The Old Pike: A History of the National Road, with Incidents, Accidents, and Anecdotes ThereonSearight, Thomas B. (Thomas Brownfield)
History
The Old Pike: A History of the National Road, with Incidents, Accidents, and Anecdotes Thereon
Searight, Thomas B. (Thomas Brownfield)
Cumberland Road; Pennsylvania -- Biography
William Long, an old wagoner, after quitting the road, went to Beaver
county, Pennsylvania, and died there; and Samuel Weaver, a well
remembered old wagoner, died about seven years ago in New Cumberland,
West Virginia.
John Galwix, Black Wesley, Wilse Clement and James Pelter used bells on
their teams. Galwix was called a "crack" wagoner, "swell," as it would
be termed at this day.
Stephen Golden, an old wagoner, drove a team for John Gribble, who for
many years kept the red tavern two miles east of Brownsville.
John Strong, one of the earliest regular wagoners, is still living in
Cumberland, and has been Coroner at that place for many years.
John Kelso, a steady old regular, well remembered and well liked, died
at Cumberland about two years ago.
Robert Nelson was run over by his wagon many years ago, and died from
injuries inflicted by the accident.
Col. James Gardner was an old wagoner and an old soldier. He was a
native of Winchester, Virginia, but spent the greater portion of his
life in Uniontown.
John Phillips, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, an old wagoner, was
noted for using the heaviest gears on the road. When in need of new ones
he ordered them an inch wider than the widest in use. The gear pole boys
at the old taverns groaned under the weight of Phillips' gears.
William C. McKean, nine years a deputy Sheriff of Fayette county,
Pennsylvania, was in early life a regular wagoner of the road. He was a
native of German township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and died in the
Sheriff's house, at Uniontown, in 1859. He was noted for his energy and
habit of pushing things. The prominent young attorney of Uniontown of
the same name is a nephew of the old wagoner.
Peter Skiles, an old wagoner of the vicinity of Uniontown, died in
Cumberland of typhoid fever, while at that place with his team and
wagon.
Christian Herr, an old wagoner, was a very profane man, going to show
that there is nothing in a name. He, Wilse Clement and Michael Teeters
were the hardest swearers on the road.
Wyney Hunter, still living, an octogenarian, and rich, was an old
wagoner. His residence is on the roadside five miles east of Hagerstown,
Maryland.
Charles Allum and James Brownlee drove for Leonard Vail, an old
pork-packer of the vicinity of Prosperity, Washington county,
Pennsylvania. Lott Lantz, of Willow Tree, Greene county, Pennsylvania,
had a pork-packing establishment in the olden time, and sent his produce
over the road to Baltimore by the regular broad wheeled wagons in charge
of hired drivers.
Isaac Browning, an old wagoner, at one time owned the "Browning farm,"
near Uniontown, whence its name is derived. This farm now belongs to
Robert Hogsett.
John Wright, an old wagoner, is still living in Salisbury, Somerset
county, Pennsylvania, and has passed the ninetieth mile-post of his age.
[Illustration: JACOB NEWCOMER.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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