USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 74
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The "Globe Hotel" was built on the cor- ner of Main street and Spring alley, in 1830, by Thomas Hastings, who occupied it as a hotel in May of that year, and continued there until 1839, when he was succeeded in turn by Job MeCreight. J. M. McCoy, William Clark, Edward Hutchinson. Then Thomas Hastings again took charge of the house, and Was succeeded by William Clark and Jacob Barkett from 18.15 to 1849. Isaac Walker owned and occupied the house from 1849 to 1853, then he sold it to John Yeaney, Charles Sitz and Reuben Weiser, Charles Sitz occupy- ing it in 1853-54. In 1855 it was purchased by Simon Frank, who sold it again to John Yemey. In 1857 C. N. Kretz took charge of the house, changed the name to "Jefferson House," and conducted it until the fall of 1864. Then it was successively kept by Joseph Oxenrider, Stokes & Scribner, and Jacob Emery, until the winter of 1883, when the property was purchased by M. Allgeier and 1 .. 1. Reitz, and the latter took possession April 1, 1883.
"Peace and Poverty." The hotel in front of which hung this quaint sign was built in 1831 on the corner of Main and Barnett streets. In 1836 John Gallagher took possession, and ran it until 1841 ; then S. M. Bell occupied it for a year, to be succeeded by George Mclaughlin, for the years 1843-47. It was then changed to the "Black Horse Hotel," and kept by Samuel Lyle in 1850-51; then by David Thayer. It was then discontinued as a hotel and rented to private families, until it suc- cumbed to the fire of 1871.
William Clark built another hotel, on the north corner of Main and Mill streets, in 1833, which he occupied for only a short time, sell- ing it in 1834 to John Brownlee, who had come from Centre county in that year.
The "Franklin House," the first brick hotel erected in Jefferson county, was built in 1832 by Daniel Elgin. The first landlords were James M. Steadman in 1833, and William Clark in 1834. John Pierce had charge of it from 1836 to 1839, when James Cochran kept it about a year, being succeeded by Joseph Henderson in 1841-43. Then, in 1844, J. R. and R. Arthurs took charge of it, followed by S. H. Lucas and John M. Turney. Jacob Steck took charge of the hotel in 1848, and conducted it for ten years. The property was then purchased by Samuel G. Fryer, who occupied it as a private residence and store until 1866, when he sold to Henry R. Fuller- ton, who greatly improved the property, add- ing another story, etc. He occupied it for a while, and then C. N. Kretz purchased the furniture, etc., and was landlord from 1869, followed by Carroll & Scribner, then A. S. Seribner until 1871, when it was purchased by J. S. King, who occupied it until the fire of November 20, 1874, when it was burned down. Mr. King, besides having charge of the hotel, was cashier of the Brookville Bank, located in the same building.
After the fire Richard Arthurs purchased the property, and in 1876 erected the large brick hotel known as the "Central." Hc opened it as a hotel and ran it for a short time, relinquishing the management to his son, Richard Arthurs, Jr., who occupied the house until January, 1884. Then for about a month Richard Arthurs, Sr., occupied it, and then it was closed until April 1, 1884.
The first building on the site of the "Com- mercial Hotel" was a little frame structure, butilt and occupied, in 1833, by John Clements, who in 1844 or 1845 built the "Royal Exchange Hotel," which he occupied until it was de- stroyed by fire in 1856. Mr. Clements rebuilt,
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and the new building, which he called the "Clements House," was ready for occupancy in 1858. In 1860 he died and the house was managed until September, 1863, by his widow, Mrs. E. O. Clements, when it was purchased by R. W. Moorhead, who changed the name to the "Moorhead House." He kept it until April, 1864, when it became the property of Robert Clements, who occupied it for a short time, changing the name back to the "Clements House," and then C. N. Kretz took possession in the summer of 1864 and remained until April. 1869. Then Robert Clements again oc- cupied it until W. S. Barr and C. G. Matson took charge. They were burned out in the fire of 1871. Robert Clements rebuilt the house and it was opened by Alexander S. Scribner, who was succeeded by Joseph Free- man. Then M. R. Reynolds kept it as a tem- perance house for a short time. It was then closed for about five years pending litigation between the Reynolds heirs and Robert Clements, when it was purchased by R. Arthurs and William Dickey, and was opened in January, 1883, by Matson & Arthurs, as the "Commercial Hotel."
