USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > A history of Uniontown : the county seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania > Part 70
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The following verses of welcome to Gen. Lafayette are from the pen of Mr. Richard Beeson, captain of the Union Volunteers, at the time of Lafayette's visit. He was a brother of Mr. Isaac Beeson and Gen. Henry W. Beeson and was a member of the Fayette county bar :
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History of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. WELCOME TO GEN. LAFAYETTE, BY A CITIZEN OF UNIONTOWN, PA.
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-echoed thy name, And thy deeds patriotic our warriors inflame.
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 the 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 lines were written and published in pamph- let form by William Thompson who was principal of the Union Academy at the time of Lafayette's visit :
ADDRESS TO GEN. LAFAYETTE. " Fayette! our country's glory and its boast, We bid thee welcome to our native coast, We pay thee honor ; 'tis indeed thy due,
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For thou to us wast faithful, gen'rous, true, Columbia, struggling with a giant foe, Threaten'd with danger and immers'd in woe, Aided by thee, threw off a tyrant's yoke, His army conquer'd and his spirit broke ! A free-born nation hails thee as her son And pants to celebrate thy victories won; A free-born nation venerates thy name, Thrice dear to virtue, liberty and fame ; A free-born nation would their hearts employ To sing thy praises and to give thee joy. Can we, Americans, thy deeds forget Thy sufferings too; O gallant Lafayette? Can we forget the stranger who arose To give an impulse to our righteous cause? Who left his native country and his all That our proud enemy might not enthral, Nor grasp us with his fell tyrannic hand- So long the torment of our native land? Fayette ! we count it honor to our cause That it received thy succor and applause ; Next to our Washington we hold thee dear, Repeat thy valor and thy name revere.
Go where thou wilt, our pray'rs on high ascend For thee our gen'rous captain and our friend ; And while the air with shouts of joy resound, We pour our blessings on Columbian ground. Happy are we to recognize the chief Who gave us freedom when he brought relief.
LAFAYETTE'S FAREWELL TO UNIONTOWN.
Early on Sunday morning, the 29th day of May, the general bade farewell to the people of Uniontown. The parting of La- fayette and Gallatin was truly affecting, as they thrice em- braced each the other in the most affectionate manner. The general and his suite attended by the committee of escort and a large number of citizens, started on their way to Pittsburgh. George Washington Lafayette rode in a gig with Mr. Andrew Stewart, who in designating the farms in the neighborhood of Perryopolis which were at one time the property of General Washington, so far forgot himself as to drive over a stump
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standing in the way and upset his guest into the road. Young Lafayette was unhurt but vowed that he would save some of the soil from his hands and carry it to France as a souvenir of Washington's farm.
Gen. Lafayette and his suite, together with Mr. Gallatin, expressed themselves in the highest terms of the enthusiasm and the warm reception they had been accorded by the people of Uniontown.
General Markle and Major Anderson with two companies of artillery had made preparations to meet General Lafayette at Harmany's school house, in the near neighborhood of Colonel Edward Cook's residence. Here a sumptuous repast was spread and the distinguished guest welcomed with thirteen rounds of cannon.
The committee of escort from Uniontown accompanied the departing guests as far as Elizabethtown, where the final separa- tion took place, and Lafayette and his company took passage in a boat propelled by four oars and arrived at Braddock at 9 o'clock in the evening. Here they were cordially received and sumptuously entertained at the house of Judge Geo. Wallace. A large deputation from Pittsburgh had already assembled here, and under the escort of Capt. Magnus M. Murray's troop of light dragoons, the general resumed his journey toward Pitts- burgh. A salute of twenty-four guns announced his entrance to the United States arsenal, where Maj. Churchill entertained him at breakfast, after which the Pittsburgh battalion of volunteer troops, six independent military companies from the city and several volunteer companies from the country round about were drawn up in line to receive the distinguished visitor. Gov. Morrow and his staff still accompanied Lafayette to Pitts- burgh. The general was escorted to the Darlington hotel, on Wood street, where he was introduced to the people.
