Old Taverns and Tavern Keepers continued—West Alexander to Wheeling—A Modern Gretna Green—Dr. McCluskey—Crossing Another State Line—Abram Carr—The Widow Beck, with whom Abram Lincoln boarded, and at whose house Robert T. Lincoln was born—The Widow Rhodes and Abram Beagle—John White, Isaac Jones, Roney’s Point, Ninian Bell, John Bentley, James Kimberly, Triadelphia, John D. Foster, Col. Thompson, the Widow Gooding—The Clay Monument—Col. Moses Shepherd and his wife, Lydia—Samuel Carter—Michael Blackburn—Steenrods—Wheeling—John McCortney, and others.

Crumrine’s history of Washington county states that West Alexander was first laid out in 1796 by Robert Humphreys, that most of the lots were subsequently acquired by Charles D. Hass, who in the year 1817 sold them by public outcry; that the National Road at the last mentioned date was in process of construction, and had been actually opened for travel from Cumberland to the Big Crossings, and it was believed that all the towns upon its route would become places of prosperity and importance; that the town of West Alexander was destroyed by fire on May 4, 1831, but slowly recovered from the disaster, and in the succeeding twenty years became a thriving village, by reason of the prosperity of the great thoroughfare on which it was located. A house called the “American Eagle” was the first tavern in West Alexander, established by Duncan Morrison in 1796, and kept by him for a number of years. Subsequent tavern keepers in West Alexander were Charles Mayes, Zebulon Warner, John Gooding, John Woodburn, William McCall, Solomon Cook, James Sargent, Charles Hallam, Mary Warner, James Bell, Silver Gilfillan, Samuel Beamer, James Matthers, John Irons, Moses Thornburg, Samuel Doak, Joseph Lawson, Joseph Dowdal, William F. Gordon, William McCutcheon, and perhaps others. Joseph Lawson was probably the best known of all these old tavern keepers. He kept a wagon stand for a long time during the prosperous era of the road, and was extensively patronized. He had been an old wagoner himself, and knew the secret of agreeably entertaining old wagoners. He is mentioned in a previous chapter as a “fancy wagoner” of the road. His tavern in West Alexander was a large and commodious frame building at the western end of the town, on the south side of the road, with a large and well arranged wagon yard attached. He owned the property, and died in possession. Beside being a successful wagoner and tavern keeper, Joseph Lawson was a staunch citizen, a man of influence and highly esteemed. He was at one time, for a brief period, Superintendent of the road from Brownsville to the Virginia line.

There was, during the prosperous era of the road, an academy at West Alexander under the management of the Rev. Dr. John McCluskey, where many boys were trained for entrance to Washington college. Dr. McCluskey was an eminent scholar, an able preacher, a successful educator and a worthy man in all the walks of life. He devoted a long and laborious life here, to gain a better one hereafter, and let us hope he is now realizing its enjoyment. West Alexander is also noted as a rival of the celebrated Gretna Green, of Scotland, by reason of the many clandestine marriages which have taken place there. Joseph F. Mayes, an old justice of the peace of the place, married nineteen hundred and eighteen couples from 1862 to 1881, more than nine-tenths of whom were elopers. It is estimated that from 1835 to 1885, the date of the enactment of the Pennsylvania marriage license law, over five thousand eloping couples were married in West Alexander.

One mile distant from West Alexander on the north side of the road, Abram Carr kept a tavern as early as 1836. It was a frame building, and a wagon stand. After Carr this old tavern was kept by Silver Gilfillan, before mentioned in the list of tavern keepers at West Alexander. Carr and Gilfillan well knew the ways of the road, and were competent men in their line. Old wagoners were accustomed to lay aside their coin, to pay bills at Gilfillan’s tavern, under a belief that he coveted silver because of his Christian name. This was the first tavern located in Old Virginia on the westward march, being less than a mile from the Pennsylvania State line.

