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
Previous to 1835, and by divers good conveyances and assurances, down
from Washington, this estate passed into the hands of the late Hon.
Nathaniel Ewing, who caused to be erected on the property the large
brick house, still standing, and one of the most noted old taverns on
the road. Judge Ewing subsequently sold and conveyed the property to
James Sampey, who went into possession and kept the tavern for many
years, and until his death. The first year after Mr. Sampey's death the
management of the tavern and farm was placed in charge of Robert
Hogsett, who turned over to the representative of the estate the sum of
four thousand dollars, as the profits of one year. The Good Intent line
of stages stopped at Sampey's, and as showing the extent of the business
of the house, Mr. Hogsett mentions that on one morning seventy-two
stage passengers took breakfast there. John Foster and James Moore
subsequently kept this house. They were sons-in-law of James Sampey, and
Moore was an old stage driver. At the close of business on the road.
Ellis Y. Beggs purchased the property and the tavern was closed. William
D. Beggs, the father of Ellis, died in this house. He had collected the
tolls for many years at the gate near Searights, was likewise a school
teacher, and a good one, and was, for a number of years, Steward of the
County Home. His eldest daughter, Jane, was the second wife of Dr. Smith
Fuller, the eminent Uniontown physician. Godfrey Fazenbaker succeeded
Beggs in the ownership, and engaged extensively in farming and stock
raising. Mr. Fazenbaker died in possession, and the property descended
to his heirs, who are the present occupants. The big water-trough still
remains on the opposite side of the road from this old tavern, but all
else has changed since the days when the proud stage driver cracked his
long silken-ended whip over the backs of his four spanking steeds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account