Hon. Charles Shaler delivered the address of welcome, and after others had spoken the Hon. James Ross, who had eight years before welcomed President James Monroe to Pittsburgh, also delivered an address of welcome no this occasion.
Among the revolutionary soldiers who welcomed Lafayette to Pittsburgh was Gilbreath Wilson who had assisted in carrying the general off the field at the battle of Brandywine, and whom the general recognized with gratitude.
Gen. Lafayette and his suite left Pittsburgh early in the
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morning of June 1 in a stage-coach escorted by Capt. Murray's troop of light dragoons and a large delegation of prominent citizens, among the latter of whom was Mr. Harmar Denny whose father, Ebenezer Denny, was an ensign in the First Pennsylvania regiment in the Revolutionary war and was present with Lafayette at the surrender of Cornwallis at York- town, and was the first mayor of Pittsburgh, in 1816. Mr. Denny accompanied the general as far as Erie.
The general and his suite then passed through Butler, Franklin, Meadville and Waterford to Erie. At Meadville Lafayette recognized his old physician, Dr. Magaw, who was six years a surgeon in the Revolutionary war and had dressed the wound of Lafayette on the battlefield forty-eight years before. The doctor was now 85 years of age, had practiced medicine for half a century and was now living in retirement.
At Waterford the general and his suite, with the committee from Pittsburgh, were met by Judah Colt, Esq., of the Erie com- mittee, who in behalf of the citizens, gave the general a cordial welcome to the county, to which the general gave a suitable reply.
After an early breakfast the company, with a number of citizens of Waterford, proceeded to Erie. When within a mile of the town they were received by a battalion of volunteers in full uniform and a procession was formed under the direction of Gen. B. Wallace, chief marshal, and proceeded to the foot of State street, where the general and suite alighted and were re- ceived by Capt. Budd, U. S. N., commanding officer of the naval station, Capt. Maurice of the engineers and a number of other naval officers, and proceeded to the shore. The party now being in full view of the harbor, a national salute was fired from the navy yard, after which the procession passed to the house of Mr. Dobbins, where accommodations had been pro- vided, and where the general was welcomed in the name of the citizens by Dr. J. C. Wallace, chief burgess, to which the general made a very appropriate reply, and was introduced to the throng which pressed him. He then passed to the house of Mr. Judah Colt where a large number of ladies had assembled, to whom he was severally presented. Having returned to his quarters, he was escorted at half past one to the bridge on Second street, where a sumptuous dinner had been prepared. The table extended the full length of the bridge, one hundred
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"CRAZY BILLY."
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and seventy feet, in full view of the lake and was covered by an awning made of the sails of the British vessels taken by Commodore Perry in the battle of September 10, 1813, and was handsomely ornamented with flowers and evergreens.
Among the toasts drank standing, with three cheers, were : the " President of the United States," " General George Wash- ington," " ex-Presidents," "The Greeks," " Bolivar, the Libera- tor," "The surviving heroes of the Revolution," and lastly, " Gen. Lafayette-In youth a hero, in maturity a sage, in ad- vanced life an example to the present and future generations," after which the general arose and gave the following: "Erie- A name which has a great share in American glory; may this town ever enjoy a proportionate share in American prosperity and happiness."
The general and his suite were then escorted from the table to their quarters, and, after an affectionate farewell of the citi- zens, at three o'clock stepped into the carriage and, accom- panied by a large company of citizens, arrived at Portland, where the steamboat Superior was in readiness to receive and convey the party to Buffalo. He then passed to Rochester, Syra- cuse and to Rome. At the last named place Hiram Cronk was one of the committee of reception. Mr. Cronk was a soldier of the war of 1812, and lived to enjoy the distinction, at the age of 105 years, of being the sole survivor of that memorable struggle with the mother country.
The party then passed on down the Erie canal on a barge to Albany and arrived at Boston, at noon the 15th of June in time for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill. This celebration took place on the 17th of June and Daniel Webster was the orator of the day at the lay- ing of the corner-stone of the monument.
General Lafayette remained in this country until September and revisited New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Mt. Vernon. At the tomb of his old friend and commander he wept tears of affection as he recalled the struggles and privations they had endured and the deep affection that had existed be- tween them from the hour of their first meeting.
