this frame building in October, 1812, and here conducted busi- ness until in June, 1814, when the bank was moved to its own new building erected for the purpose on the corner of Main street and -Bank alley. Milton Baily and Hardesty Walker car- ried on their business as silversmiths here for some time, before 1827. When Jacob B. Miller founded the Pennsylvania Demo- crat, the predecessor of the present News Standard, the first issue emanated from the office in this building, July 25, 1827, and here it was continued for some years. John and W. Smith succeeded the Democrat with a dry goods store and they in turn were succeeded by James G. Morrow with a new drug store. The next occupant of this property as well as owner was James McKean, who was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage. He emigrated to this country in 1818 and located in Uniontown in October of the same year. He took a course of studies in Washington college with a view of entering the Presbyterian ministry, but his health failing, he removed to Pittsburgh and entered the mercantile business. In 1827 he returned to Uniontown and after a couple of years as- sisting his brother, Thompson Mckean, in the management of an iron furnace, he again engaged in the mercantile business. He was one of the well known and highly respected merchants of the town. On Saturday morning, October 13, 1849, this property was entirely destroyed by fire. Mr. Mckean soon erected a two-story brick business room and dwelling on the site of the old frame and rented out the business room and oc- cupied the residence part until his death, after which his family removed to Philadelphia.
Upon the incorporation of the Bank of Fayette County, which opened business September 1, 1858, it occupied this room for about three years, when the old Union Bank building was purchased and the bank was moved to that property.
John D. Boyle was the next tenant in this room in 1861, with a stock of boots and shoes, where he did business for several years, then removed to what is now known as the Clag- gett property and sold out to his brother, the late Hon. Charles E. Boyle.
William Hunt succeeded in this room with his business as
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
a silversmith for a few years, and he was succeeded by Zadoc B. Springer who both owned and occupied it with a hardware store and as a residence. He put in a new front, added a third story, and extended the building farther to the rear. He did business here for several years. John Gilmore and O. K. Frey succeeded Mr. Springer here in the hardware business until the death of Mr. Gilmore, September 2, 1907; and Mr. Frey soon retired and the business has been conducted by other parties. After Mr. Springer retired the building was greatly enlarged and im- proved. The second and third floors being used as a photo- graphing establishment for some years.
The property now of Altha L. Moser and occupied as a drug store and dwelling, fronting 23.5 feet on Main street, covers about 10 feet of the original Jesse Clevenger purchase of 33 feet, and about 13.5 feet of the lot on the west, known as the Jacob Bickle lot.
Philip Dilts purchased of Henry Beeson a lot fronting 93 feet 101/2 in. on Elbow street which would include 391/2 feet of the western side of lot No. 30 and 54 feet 41/2 in. of the eastern side of lot No. 31. This would include from near the middle of the Altha L. Moser lot to the middle of. the Harah property on the west.
One Jacob Bickle owned 38 feet frontage of this lot on which stood a log house and a frame shop. This man must have been of an unpleasant disposition, as at September sessions, 1798, he was indicted for assault and battery, and at September sessions, 1801, he pleaded guilty of presenting a gun at David Ewing at the distance of twenty yards, and was sentenced that he be imprisoned in the jail of the county for the space of one month and pay the costs of prosecution. He was tried on the second offense at the same sessions and pleaded guilty of pre- senting an empty gun at James Redburn at the distance of 30 yards, and was sentenced to pay the costs of prosecution and be imprisoned in the jail of the county for two months after the expiration of the former sentence of one month, and there- after till he pay the costs of prosecution and to give security for his good behavior for one year after the expiration of his imprisonment, in the sum of $500. He again appeared at March sessions, 1803, and again pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay all costs, pay a fine of $50 and be confined in the jail of Fay- ette county for twelve calendar months and give security him-
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
self in $1,000, and two securities in $500 each for his future good behavior. It appears that this property descended to the heirs of Jacob Bickle and was sold at sheriff's sale as the property of James Bickle, a saddler by trade, and William Bickle, in 1826.
A Mrs. Fletcher and her daughter, Mary, at one time oc- cupied this property and conducted a small grocery and milli- nery store. The daughter married a minister of the gospel and moved away from the town.
