THE BROWNFIELD HOUSE.
The Seaton House was a familiar hostelry in the olden time. It was founded by James C. Seaton in the year 1820, or thereabout. It is located on the northeast corner of Main and Arch streets, diagonally opposite the old McCleary House, and is now known as the West End Hotel. Mr. Seaton, the old proprietor, came to Uniontown from Virginia, and died in this old house many years ago. The house was built in sections at different times until it reached its present large proportions. During its occupancy by Mr. Seaton it was a wagon stand of the National Road, and extensively patronized. It was provided with ample grounds for wagons and teams to stand on, which are now covered by the Lingo block and other buildings in the vicinity. Mr. Seaton had three sons: Hiram, James, and John. Hiram was the old toll collector before mentioned, and James was a pike boy in a general way. He drove stage occasionally, and also the express; led horses from station to station on the road, and made himself useful in many other ways. He died at his father’s old tavern in the meridian of the bright era of the road, and before he had reached middle age. John Seaton, the other son, went west, and died recently in Nebraska. Daniel Collier, before mentioned as keeper of the old tavern at Mount Augusta, was a son-in-law of James C. Seaton; and Charles H. Seaton, the well known insurance agent of Uniontown, is a great-grandson of the old proprietor, and others of his descendants are still living in Uniontown and vicinity. After Mr. Seaton’s death this old tavern was continued a number of years by his widow, and growing old she leased it to James Swan, who conducted it for a brief period, Mrs. Seaton boarding with him in the house. Mr. Swan was succeeded by Philip D. Stentz, and he in turn by J. W. Kissinger, Kim Frey, David G. Sperry, John Messmore and Henry Jennings. The late James T. Redburn bought the property from the Seaton heirs and sold it to John Messmore, who in turn sold it to Henry Jennings. It is now owned and kept by George Titlow, under the name of the West End Hotel, as before stated, well conducted and well patronized.
The old National House is located on the northwest corner of Morgantown and Fayette streets. It was built for a private residence by the late Hon. Thomas Irwin, and occupied by him as such until he was appointed Judge of the United States District Court for the Western district of Pennsylvania, when he moved to Pittsburg. Judge Irwin sold the property to the celebrated Dr. John F. Braddee, of mail robbing notoriety, and he occupied it during the period covered by his depredations upon the mail bags. Its situation for such operations was convenient, as it adjoined the old Stockton stage yard hereinbefore described. After Braddee’s conviction L. W. Stockton acquired title to the property, and subsequently sold and conveyed it to Joshua Marsh, who opened it as a tavern. It was the headquarters of the Stockton line of stages from the time it was opened until all stage lines were withdrawn from the road. James K. Polk, with his family and traveling companions, stopped over night at The National when on his way to the capital to be inaugurated President, in the spring of 1845. A large number of citizens assembled on the occasion to meet the coming President, and were addressed by him from the high steps in front of the house. The National was a well kept house. Situate a distance from the main street, it was comparatively exempt from the ordinary street noises, and conducted in a quiet manner, disturbed only by the arrival and departure of the stage coaches. Mr. Marsh, its old proprietor, was a man of retiring disposition, gentle manners, and feeble health. He visited Washington when Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated President, and was one of the unfortunates who were poisoned on that occasion at the National Hotel of that place. He returned home, but never fully recovered from the effects of the poison, and died in Uniontown. Among others who kept the National were George Evans and Col. Samuel Elder. The latter is still living, a hale octogenarian, at Ligonier Westmoreland county, Pa.
The Clinton House, which stood on a lot adjoining the old Court House, was a popular house throughout its whole career. It was demolished in 1890 by condemnation proceedings, and the lot on which it stood taken by the county for the use of the new Court House. It was erected in 1835 by the late Hon. Andrew Stewart, who occupied it as a private residence and kept his law office in it for a number of years. It was first kept as a tavern by Andrew Byers, and after him, from time to time, until its demolition, by Stephen W. Snyder, whose wife was a Risler, Zadoc Cracraft, Isaac Kerr, Jesse B. Gardner, John Bierer, Calvin Springer, Springer & Renshaw, Bernard Winslow, William Springer, Joseph Wright, J. R. Thornton, and James I. Feather. General Taylor stopped over night at the Clinton House in 1849, en route to Washington to assume the office of President of the United States. It was kept at that time by Andrew Byers.
COL. SAMUEL ELDER.
The Moran House is the old Fulton House, opposite the Court House, on Elbow or Main street. Like the old Seaton House, the Fulton was built in sections, some of them by Seth Howell and others by his predecessors. Seth Howell kept this house a long time. He was called “Flinger,” because he had a habit of flinging disorderly persons out of the house, as he termed the process of ejecting. Howell was succeeded by Calvin Springer, and he by William Thorndell, who became the owner of the property. David Mahaney came in after Thorndell, Michael Carter after Mahaney, and it next passed to the hands of James Moran, its present occupant and owner, who gave it the name of the Moran House. This old tavern was always well patronized, and continues to be under its present proprietor, who has added many improvements, and the house is in better shape now than at any time heretofore.
The name Mahaney has long been identified with the National Road. The Mahaney House was built and is conducted by Lloyd Mahaney, a son of David, elsewhere mentioned. It is the newest hotel in Uniontown, and the finest in architectural display. It is a hotel, having come into existence after the old inns and taverns had been relegated to the dead past. It is located on a lot formerly owned and occupied by George Ebbert, adjoining the present National Bank of Fayette County on the east, and is on the south side of Main street. It is well managed and does a large business, and is likewise one of the best of the many recent improvements in Uniontown, and reflects credit on its proprietor.