Dr. Robert McClure opened a tavern in December, 1792, a short distance west of the court house, on the south side of the street, and kept it down to the year 1813. It does not appear that any other person kept this house. It was in close proximity to the “Jolly Irishman,” hereafter mentioned.
Thomas Collins, son of John Collins, before mentioned, kept a tavern as early as 1794 in an old house on the lot, corner of Morgantown and Main streets, now occupied by the Tremont buildings. Thomas Collins was sheriff of Fayette county from 1796 to 1799, and commanded a company of soldiers from Uniontown and vicinity in the war of 1812, locally called the “Madison Rowdies.” A number of his descendants are still living in the neighborhood of Uniontown.
Previous to the opening of the present century the veteran of Laurel Hill, John Slack, before mentioned, kept a tavern in the old Shelcut house, on the south side of Main street, opposite the old Gregg house, and afterward kept the “Spread Eagle,” the exact location of which is involved in doubt, but the best information available assigns it to the Weniger corner, opposite the old Walker house, hereinafter mentioned.
William Downard, subsequently proprietor of the big water-trough house on Laurel Hill, kept tavern in the Shelcut house from 1801 until probably 1808, when he retired to the pine covered slope of Laurel Hill, where he spent the remainder of his life. He served as County Commissioner from 1802 to 1805.
The Gregg house, situate on the north side of Main street, on the lot now covered by the residence of Dr. J. B. Ewing, was in existence as a tavern as early as 1798, and continued as late as 1865. It was a small house of brick and frame united, but had a large patronage. In early times travelers and other guests at taverns did not desire or expect separate rooms, and hence a small tavern like the Gregg house could accommodate as many persons as the more pretentious hotel of the present day; and at wagon stands the bar room, as before stated, was the only bed chamber for wagoners. James Gregg was the first proprietor of the Gregg house, and was succeeded by his widow, Nancy Gregg, in 1810. After her time it was kept in turn by William Medkirk, Matthew Allen, Simeon Houser, Amos Howell, Philip D. Stentz, and Thomas Moxley. James Gregg, the old proprietor of this house, was the father-in-law of the late Hon. Daniel Sturgeon, who was a United States Senator in the days of Clay, Webster and Calhoun.
In 1779, and for a number of years thereafter, Pierson Sayers kept a tavern in the house now occupied by Mrs. Ruby, on the north side of Main street, a short distance west of the court house. While keeping this house Sayers was elected Sheriff, and turned over his tavern to Jacob Harbaugh, who conducted it for three years, when, singularly enough, he was elected to succeed Sayers as Sheriff. Ellis Baily, the grandfather of Mrs. Ruby, bought this property from Pierson Sayers, and subsequently, and for many years, it was the private residence of the late Hon. John Dawson.
James Piper kept the “Jolly Irishman” as early as 1801. This bustling old tavern was located on Main street, opposite the residence of the late Hon. Daniel Kaine. James Piper, a son of the old proprietor, was a prominent and influential citizen of the town and county for many years. He was a member of the bar, a Justice of the Peace, Register of Wills, and Recorder of Deeds. He left Uniontown about 1850, went west, and died soon after.
William Merriman kept a tavern near Margaret Allen’s old stand as early as 1802. But little is known at this date of Merriman or his old tavern. Its existence was brief and its patronage limited.
At and before the beginning of the present century Samuel Salter kept a tavern in an old log and frame house that stood on the lot now occupied by the handsome residence of the Hon. John K. Ewing. Chief Justice Thomas McKean “put up” at this old tavern on his visits to Uniontown to hold the courts of Fayette county, and was frequently regaled with roast pig. The pig was well prepared, cooked and dressed, and in all respects savory, but its frequent appearance on the table moved the old Chief Justice to believe that he was getting “too much of a good thing,” and accordingly one day, in peremptory terms, he commanded the dining room girl to remove the offensive dish, which she did with trembling hands. This of course raised a storm in the old hostelry. Mrs. Salter became indignant, and, bringing back the pig, replaced it on the table, at the same time addressing the Judge thus: “You are Chief Justice and run the court; I am chief cook and run this dining room. That pig must stay,” and it did. Upon the withdrawal of Salter, in the year 1811, this old tavern came under the management and control of Jacob Harbaugh, the old Sheriff before mentioned. After Harbaugh’s time it was kept by George Ewing down to a period as late probably as 1830. Hugh Espey, a well remembered old County Treasurer, and straightgoing Presbyterian elder, married a daughter of George Ewing.
Opposite the old Gregg house, and adjoining the Shelcut house, George Manypenny kept a tavern as early as the year 1814, and probably before that date. This was a leading tavern of the town, subsequently conducted by Benjamin Miller, and after him by Harry Gilbert. One of the old stage lines stopped at this house. George Manypenny, the old proprietor, was the father of the late Hon. George W. Manypenny, who was for many years a prominent and popular political leader and officeholder of the State of Ohio. He was born in Uniontown, and most likely in his father’s old tavern. George Manypenny, sr., is described by those who remember him as a vigorous, pushing and witty Irishman. He called once to see President Jefferson, and was invited by His Excellency to take a glass of wine with him, which he did without hesitancy, and to obtain a second glass, this story is told of him: As he was about to withdraw from the executive mansion he remarked to Mr. Jefferson that he was going home, and would tell his friends that he had the honor of taking two glasses with the President of the United States, and hoped His Excellency would not let him go home with a lie in his mouth. As the story goes, the old President saw the point of the ingenious suggestion, and again brought forward the wine.