S. B. HAYS.
And there was old “Jimmy Brown,” another odd character, not a relation of “Billy.” Jimmy was an Irishman, and knew how to make and keep money. He kept a tavern for many years in a white frame house opposite the court house, and near the “Fulton.” He called his house “The Franklin.” His savings were sufficient to warrant him in tearing down his old house and erecting in its stead a fine new brick structure, which he did. After building his new house he married a wife, and was warmly congratulated by his numerous friends. With the assistance of his wife he continued to entertain the public until his death, leaving the cares and anxieties of his business to his bereaved widow, who soon after remarried and retired to private life. The house is now used for mercantile purposes, one of the best locations in town. Jimmy Brown, when occupying his old house, was accustomed to say to his friends: “I have some nice fesh, come away to the cellar with me, and see my fesh.” He had no license then.
The Mansion House was a leading tavern in Washington from the time it commenced business until it was destroyed by fire, which occurred after the National Road ceased to be a great thoroughfare. It was located on the northeast corner of Main and Chestnut streets. Before the “Mansion House” was built an old red frame house stood on this corner, which was kept as a tavern by a man whose surname was Scott. John N. Dagg bought this property prior to his withdrawal from the “Rising Sun,” on the opposite corner, and commenced to improve it. The outcome of his enterprise was the erection of a large brick building, known as the Mansion House, with extensive sheds and stables in the rear. About the year 1834 Mr. Dagg leased the premises to John Irons, who conducted the house for a period of two years, after which Mr. Dagg returned as landlord, and continued to keep it down to the year 1844, or thereabout, when he leased it to S. B. and C. Hayes, who conducted it for a brief period, and were succeeded by Bryson and Shirls, subsequently of the St. Charles Hotel, Pittsburgh. The Good Intent line of stages gave its patronage to the “American,” when that house was kept by the Messrs. Hayes, and to the “Greene House,” when it was kept by Daniel Brown. Thereafter the headquarters of that line were at the Mansion House, and it was headquarters for the Pilot line when the Good Intent stopped at the “American.” The Mansion House had a large country trade, as well as that derived from the National Road. The old bar room was of immense size, and the old proprietor, John N. Dagg, was one of the largest men on the road. He was not fat, but tall, and widely proportioned. He provided for his country guests a large upright boot jack, with side bars, which acted as levers, designed to steady the toe in the operation of drawing off a boot. Half cut, cheap leather slippers were also provided, and upon pulling their boots, guests put on these slippers, and in the mornings, piles of boots, nicely polished, were placed in a corner of the bar room, to await the return of their owners from the slumbers of the night. It was not an uncommon thing to see scores of country people sitting about in the big bar room after supper, talking over the events of the day, all wearing the slippers referred to, preparatory to going to rest for the night, at the early bed time of that happy period. James K. Polk, wife and suite, stopped at the Mansion House on the inaugural trip in 1845. The “Examiner,” under date of February 15, 1845, gave the following account of the reception of the distinguished party: “President Polk arrived in our borough on Monday evening last, about 5 o’clock, escorted by quite a respectable number of our citizens. The President was accompanied by his lady, J. Knox Walker, his private secretary, and Master Marshall Polk, comprising the President’s family; also Colonel Butler, of Kentucky, Judge Hubbard, of Alabama, and Messrs. T. K. Stevenson, J. G. Harris and J. N. Esselman. The arrival of the President having been sooner than was anticipated, and intelligence of the same having reached us on Sabbath last, the arrangements on the part of our citizens were not so complete or extensive as they would have been under other and more favorable circumstances. Upon the arrival of the President at the Mansion House he was addressed by Dr. Wishart, as chairman of the committee of reception, in a spirited and appropriate manner, to which the President responded, to the evident gratification of the large assembly of persons who were present. In the course of his remarks Colonel Polk alluded to the unbounded feeling of gratitude which filled his bosom for the distinguished partiality which had been extended toward him by his fellow citizens; to the great responsibility which that partiality had devolved upon him; to his implicit confidence in that power which controls the destinies of individuals as well as nations; to his determination to act for the best interests of our beloved country, and the vital importance of freedom of opinion and contrariety of sentiment among a Republican people. In concluding his remarks, the President expressed a strong desire to interchange congratulations with as many of our citizens, of all parties, as time and circumstances would permit. After the formal reception was completed the President was conducted into the Mansion House, and during the evening was waited upon by many hundreds of our citizens, from town and country, without party distinction. Many of the ladies of our borough, with the Principal, assistant teachers and young ladies of our Female Seminary, also, called upon Mrs. Polk, whose plain, dignified and fascinating deportment and intelligent conversation rendered her company exceedingly pleasant. Mrs. Polk has certainly not been too highly complimented, by the many notices which have been bestowed upon her, as a lady most admirably suited to the discharge of the peculiar duties which await her as the wife of the President-elect. On Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock the President and suite left our borough, in good health and spirits, for Uniontown, at which place they remained over night.”
