In 1834 or 1835, Mr. Stockton transferred a number of stage teams and drivers, from the Baltimore and Washington City road, to the National Road. Two of these teams ran in and out from Somerfield. One called “the Kangaroo team” was driven by John Mills. They were large, dark bays, and much admired by lovers of fine horses. Mills knew how to handle them. He was a superb driver. Another of these “transferred” teams was driven by William Bishop. The horses in this team were light bays, all “bob-tails,” and notwithstanding there was but one good eye in the whole team, and all were “sprung in the knees,” it is asserted by many old pike boys that this unique and “blemished” team was the fastest on the road. It was brought out from the Baltimore and Washington road by Charles Howell, who drove it a short time before it was turned over to William Bishop. Bishop was a capital reinsman.
The preservation of the National Road was considered so vital to the general welfare by everybody living upon its line and adjacent to it, that the deepest interest was manifested in the success of every measure proposed for its benefit. There was no powerful and paid “lobby” around the halls of Congress when the Cumberland Road was the highway of the Republic, as there is at this day, but all measures planned and presented for its preservation and repair, were carefully watched and guarded by such statesmen as Henry Clay, Daniel Sturgeon, Andrew Stewart, T. M. T. McKennan, Lewis Steenrod, W. T. Hamilton, and Henry W. Beeson. The following from a Cumberland paper published in that place sixty years ago shows the popular feeling in behalf of the road at that date:
“The citizens of the town on the 21st of May, 1832, in demonstration of their great joy growing out of the appropriation made by the National Government for the repair of the Cumberland Road, made arrangements for the celebration of that event. In pursuance of that arrangement, Samuel Slicer illuminated his large and splendid hotel, which patriotic example was followed by James Black. In addition to the illumination, Mr. Bunting (our famous ‘old Red’), agent of L. W. Stockton, ordered out a coach, drawn by four large gray stallions, driven by George Shuck. The stage was beautifully illuminated, which presented to the generous citizens of this place a novelty calculated to impress upon the minds of all who witnessed it the great benefits they anticipated by having the road repaired. There were also seated upon the top of the vehicle several gentlemen who played on various instruments, which contributed very much to the amusement of the citizens and gave a zest to everything that inspired delight or created feelings of patriotism. They started from the front of Mr. Slicer’s hotel, and as they moved on slowly the band played ‘Hail Columbia,’ ‘Freemasons’ March,’ ‘Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine,’ ‘Washington’s March,’ together with a new tune composed by Mr. Mobley, of this place, and named by the gentlemen on the stage, ‘The Lady We Love Best,’ and many others, as they passed through the principal streets of the town. On their return they played ‘Home, Sweet Home,’ to the admiration of all who heard it.”
David Bonebraker was a stage driver of good reputation, and a general favorite. While his name would import otherwise, he was a careful driver and never during his whole service did he break a bone of man or beast. He was a large, fine looking man, and drove between Somerfield and Mt. Washington as early as 1831, and for a number of years thereafter.
Hanson Willison was early on the road as a stage driver, and none of his fellow drivers excelled him in skillfulness. He drove a brief period between Uniontown and Brownsville, but for the most part in and out from Cumberland. He is still living in Cumberland, proprietor of the American House livery stables, and doing a profitable business. He retains the habits of the early days of the road, generous almost to a fault, perfectly familiar with the road’s history, his memory is well stored with its exciting incidents and accidents. Hanson Willison and Ashael Willison before mentioned, are brothers.
HANSON WILLISON.
The few remaining old folks who witnessed the exciting scenes of the National Road in its palmy days, will readily recall the following old stage drivers: John Griffith, William Witham, George Lukens, Wash Alters, Hank Smith, John Heinselman, Barney Strader, John Munson, West Crawford, James Chair, William Roberts, Vin Huffman, John Windell, a small, thin faced man, with rings in his ears, one of the earliest drivers, William Saint, who was also a blacksmith, and worked, occasionally, at his trade in Uniontown. He went to Texas before the civil war, and died there. Lewis Gribble, son of John, the old wagoner and tavern keeper. He went to Virginia, drove stage in that State, and died there. John Sparker, John Snell, David Oller, Joseph Henderson, a steady-going man, mentioned among the old tavern keepers in connection with the “Gals house,” David Armor, William Armor, Samuel Oller, and William Dickey. The Ollers, the Armors, Dickey and Henderson were of Washington, Pa. Jacob Snyder, subsequently manager and proprietor of the Shipley house, in Cumberland. William and George Grim, John Zane, James Schaverns, Joseph Vanhorn, John McIlree, Jesse Boring, John Munson, John Ruth, David Jones, Benjamin Miller, subsequently tavern keeper in the old Mannypenny house, Uniontown. An early line of stages stopped at Miller’s. James Mannypenny, Thomas Fee, Walter Head, educated for the ministry, Thomas and Edward McVenus, William Totten, William Vanhorn, Spencer Motherspaw, James Griffith, Abram Dedrick, William Fowler, Thomas Chilson, William Jones, Andrew Heck, John Fink, William Irwin, James Sampey, subsequently and for many years owner and manager of the tavern at Mt. Washington, where the Good Intent line changed horses and passengers often stopped for meals; Isaac Newton, Robert Jackson, a young man of diminutive size, from one of the New England States, whose father came and took him home; James Dennison, subsequently tavern keeper at Claysville and at Hopwood; Isaac Newton, died at Mt. Washington when John Foster kept the tavern at that point; Matthew Byers, Hugh Drum, John Hendrix, Alexander Thompson, William Hart, Charles Kemp, Ben Watkins, Ben Watson, John and Andrew Shaffer, Garret Clark, Garret Minster, John Ferrell, James Lynch, John Seaman, James Reynolds, John Bunting, Lindy Adams, Leander Fisk, James Derlin, Aaron Wyatt, James Andrews, Alfred Haney, Wash Bodkin, William Crawford, Charles Cherry, William Hammers, Addis Lynn, Harry, Nelse and Jack Hammers, Nimrod, Joseph, Jack and William Sopher, John and Joseph Pomroy, William and Watt Whisson, John McCollough, William Miller, son of Charley, the old tavern keeper west of Hillsborough; Robert McIlheney, John McMack, Thomas, Joshua and William Boyd, John Parsons, Matthew Davis, one of the oldest, and still living at Brownsville; John W. Boyce, George Wiggins, brother of Harrison, the old fox hunter of the mountains; Robert Bennett, William White, David Reynolds, James McIllree, Fred Buckingham, Thomas and William Noble.
William Noble died in Washington, Pennsylvania, Jan. 26, 1894.