The "American Hotel" was built in 1845 by Elijah Heath, who in 1846 added a business block to it, two stories in height, called the Arcade. D. S. Johnson, who did the car- penter work, was the first to occupy this house. as a temperance hotel; and Benjamin Bennett, who kept it in 1848-51, seems to have been the first who opened it as a licensed house. In 1852 IIon. John J. Y. Thompson purchased the property and occupied it until it was de- stroyed by fire, May 23, 1856. He commenced at once to rebuild, and the present house was ready for occupancy in 1857, being opened to the public in October by his son, W. K. Thompson, who conducted the hotel until June, 1869, when he removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, his brother, John J., succeeding him in the management of the house. In October, 1864, Capt. R. R. Means purchased the property, and he kept the house until March, 1869. when he sold it to John J. Thompson and Joseph Darr, and it was run by Thompson & Darr. with Mr. Thompson as landlord, until the summer of 1871, when they sold to a stock company composed of R. J. Nicholson, M. M. Meredith, Nathan Carrier, Jr., W. A. Bur- kett and P. H. Shannon, the latter taking charge of the house until January 16, 1872, when C. N. Kretz purchased the property. He kept the hotel until May. 1879, when he sold the furniture to A. Baur, who kept the house until May, 1880. when he sold the furniture
to Thompson & Darr, who had again become owners of the property, and who rented it to John S. Barr, who conducted the hotel until October, 1881. Then A. B. Barr rented it from Ira C. Fuller, who had purchased it from Thompson & Darr in 1880. Mr. Barr asso- ciated with him J. B. Cromer in the manage- ment of the house, until early in 1885, Mr. Fuller sold the house and furniture to B. K. Fisher and F. P. Graf. This hotel is still open (1915), and conducted by Verstine & Hunter.
The "Union Hotel" was built by John R. McCall in 1851, and called the "Railroad House." It was first kept by Benjamin Ben- nett, for about two years, and then by W. H. Schram and D. B. Rouse, successively, until 1856, when it was purchased by R. R. Means, who conducted the house until May, 1864. He sold the property to John McCracken. It is now (1915) run by Robert Mckinley.
"Heber House."-Henry Heber, proprietor of this house, came to Brookville about the year 1853. The present house was built by T. K. Litch, for a boarding house, and pur- chased by Mr. Heber in 1863.
"Brookville House," E. Bevier, owner and proprietor, was built about 1869 by Andrew Stefl, who sold it to Mr. Bevier in April, 1876. It was kept previous to Mr. Bevier's purchas- ing it by Andrew Stefl and John J. Henderson.
"Hotel Longview."-Work on this hotel was begun in March. 1885. In July of that year 1. Baur and wife began furnishing the hotel. It was opened on September 22, 1885. When the hotel was first opened no trains stopped at Taylor's (as the station opposite the hotel was then called). In one week afterwards first-class trains stopped there. In two months after the opening two trains each day stopped for meals, and in eighteen months after the opening all trains were stopped there. All railroad buildings were moved from the old station site, and the old station entirely abandoned. George D. Buffington and Ran- dolph MeFarland have been among its pro- prietors, the latter selling out in 1004 to Enoch C. Buffington, the present owner.
One of the veteran hotel men of Brookville was Jacob S. Steck, who removed to Brook- ville from Greensburg in March, 1848, and took charge of the "Franklin House," which he occupied for ten years.
Another of the veteran hotel keepers in Brookville was Jacob Burkett, who came to Brookville in 1845 from Indiana county, whither he removed from Blair county in 1828, settling in Smicksburg.
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One of the most successful hotel men that Brookville has ever known was Charles N. Kretz, who came to the place from Reading in 1857. and was almost continuously engaged in hotel keeping in Brookville for over twenty years.
Express Business
THE UNION EXPRESS .- The express busi- ness was first started in the old staging days in the "American House." John J. Y. Thomp- son was the first agent, being succeeded by R. R. Means, then by Thompson & Darr, who in turn handed it over to John Scott, who re- moved the business to the post office. He has been succeeded in turn by John H. Buell, Parker B. Hunt, Joseph M. Galbraith, C. M. Garrison, Jr., J. O. Edelblute, and others.