Two miles further west a large frame tavern on the north side of the road, was kept by Mrs. Sarah Beck as early as 1832. It was a station for the Stockton line of coaches. Mrs. Beck was succeeded in this house by Samuel Node, who retained the good will and patronage extended to his predecessor. Mrs. Beck was the widow of James Beck, of the old bridge building firm of Kinkead, Beck & Evans, frequently mentioned in these pages. Her son, William G. Beck, still living in Fairfield, Iowa, was the hero of the exciting race between two coaches from Cumberland to Piney Grove, mentioned in a previous chapter. James Beck, the husband of Sarah Beck, died in Wheeling in 1829, while keeping a tavern in that place. His widow was of a heroic mold, and resolved to carry on the battle of life on her own account, and continued in the business of tavern keeping. She kept tavern at various points, and finally about the year 1847 bade a last adieu to the scenes of the road, amid which she had been reared, and emigrated to the then far west. Leasing a house in Springfield, Illinois, she resumed the business of tavern keeping. While a member of the Illinois Legislature, Abraham Lincoln was a boarder in Mrs. Beck’s house, and Robert T. Lincoln, the late United States minister at London, was born under her roof. Thus an old tavern keeper of the National Road was closely associated with, and enjoyed the confidence of, one of the most illustrious personages of his time or of any time.

A short distance, less than a mile further west, the widow Rhodes kept a popular wagon stand as early as 1830. Another widow, and no exception to the rule, before stated. Her house was a frame building, on the south side of the road, and a busy, bustling hostelry. Abram Beagle, an old wagoner, became the husband of the widow Rhodes, as elsewhere in these pages stated, and relieved her of many of the active cares of tavern keeping, until his death, which occurred in this house, leaving his wife a second time a widow, and she continued the business of tavern keeping as the widow Beagle, with her usual success. Abram Beagle was likewise, and before he married Mrs. Rhodes, a contractor on the road. His work was near the Little Crossings.

The next old tavern on the west, and a short distance from the widow Rhodes’ house, was kept as early as 1830 by John White. It was a frame house on the north side of the road. Mrs. Beck, before mentioned, subsequently bought this property, improved it in many details, and especially by the erection of a substantial new stable, with a capacity for sheltering one hundred horses. She conducted this tavern in 1833, and kept the stock and boarded the drivers and other employees of the Stockton line of coaches. She was a favorite of that line, and patronized by it at all points of the road where she kept a tavern, except at the Greene House in Washington, where she had the favor and patronage of the Good Intent line. The old White stand was kept by the widow Miller and her son, after Mrs. Beck left it, and they were succeeded by Peter Perkins, and he in turn by John Brotherton.

One mile further west Isaac Jones kept a tavern as early as 1835, and probably before that date. His house was a frame building on the north side of the road. He was not active in soliciting patronage, and after a brief and not very successful career as a tavern keeper, closed his house to the public and continued to occupy it as a private residence, and it was never thereafter opened as a tavern.

Rooney’s Point is next reached, a stage station ten miles from Wheeling. The original owner of the land here was Roney, and its peculiar conformation, a high ridge ending in a point on the south side of the road, gave it the name of Roney’s Point. It is a familiar name, and was a lively place during the palmy days of the road. On the north side of the road, at Roney’s Point, a large stone tavern was kept by one Ninian Bell, prior to the year 1828. He was succeeded by James Beck, Mrs. Sarah Beck, Moses Thornburg, and Jacob Beck, in the order named. James and Jacob Beck were not relatives. The old Simms line of stages stopped at this house when it was kept by James Beck, and it was the stopping place of the Good Intent line, when kept by Jacob Beck.

One mile west of Roney’s Point, on the south side, stood an old frame tavern, which, in the eventful days of the road gathered in its share of glory. It was kept first by John Bentley, and after him by James Kimberly. In addition to the custom it gained from the road, this house was a favorite resort of the young rural residents, male and female, of that portion of Old Virginia, and here they were accustomed to go for a night’s festivity, always confining themselves within the bounds of propriety, but within those bounds enjoying themselves in a high degree. There is many a gray-haired veteran living in the vicinity now, of both sexes, whose memories revert with pleasure to the exciting and exhilarating scenes they witnessed and participated in, at John Bentley’s old tavern.