Lafayette celebrated his 68th birthday, September 6, 1825, while a guest at the White House with Mr. John Quincy Adams, then president of the United States, who upon the eve
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of his distinguished guest's departure delivered an eloquent farewell address.
The following day the general and his suite sailed down the Potomac in the new frigate, named in honor of him, the Brandywine, for France where they arrived on the 5th day of October.
During his visit congress voted him, as a token of grati- tude for his inestimable services to the country, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars and a township of land. In this visit he traveled upwards of 5,000 miles and received the homage of sixteen of the then twenty-four states of the Union.
On the 19th of October, 1898, the anniversary of the victory of Yorktown, the American school children were invited by the president and the governors of the several states of the United States to contribute their pennies toward the erection of a monument in Paris to the memory of Gen. Lafayette. The response to this invitation was universal and the movement a success. In further aid of this work the government appropri- ated an issue of 50,000 souvenir silver dollars, known as La- fayette dollars.
From this fund a fine equestrian statue has been erected in the city of Paris to the memory of General Lafayette.
Honorable John C. Calhoun, Secretary of War during President Monroe's administration, was the guest of Honorable Andrew Stewart at Uniontown, who took pleasure in showing his distinguished guest the beauties and historic places of our mountains.
James Monroe, when president, came west at least as far as Uniontown, and was given a cordial greeting. A public dinner was given in his honor at an old tavern about nine and a half miles east of Uniontown, and here Mr. Monroe poured some wine into a spring and christened it " Monroe Spring," a name which it still retains. The present village of Hopwood, a suburb of Uniontown, was originally named in his honor.
General Andrew Jackson, warrior and seventh president of the United States, frequently passed through Uniontown in his own conveyance and usually stopped at Hart's tavern, now the Hotel Brunswick. The last time he stopped here was in 1837, after retiring from the presidency. He requested the band that escorted him out of town to precede him as he did not wish to be drummed out of town.
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When Jennie Lind, the renowned songstress, was touring the United States with her manager, the famous showman, Phineas T. Barnum, in 1850, she passed through Uniontown and stopped over night with "Boss " Rush where she was regaled with a breakfast of speckled trout fresh from the mountain stream.
John C. Fremont, the noted explorer, and candidate for the presidency in 1856 and his family passed through Union- town in the spring of 1843.
James K. Polk stopped over night at the National House in 1845, on his way to the seat of government to take his seat as president of the United States. He was welcomed by an address delivered by Honorable R. P. Flenniken, on behalf of the people, which was responded to by the president-elect. His traveling companions were: his wife, General William O. Butler of Kentucky and Judge Hubbard of Alabama.
General William Henry Harrison passed through Union- town on several occasions, and on the occasion of his passing through to the national capital to assume the duties of the presi- dent of the United States, the Pennsylvania Democrat published the following account: " Genl. Harrison reached Uniontown on Tuesday, the 2nd of February, 1841, about 1 o'clock, the dis- charge of cannon having previously announced his approach. He passed nearly the whole length of Main street in an open ba- rouche, so that the people had a fair view of the venerable states- man and soldier whose name and deeds have been the subject of much discussion within the past year. He alighted at the Clinton House amid a very large concourse of people, and as soon as order was restored, he addressed them in a few remarks. He said that this was not the first time he had experienced the kindness of the people of Fayette county-they came to his standard in the dark hour of their country's need during the late war, etc.
He was accompanied by Cols. Todd and Chambers who were his aides at the battle of the Thames."
Henry Clay passed through Uniontown several times on his journeys to and from Washington City, and lodged over night at both the McClelland House and the National House.
General Sam Houston, of Texas fame; Thomas H. Benton, United States senator from Missouri, and General Winfield Scott were all three at the McClelland house over night at one time.
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James Buchanan, who was inaugurated president of the United States March 4, 1857, passed through Uniontown about 1846, and remained over night at the National House, where he was greeted by many of our prominent citizens.
GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR'S VISIT.
