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
The bridge over the Monongahela river stands on an almost
direct north and south line, and a short distance from its northern end
the road makes a sharp angle to the westward. On the south side of this
angle a tavern was kept by Samuel Adams, as early as the year 1820.
Samuel Adams was the father of Estep Adams, the present polite and
popular postmaster at West Brownsville. John Huston succeeded Samuel
Adams in this old house. In the early days of the road this house was
constantly crowded with guests. At the close of Huston's term, the old
house, which was a wooden structure, was torn down, and the present
brick building was erected on its site, and continued as a tavern
throughout the whole period of the road's prosperous era, and for many
years thereafter. Joshua Armstrong was the first occupant of the new
building. His term was prior to the year 1840. Morris Purcell came in,
after Armstrong. Dr. Adams, the postmaster before mentioned, when a boy,
counted fifty road wagons standing around this old tavern, in one night,
when it was kept by Morris Purcell. The wagon yard, which was large and
commodious, was located on the west side, and in the rear of the house.
Major William Paul, hereinbefore mentioned, succeeded Purcell in this
house, about the year 1842, and retained the extensive line of wagon
custom with which his predecessor was favored. James Watkins, an old
stage driver of Washington, Pennsylvania, was Maj. Paul's bar keeper at
this house, and his son-in-law, Thomas Hamen Hopkins, was the successor
of Maj. Paul in this house. His widow is still keeping a tavern in West
Brownsville. She is well up in years, but her memory is clear and well
stored with interesting reminiscences of the road. Greenberry Millburn
next had charge of this house, and kept it for a brief period, when he
retired, and his name does not subsequently appear on the roll of old
tavern keepers. John Cummins was the next occupant of this house. He
purchased the property, and held it until his death, which occurred near
the close of the prosperous era of the road. He was an Irishman, thrifty
and energetic, and besides tavern keeping, took contracts on public
works. About the year 1859 this house passed to the control of Moses
Bennington, who conducted it during the era of the civil war. He was
succeeded by William Dawson, whose successor was James B. Dorsie. Doc
Bar kept the house for a brief period, and one of its occupants was
Robert Miller. Upon the expiration of Miller's term Thomas H. Hopkins
again took charge, and it was subsequently kept for short periods, at
different times, by Solomon Watkins, James Nichols and John Taylor. The
house is at present owned by the Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston
railroad company, and used as a passenger and freight station.
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