William Reynolds was a native of Brownsville, born in 1804, and drove his father’s team between Baltimore and Wheeling, before reaching his majority. He kept tavern in Petersburg five years, and moved from that place to Brandonville, Virginia, where he engaged in a mercantile venture, as a partner of his uncle, Zalmon Ludington, esq. After a brief experience as a merchant, he returned to his father’s old tavern west of Keyser’s Ridge, and afterward resumed tavern keeping in Petersburg. From Petersburg he went to Brownsville. He was killed in a railroad accident near Pittsburg in 1856, while in the service of the Adams Express Company. His son John is postmaster at Confluence, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and William Hartman, the unfortunate brakeman who was shot and killed on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, near Dunbar, in August, 1893, was a grandson of William Reynolds.
The old Clark mansion, located at the east end of “the neck” in Brownsville, was converted to a tavern about forty-five years ago, and became the headquarters of the Good Intent stage line. It was first opened up as a tavern by Andrew Byers, who had previously kept the Clinton House in Uniontown. When Byers left it Daniel Brown, the old stage agent, took charge of it and conducted it for a brief period. Daniel Brown’s reputation as a model tavern keeper has been adverted to in another chapter. After Brown’s time the patronage of this house was mostly of a local character. The Clark House was kept for a while after Brown left it by Capt. Morgan Mason, who subsequently located in St. Louis, where he still resides, a leading citizen, and an ex-sheriff of that city. The widow Schroyer also kept this house, and Matthew Story, and it is at present kept by the Theakston Brothers.
The Monongahela House, a short distance west of the Clark House, on the south side, was originally and for many years the private residence of Samuel J. Krepps. It has been probably fifty years since this house was thrown open to the public as a tavern. One of the McCurdy’s was first installed as landlord of this house. He was succeeded by Jesse Hardin, an old stage driver, and Isaac Bailey, William Gans, Ephraim H. Bar, Cyrus L. Conner and John B. Krepps, son of the owner, kept this house nearly, if not exactly, in the order given. It was a stage house, and had a large run of general custom. It continues to be one of the leading hotels of Brownsville, under the management of David Provins.
Thomas Brown, James Auld, Amos Wilson and James C. Beckley were tavern keepers in Brownsville prior to the construction of the National Road. Auld preceded Beckley in the old house at the head of Front street, above mentioned. Amos Wilson kept the old “Black Horse” tavern on Front street.
A few yards westward from the Monongahela House the road crosses Dunlap’s creek over a handsome and expensive iron bridge, erected in 1835, and the first of the kind west of the Allegheny mountains. The vicissitudes attending the construction of this bridge have been alluded to in a previous chapter. The stone work of this bridge, which is a fine specimen of heavy masonry, was let by contract to William Searight, who pushed it forward and completed it with his characteristic energy. David Chipps, a well remembered old citizen of the vicinity of Uniontown, and an expert stone mason, was a boss workman on this bridge, and the late Gen. William W. Williams, who in the prime of his life was an excellent mason, also worked on its walls and abutments. The work was done under authority of the War Department of the general government.
BRIDGE OVER THE MONONGAHELA
After crossing the iron bridge the traveler is in the ancient borough of Bridgeport. Here Jack Arnold kept a tavern at a very early period. He was succeeded by John Riley, who for many years kept a wagon stand. Riley was a staunch citizen, and participated in the public affairs of his town. His tavern was near the market house, and was a popular resort in the olden time. Isaac Kimber, Robert Patterson and John Neelan kept taverns in Bridgeport before the National Road was made. The present Bar House is on the site of the old Kimber House. The Bar House is owned by Ephraim H. Bar, who conducted it as a tavern for many years. It was a wagon stand, and had a good trade. Robert Carter, old wagoner before mentioned, was one of the men who for a time successfully conducted the Bar House. Thornton Young, George Garrard, Matthew Story and Eli Bar kept this house in recent years at different times, and it is now conducted by W. F. Higinbotham.
It is but a short distance from the iron bridge before mentioned to the long wooden bridge over the Monongahela river. This bridge, although a link of the National Road, was not built by the government. It is a private enterprise, and was erected in 1833. In 1810 an act was passed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, authorizing the Governor to incorporate a company to build and operate a bridge at this point; but for some cause the company was not organized, and in 1830 a company was incorporated by the Legislature. Ephraim L. Blaine, father of the brilliant and popular statesman, was an incorporator under the provisions of the act of 1830, and the company authorized by that act promptly organized, and completed the bridge at the date above mentioned. Neil Gillespie, the grandfather of James G. Blaine, was named in the act of 1810, above mentioned, as one of the commissioners to solicit and receive subscriptions of stock for the bridge.