GEORGE T. HAMMOND.
The Fulton House was a prominent house of entertainment in Washington for many years. It is located on the corner of Main and Beau streets, nearly opposite the court house. John Purviance kept a tavern on the Fulton House site from 1790 to 1805, and three years thereafter went to Claysville, as stated elsewhere in these pages. Richard Donaldson succeeded Purviance in this old house. John Fleming kept a tavern on this corner in 1820, called “The Philadelphia and Kentucky Inn.” In January, 1821, a fire occurred in this house, on occasion of the marriage of a daughter of Mr. Fleming, which partially destroyed the building, and saddest of all, burnt to death one of the old proprietor’s daughters. After the present large brick building was erected on this corner, it was called “The American House,” and was kept by S. B. and C. Hayes previous to 1840, and after them by John Huey. In 1846 or 1847 it was leased by Henry Fulton, who came from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and under his management it took the name of the “Fulton House,” which it retained, and under which it became widely and favorably known, until it was given the absurd name of “Hotel Maine.” The Fulton House was admirably conducted and extensively patronized.
The National House was the headquarters of the Stockton line of stages. It is located on the northwest corner of Main and Maiden streets. The firm name of the Stockton line of stages was “The National Road Stage Company,” and it has been seen that this line bestowed its favor upon public houses bearing the name “National.” In 1821 Samuel Dennison, who came from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, kept an old tavern that stood on the site of the “National House.” It was then known as “The Travelers’ Inn and Stage Office.” It was subsequently enlarged and improved, and in 1823 passed to the control of James Briceland, under the name of the “National House.” Its next occupant was John Irons, who was succeeded by James Searight, in 1836, and he in turn by Daniel Valentine, George T. Hammond, Edward Lane, Adam C. Morrow and Elliot Seaburn. It was an elegant eating house in the days of staging, and at its best under the management of Hammond and Lane, respectively. It is now called the “Auld House,” and, as in many other instances, its old prestige departed with its old name. James Searight went from the “National House” to Zanesville, Ohio, and kept a tavern there for a short time, and returning to Washington, leased the “Greene House,” which was managed by his son, William. These Searights were of a Cumberland, Maryland, family.
As early as 1815 Richard Donaldson kept a tavern on Maiden street, opposite the Female Seminary. This old house was surrounded by spacious grounds, and there was a ball alley in the rear of it, which afforded means of exercise and amusement for the town boys of the olden time. James Workman succeeded Donaldson in this old tavern, and he, in 1830, was succeeded by Samuel Surratt, father of James F. Surratt, the popular postmaster of Steubenville, Ohio. Major William Paull kept this house previous to 1840, and for a time thereafter, and at the close of his term it was purchased by the trustees of the Female Seminary, since which time it has formed a portion of the real estate belonging to that institution. Major Paull came to this house from the old stone house on Winding Ridge, and kept it as a wagon stand. It had good facilities for the accommodation of wagoners, by reason of the spacious grounds before mentioned, and these, in connection with the fact that Major Paull was an experienced tavern keeper of the road, attracted a large and profitable patronage.