Telegraph and Telephone
The Western Union Telegraph office was opened in Brookville early in July, 1865. Mrs. Berryhill being placed temporarily in charge. She remained a short time, when S. H. Lane, of Yarmouth, Maine, succeeded her. He re- tained the management but a short time, when the office was placed in charge of A. Baur, who held it until late in 1879. when J. S. Car- roll, a student in the office for a number of years, was placed in charge. Mr. Carroll was succeeded in 1881 by Joseph Breen, and the latter by M. E. Sullivan, in 1882.
A Bell Telephone exchange was established at Brookville, June 1. 1891.
MAILS AND STAGES
In 1853 the only daily mail was from the east to Clarion. passing through Brookville. while the mail from Brookville to Indiana and to Ridgway was expected to leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday, and the mail to Kittanning to leave on Thursday and return on Saturday.
A newspaper notice of 1862, signed by the postmaster, announces that the post office is "open on Sabbath day from 71/2 to 81/2 a. m. and from 3 to 31/2 p. m. All other days, open from ; a. m. to 8 p. m." It also gives the fol- lowing schedule of stage arrivals and de- partures :
From Brookville to Pittsburgh
Leaves Brookville, daily (except Sabbath) at 3 a. m. Returns, at 12 at night.
From Brookville to Indiana
Leaves Brookville. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 3 a. m. Returns, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the evening.
From Brookville to Clarion
Leaves Brookville, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 p. m. Returns, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6 a. m.
From Brookville to Clearfield
Leaves Brookville, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 7 a. m. Returns Monday, Wed- nesday and Friday at I p. m.
There was also horseback service for Brookville to Ridgway (via Schoffner's Cor- ners), to Ringgold and to "Marrionville."
Hon. John J. Y. Thompson commenced to run a daily hack between Brookville and Kit- tanning on February 8, 1856, afterwards sell- ing out to Lightcap & Piper, of Kittanning. The Jefferson Star of March 8, 1856, says: "The stage from Brookville to Kittanning takes passengers to Kittanning in time to take the evening train to Pittsburgh, so that per- sons leaving here in the morning can be in Pittsburgh in the evening."
Starting from Brookville at twelve noon, or at one or two o'clock in the morning, there was the long ride of forty miles over the worst of roads, with an upset or two for variety, and the male passengers walking up the hills to rest the horses. Then the Alle- gheny Valley railroad was finished to the month of the Mahoning, which shortened the stage journey ten miles, and the passengers did not have to leave at quite such an early hour, while the journey, which was helped con- siderably by a good dinner on the down trip. and supper on the return at Cribb's or Butler's at Millville, was not deemed quite so had. For was there not always the hope, to which all chung, that "we will soon have a railroad to Brookville"? But this was not realized until 1873, and in all these years, through the mud of spring and fall, and summer's heat, and winter's cold, the good people of Brookville patronized the stage lines run by such jolly souls as Lightcap and Piper, Cook and Stoke, Gabriel Vasbinder, and A. A. and Raymond Stewart. The raftsmen generally "gigged it back," as they expressed the manner of their return trip after running out their rafts, as there never was enough stage accommoda- tion for them at rafting times, and then they
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saved money by walking. It was no wonder that the first whistle of the iron horse was hailed with delight, and that on that bright Sabbath afternoon in' June, 1873, there was a large crowd gathered down where the old pas- senger depot stood, to see the first cars come in. Many of the children, and a considerable number of the adults, too, had never seen a locomotive, or train of cars, and their wonder- ment found vent in different forms of expres- sion, as the fiery-headed monster came shriek- ing into their midst.
MCKNIGHT & SON
The drug business of McKnight & Son, in Brookville, founded in 1863, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment in October, 1913, and with the Brookville Repub- lican of Thursday, October 16. was issued a special supplement in honor of the occasion, from which we take the following account of the business and its founder.
The McKnight store, founded in 1863 by Dr. William J. McKnight, and to-day con- ducted by the founder and his son. Jay B. Mc- Knight, under the firm name of Mcknight & Son, achieves with this month a unique dis- tinction in the mercantile annals of Jefferson county, being the first mercantile establishment to celebrate the passing of the fiftieth year of active business life under one continuous management. In commemoration of that event the store publishes to-day a sketch of the life of its founder, and briefly epitomizes the steps taken in the development of the business. The management is deeply appreciative of the good will and patronage of the people of Brookville and vicinity which have made pos- sible the long life of this business, and per- mitted the store to maintain at all times a fore- most place in the drug business in Jefferson county. In the years which have passed it has been our aim to make "McKnight's" a synonym for the best in everything in their line, and that policy will be continued in the future. Incidentally, in the celebration of our fiftieth anniversary, we publish the largest single advertisement ever inserted in a Brook- ville newspaper. Throughout the fifty years of our business life we have endeavored to fulfill every promise of our advertising, plac- ing reliability, business, integrity and prompt service before profit, and the fact that to-day the store numbers among its clientele of cus- tomers more people than ever before, and its business is constantly growing, leads us to be- lieve that we have created confidence in our
methods and established for ourselves a fixed place in the forefront of Brookville's mer- cantile life. To the friends who have stood by us-the big buying public whose patronage has made possible a half century of success- we extend our thanks on this occasion.