A public meeting was held by the citizens of Uniontown at the Town Hall on February 3, 1849, to make preparations for the reception of General Taylor who was on his way to the seat of government to take his seat as President of the United States. Captain John Sowers acted as president of the meet- ing, and Samuel Clevenger and Henry T. Diffenderffer as vice- presidents and A. M. Linn as secretary. E. P. Oliphant, Isaac Beeson, James F. Canon, Thomas Foster and Hugh Campbell were appointed to prepare resolutions for the meeting. This committee reported the following: That as General Zachary Taylor will pass through this place on his route to the seat of government ;
Resolved, That a committee of five persons invite General Taylor to make this a point to receive the congratulations of the citizens.
Resolved, That a committee of fifteen meet General Taylor at Brownsville or at Pittsburgh and accompany him to this place.
Resolved, That a committee of ten make preparations for his reception and entertainment while in our midst.
Resolved, That the officers of this meeting appoint the several committees above mentioned.
The following gentlemen were appointed to compose the above committees : Committee on Invitation: Dr. Hugh Campbell, Roberts Barton, Z. S. Cracraft, John Gallagher and Moses Hopwood.
Committee on Reception: William Stone, John M. Austin, Dennis Springer, Jacob B. Miller, Hervey Morris, S. Duncan Oliphant, George T. Paull, Daniel Rogers, J. A. Downer, Wil- liam Griffin, J. K. Duncan, Phineas Sturgis, George Harris, Daniel Boyer and George Rider.
Committee of Arrangements : George Meason, Isaac Beeson, Uriah Springer, Redding Bunting, Isaac Sampsel, Se- bastian Rush, John Gaddis, Alfred McClelland, Lewis Williams and Jonathan Springer.
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Due notice was to be given by hand bills as soon as it was ascertained when the general would arrive here. He was expected on the 16th or 17th (but he did not arrive until the 21st), and all persons, irrespective of party, were requested to participate in the reception.
The procession formed in front of the residence of Hon. John Dawson on the National road one mile west of town, in the following order :
1st .- Chief Marshal.
2nd .- Committee of Reception.
3rd .- General Taylor in open carriage accompanied by Col. T. R. Davidson and Isaac Beeson.
4th .- Committeee of Correspondence and Arrangements.
5th .- Soldiers of the Revolution and soldiers of the late war with Mexico.
6th .- Music.
7th .- Citizens in carriages.
8th .- Citizens on horseback.
9th .- Citizens on foot.
The procession passed through Main street to the Clinton House where an address of welcome was delivered by E. P. Oliphant, Esq., after which an opportunity was given for intro- ductions and congratulations.
The Chief Marshals were: W. D. Barclay, J. M. Oliphant, John Sowers. Assistant Marshals : For Union township, Dennis Springer; Georges, Dr. H. B. Mathiott; Nicholson, A. G. Nicholson ; German, Alexander Black ; Menallen, Wils Scott ; Luzerne, Clark Breading; Redstone, William Colvin; Browns- ville, Edward Lyons; Washington, John W. McCully; Frank- lin, George T. Paull; Connellsville, Daniel Davidson ; Tyrone, William Vance; Bullskin, Henry D. Overholt; Saltlick, John Collins ; Dunbar, Isaac Wood; Wharton, Joseph Price; Henry Clay, William Griffin; Jefferson, William G. Patterson; Perry, Joseph Straum; Bridgeport, William Graham. George Meason was chairman of the Committee of Arrangements.
The General was accompanied by his family and an escort of distinguished gentlemen and stopped over night at the Clinton House, then conducted by Andrew Byers.
Abraham Lincoln was elected to congress in 1846, and in journeying to Washington City he had occasion to stop at Uniontown to transact some business with Daniel Downer,
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Esq., and nothing unusual was thought of the occurrence as Mr. Lincoln had not as yet acquired national reputation.
John J. Crittenden, General Gideon J. Pillow, Amos Kendall, William Allen, Colonel Richard M. Johnson, Thomas Ewing, Judge Jeremiah Black, T. M. T. McKennan and many other distinguished men of national fame as soldiers, lawyers and statesmen passed through or remained over in the town.