Hugh Espy, after being in the mercantile business else- where in the town came into possession of this property and announced that he had removed his store across the street to the stand lately occupied by Mrs. Fletcher, nearly opposite Dr. Hugh Campbell's " medical store," May 25, 1836. Mr. Espy conducted his store here for several years when he purchased a piece of land just one mile west of town, to which he removed his family and retired from the mercantile business and em- barked in the nursery business. Mr. Espy filled the office of county commissioner for the years 1827-44 inclusive, and was appointed treasurer of the county November 5, 1850, and was elected to the same office October 14, 1851, and died before the expiration of his term, February 25, 1852, after a lingering and very painful illness of cancer of the face, in the 60th year of his age. No one in the community was held in higher esteem as a gentleman and a Christian. His son, Samuel, became prominent as an educator in the schools of Pittsburgh. His widow continued the nursery business for some years and died May 28, 1867. The fine residence of W. W. Parshall, Esq., now occupies the site of the old Espy home.
Jonathan G. Allen succeeded Mr. Espy in the mercantile business in this property, and while in his occupancy a fire broke out on Saturday morning, October 13, 1849, in the rear of his store room and destroyed not only this but also the ad- joining property on the east.
After the destruction of this property by fire, the lot lay vacant for some time, when Isaac Beeson purchased it and erected thereon a three-story brick business room and dwelling above. This building was erected in 1853, and upon its com- pletion, Edmund Beeson, son of Isaac, occupied it as a hard- ware store and residence, removing the stock of hardware from the Commercial Row, where the business had been conducted since the completion of that building.
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
In 1856 Henry White was placed in full control of this hardware store, and after conducting the business for several years he purchased the stock, in 1865, and associated with him in business Peter J. Stouffer and added a full line of groceries to the business. In a few years Mr. Stouffer withdrew and Mr. White continued in this room some few years alone, when he removed his store to the east room of the Bryan Building. John C. Wood succeeded Mr. White in this room with a stock of hardware and furniture.
Altha L. Moser purchased this property from the widow of Edmund Beeson, January 31, 1884 and occupied it as a residence and a full line of drugs, paints, wall paper, etc. In the after- noon of July 2, 1898, a fire broke out in an adjoining building and soon communicated with this and other property. This was one of the most destructive fires in the history of the town up to that date, the loss being estimated at over $125,000. As- sistance was received from Connellsville, but the fire was not gotten under control until this and the adjoining property on the west, known as the Willson Block, were damaged beyond repair.
Plans for a new and better three-story building were soon placed in the hands of the contractor, and on the afternoon of Monday, December 19, following, Moser and Springer opened their doors with a complete stock of drugs in a handsomely ap- pointed and modern store room. On December 31, 1910, after a career of thirty-two years in the drug business, Mr. Moser re- tired and Ed. G. Weltner continued the business.
Philip Dilts purchased from Henry Beeson part of lots 30 and 31 and which he conveyed to Jacob Bickle on which stood a log building in which a tavern was at one time kept, probably by a one John Huston, as he was a hatter and inn-keeper in the early history of the town, and at one time is said to have been connected with this lot.
It was at this tavern doubtless that Washington was enter- tained over night on the 22nd of September, 1784, as related elsewhere. Hardesty Walker, a silversmith, elsewhere men- tioned, purchased this property from the Bickle heirs about 1825, and erected a two-story brick dwelling and here lived and con- ducted his business for some years, and in 1829, he associated with him in business William Baily to whom he sold the prop- erty in 1834, and who with his brother, Ellis Baily, continued
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History of Uniontorem, Pennsylvania.
in the business, and Mr. Walker moved to his farm one mile east of Brownsville on the National road. Mr. Walker was well known and highly respected. He finally removed to Sidney, Ohio. On November 18, 1835, William Baily conveyed this property to Jesse Evans, a prosperous and well known iron- master of the county, and father of Colonel Samuel Evans and Mrs. Alpheus Poage Willson, and here the latter made her home for many years. This brick building was torn away and a fine brick and stone building known as the Willson Block was erected in 1891.
The first floor of this new building was occupied by George Roth as a department store and the upper parts as dwellings. A fire broke out in the basement of this property about 1 o'clock, p. m., Saturday, July 2, 1898, which destroyed not only this building but communicated with the adjoining property on the east, and was the most disastrous fire that had ever occurred in the town up to this date. The loss was estimated at $126,000. There was much suspicion that the fire was of incendiary origin.
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