HON. WILLIAM JAMES MCKNIGHT, M. D., was born and raised in the town of Brook- ville, the date of his birth being May 6, 1836. The Doctor received a limited education in the common schools. For five years, from 1847 to 1852, he lived and worked on what is now the John J. McCurdy farm, in Washing- ton township. Jefferson county. At the age of sixteen he began teaching school and work- ing in the office of the Jefferson Star, learn- ing the printer's trade. Two years later he began reading medicine under Dr. A. M. Clarke, of Brockwayville, and held a position as compositor on the Elk County Advocate. During the next three years, by practicing economy, he saved enough money to enable him to take a single course of medical lec- tures at Cincinnati, Ohio, during the winter of 1856-57, and March following ( 1857) he be- gan the practice of medicine in his native town, being the youngest doctor ever to open an office in the county. His professional card of March 6, 1857, was published in the Brook- ville papers, locating him as on Main street, opposite the Philadelphia Cheap Store. About the ist of December. 1857, Dr. McKnight as- sociated with Dr. A. M. Clarke and moved his office to Clarke's residence and office, where Mrs. Ada Dickey Means now resides. His practice while under Dr. Clarke was large, extensive and wide, the Doctor riding all over Jefferson. Elk and Forest counties, keeping two saddle horses. On September 1, 1859, he moved from Brookville to Brockwayville and entered into partnership with Dr. W. C. Niver. This partnership with Dr. Niver was termi- nated four years later, after they had estab- lished a large and extensive practice in Jef- ferson and Elk counties. From June, 1869, to September. 1870, Dr. McKnight was asso- ciated in Brookville with L. A. Garver, M. D., and they had . a large medical and surgical practice.
In this wilderness calls for surgical treat- ment were frequent. The erection of log cabins and log barns, the logging in lumber camps. the taking out of square timber, work in the shingle-mills, sawmills, boat scaffolds, rafting in and down the creeks, the clearing of land and all such labor that had to be done with axes and sharp-edged tools, caused dis-
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locations, fractures, lacerations and cut wounds. Many of these were simple, but some were terrible. In emergency calls to stop hemorrhage, tie arteries and to save life the Doctor has plunged his horse into creeks and rivers, got on his knees in the saddle, took hold of the horn of the saddle, given his horse a loose rein, stemmed the current and swam across.
Dr. McKnight was the first physician to operate successfully for cataract in Jefferson county, and received in pay seven dollars and fifty cents in buckwheat and oats. He was the first physician in Jefferson county to use the hypodermic syringe, which he did in Brook- ville. in May, 1866. There is no doctor living that belonged to the first and second medical societies of Jefferson county but Dr. Mc- Knight.
When Dr. McKnight commenced practicing medicine in Brookville in 1857, he had to ride on horseback, and he kept from one to three horses. In winter he rode in a homemade jumper. He rode all through and over the counties of Jefferson. Elk. Forest as well as the western part of Clearfield. He had long journeys, often riding day and night. through what is now DuBois, Brockwayville, Penfield, Ridgway, Kersey, Wilcox, St. Marys, and all along the Clarion river. He has ridden seventy miles in daylight and sat up all night with a sick patient. IJe traveled through mud. sleet, cold, snow and darkness, with no rubber gar- ments to protect him. He traveled creek beds, forded and swam the Clarion river when in rafting stage, and often rode over and through paths and roads from dark to daylight all alone through the wilderness, twenty or forty miles, stopping about midnight to give his horse some feed and get a bite for himself, and many, many a time after this long journey the patient was too poor to feed the horse or to house him, but there was always some angel neigh- bor woman to shelter his horse and care for the Doctor. There are two such women still living in Elk county.