Davy Crockett, the statesman and soldier, passed through the town on several occasions. His last trip being about 1835, in company with Hon. Thomas H. Benton, Governor Wickliff, one of the Hardins of Kentucky and Mr. Slidell of Louisiana, and stopped at the McClelland house.
Santa Anna, the renowned Mexican soldier, lodged over night at the Walker house on his way east.
John Quincy Adams, ex-president of the United States, ar- rived in Uniontown in 1837, on his return from Cincinnati where he had made an address at the dedication of an observatory. He remained over night and was honored with a public recep- tion in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, where an address of welcome was delivered by Dr. Hugh Campbell.
CHAPTER XXXII.
PERSONAL SKETCHES-HONORABLE ANDREW STEWART-COLONEL ALEXANDER MCCLEAN - GENERAL EPHRAIM DOUGLASS - DR. SOLOMON DROWN-HENRY CLAY DEAN-" CRAZY BILLY."
It is conceded that the Honorable Andrew Stewart was Uniontown's most distinguished public resident. He was the eldest son of Abraham Stewart and Mary Oliphant, the former of York and the latter of Chester county, Pennsylvania.
He was born on his father's farm, June 11, 1791, in German township where the village of McClellandtown is now located. It appears that Abraham Stewart, a prominent citizen in his day, traded this farm to William McClelland for one in Wharton township, known as the "Land of Cakes," and where the son, Andrew, was reared. When a boy, at the age of thirteen years, he witnessed the re-interment of the bones of General Edward Braddock, when his father, as road supervisor, removed them from their original burial place in the old Braddock road, to their present site. After attending the schools of his locality he taught a few terms and clerked in a furnace store.
He read law and was admitted to the bar of Fayette county January, 1815, and was soon after elected to the general as- sembly, in which body he served three years, after which he was appointed United States District Attorney by President Monroe, but resigned the office in 1820 to take his seat in con- gress to which he had been elected from this district, where he served with signal ability and entire satisfaction to his constituency for a period of sixteen years out of twenty-six and then declined further re-elections, closing his last term in 1849, being cotemporary with John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James Buchanan, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson and many others of national repute. His acquaintance with the public men of the time was extensive.
In the campaign of 1822, Mr. Stewart received a handsome majority over Mr. Clevenger, his Greene county competitor, by the free and abundant distribution of watermelons.
In the campaign of 1828, Thomas Irwin defeated Mr.
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Stewart for congress, and Mr. Stewart was burned in effigy in front of the court house. This disgraceful conduct on the part of a few of the lower class met with such condemnation and rebuke by the masses of the people, and so increased the popularity of Mr. Stewart that at the next election he defeated Mr. Irwin by an overwhelming majority.
During the Jackson-Adams campaign, 1818, Mr. Stewart was favorable to Adams, and although Jackson had a majority of 2,800 in this congressional district, Mr. Stewart was elected by a majority more than two to one over his competitor, a result unprecedented in the history of elections.
Mr. Stewart was the first to bring the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal before congress, which was to ex- tend from Georgetown in the District of Columbia to Lake Erie, and to have passed the distance of two hundred and fifty miles through Pennsylvania. Rather than abandon the project, which at first did not meet the approval of congress, he secured the services of James Shriver, a competent surveyor, who made a survey, and whose report removed all doubt of the practica- bility of the enterprise. An appropriation was secured, and on the fourth day of July, 1828, ground was first broken in its construction by President John Quincy Adams and others prominently connected with the head of the government and by foreign representatives. The construction was completed as far as Cumberland, where, after some time, the project was abandoned.
In the convention at Philadelphia in 1848, that nominated Zachary Taylor for the presidency, it was left to the Pennsyl- vania delegation to nominate a candidate for the vice-presi- dency, and upon the first ballot Mr. Stewart received fourteen out of twenty-six, the remaining twelve were scattering, when, without taking a second ballot to make it unanimous, the chair- man of the delegation hurried back into the convention and reported that they had failed to agree, whereupon Mr. Fillmore was nominated and confirmed, otherwise had Mr. Stewart re- ceived the nomination, to which he was justly entitled, he would have succeeded to the presidency of the United States upon the death of President Taylor.
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