In some of his long rides Dr. McKnight would become so tired about midnight that he felt he could not go a step farther, when he would dismount from his horse, hitch him to a log barn, slip the bridle around his neck, throw him some hay and then fall asleep in the haymow. only to awaken and find the sun high in the heavens, and then ride furiously on his errand of mercy to see his patient. In 1862 Dr. McKnight had as many as fifty cases of smallpox at one time, seven down in one family and in a shanty. None of the fifty
were ever able to pay anything to the doctor for his services. The doctor of that period did more charitable work for mankind than all other classes of people combined, and for these sacrifices often in return he received the grossest and basest ingratitude.
In those days there were no telegraph. tel- ephone or daily mail through which to summon a doctor, but a neighbor had to be sent on foot or on horseback to find the physician and not to come back without him.
About the 15th of September, 1861. Dr. Mc- Knight enlisted for service with the One Hun- dred and Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, and was transported as a soldier to Camp Jameson, near Alexandria, Va. With true patriotic purpose he was willing to serve the country in any capacity, but on meeting his brother, the Colonel. he found him op- posed to his entering the service and was told that he would not permit him to be enrolled or mustered in the One Hundred and Fifth. The colonel said, "Doctor, there are but us two McKnights, I am single. I expect to be killed. you are married, you return home and rear some future McKnights." Hoping that the Colonel would relent, the Doctor remained with the regiment several weeks, doing important service for it, without money and without price. Finally the Colonel gave Dr. McKnight a soldier's transportation home and ordered him to leave camp.
Colonel McKnight was killed in the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863.
On August 4, 1862, Governor Curtin ap- pointed the Doctor examining surgeon for Jef- ferson and Forest counties. He served as pri- vate and orderly sergeant in Company G. Fifty- seventh United States Emergency Regiment : was promoted to quartermaster sergeant. and took part in the campaign against Morgan.
Returning home in 1863 from the Morgan raid, Dr. McKnight stopped in Brookville and opened an office for the practice of medicine on Main street, where Mrs. Templeton now resides, opposite Moore & Smathers' store. Dr. McKnight was appointed United States pension surgeon October 22, 1863. He served for six years, until other duties made it neces- sary for him to resign this position, which he did October 4, 1869.
In 1880 Dr. McKnight was elected by the Republicans of Jefferson and Indiana counties to the State Senate, where he served from 1881 to 1885. The Doctor took a verv active part in all public measures brought before the Senate during his term of office. He was the author of several very important bills, and
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some of the laws for which he worked and supported are enumerated in Dr. Mc- Knight's personal biography elsewhere in this work, and also in the chapter on "Physicians and Surgeons." In 1883 he introduced a joint resolution proposing certain amendments to the Constitution of this Commonwealth to lessen the number, extend the tenure and fix the salary of our legislators. This speech re- ceived great celebrity. It was published in the Daily and Weckly Telegraph of Harrisburg. In closing his speech Dr. McKnight said : "And while advocating this measure, Mr. President. I am impelled to the belief that no senator in this hall can afford to disregard public senti- ment on this subject. This is a reform; it is an economic reform and by its adoption the State will save in each sitting of the As- sembly two hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars. This is no party measure. Every senator can support it. And, Mr. President, more especially is it fitting and proper that this bill in the interest of practical economy and reform shall receive the unqualified in- dorsement of my colleagues who have been elected to this body as reformers, and of those, too, who in times past have flaunted in the face of the people of this Commonwealth the banner of 'Independence and Reform.' Such senators have an opportunity now, and they will gladly embrace it, and show to the world that they are men of 'deeds as well as men of words.' No real reformer can lend himself consistently to the defeat of so meritorious a reform measure as this. And, Mr. President. to further assist in promoting the public good, to promote the honest government and purify the public service, I would make all officers in both State and nation, except the merest clerkships, elective by the people. I would elect postmasters, collectors, marshals, and especially United States senators. Time for- bids me to enumerate all the offices that should be elected in our State. But, Mr. President. the new Constitution has been tried and found imperfect. This measure only seeks to perfect it in part. The Constitution is not the gov- ernment, but we, the people, are, and all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety and hap- piness. For the advancement of these ends, they have at all times an unalienable and in- defensible right to alter, amend, perfect, re- form or abolish any part, or parts of their government, and in such manner as they may think proper. In any event, and at all cost, Mr. President, we must preserve our popular
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