One mile further west, Triadelphia is reached, a small village, and like many others, the outgrowth of the National Road. Here John D. Foster kept a tavern at an early day, and very old pike boys say it was a good one. It was a frame building on the north side of the road. The old landlord is said to have been courteous in deportment, given to hospitality, and scrupulously observant of the proprieties of life. His daughter, Mary, became the wife of C. S. Malt by, the celebrated oyster dealer of Baltimore. The first parties who shipped oysters over the road by express were Nicholas Roe, Edward Wright, and Holt and Malt by. The latter firm soon obtained entire control of the business, and made a fortune in it. Malt by died within the past two years in Connecticut, and Holt was killed in a railroad accident in Virginia in 1852. Colonel Thompson also kept a tavern in Triadelphia in an early day. His house was a frame building, on the north side. Colonel Thompson was a gentleman of the old Virginia school, and a fine type of the genial landlord. He ceased keeping this house previous to 1840, and was succeeded by William Barnes, who in turn was succeeded by Edward Lane, and Lane by Frank Lawson. This house was largely patronized by pleasure seekers from Wheeling and other places, beside doing an extensive road business, and enjoyed an excellent reputation as a hostelry.

Three miles further west the old tavern of Mrs. Gooding, another widow, is reached. The site of this old tavern is now covered by the flourishing village of Elm Grove. Mrs. Gooding had a wide fame as a hostess, and her house was crowded by patrons. It is a stone building, still standing, situate on the south side of the road. Old wagoners to this day, enthuse over the sumptuousness of the widow Coding’s table. Sleighing parties from Wheeling frequented this old tavern in the halcyon days of the road, and were handsomely entertained.

Before reaching Mrs. Coding’s the Clay Monument is passed. This monument was erected by Moses Shepherd and Lydia, his wife, under an inspiration of personal admiration of the great statesman, and with a further view of commemorating his distinguished public services in behalf of the road. It is of free stone, located upon a level piece of ground about fifty feet south of the east end of a stone bridge of three arches, over Wheeling creek. At its base its circumference is twenty-four feet, towering to a height of twenty feet, and surmounted by a chiselled figure of the Goddess of Liberty, at this date bearing plain evidences of the ravages of time and storm. Originally each of the four sides of the base column revealed an elaborate inscription, but all are totally effaced now, except the one on the east side, which is as follows: “Time will bring every amelioration and refinement, most gratifying to rational man, and the humblest flower freely plucked under the shelter of the Tree of Liberty, is more to be desired than all the trappings of royalty; 44th year of American Independence, Anni Domini, 1820.” The word Time stands out in bold relief over the other words quoted. John Awry, of Claysville, and Alexander Ramsey, of Washington, two old and well remembered stone-cutters, worked on this monument. The former did most of the carving, in which he was an expert, and the latter much of the fine chiselling. Ramsey was the father-in-law of William G. Beck, the old stage driver previously mentioned.

On a picturesque eminence, near the monument, overlooking Big Wheeling creek, stands the ancient and historic Shepherd mansion, a stone building erected in 1798, and now known as “Monument Place,” the delightful and hospitable home of Maj. Alonzo Louring. In the olden time, when the National Road was the bustling highway of the Republic, the handsome and luxurious stage coaches of the period, frequently bore Henry Clay and other eminent men of his day to the Shepherd mansion, where they revealed in Old Virginia hospitality.

Near the old Shepherd mansion stands an antiquated sun dial, covered with the marks of time, and bearing on its south face this inscription:

On the north face of this dial appear the names and the figures: “Moses and Lydia Shepherd, 1820.” Col. Moses Shepherd died in 1832, and his widow subsequently married Gen. Daniel Kruger, whom she also survived many years. They are all now dead, and their mortal remains mingle with their native dust, in the cemetery attached to the “Stone Church,” near Elm Grove. A handsome monument stands at their graves bearing the following inscriptions: On one side, “Sic Transit Gloria Mandi: Sacred to the memory of Col. Moses Shepherd, who departed this life April 29th, 1832, in the 69th year of his age.” “To him the country owes a large debt of gratitude, as well for his defense of it, when a frontier settlement, as for his recent public services in aiding the extension and construction of the Cumberland Road through Virginia.” The obverse side tells the story of the second husband, as follows: “Sic Transit Gloria Mandi: Sacred to the memory of Gen. Daniel Kruger, who died July 12th, 1843, in the 64th year of his age.” A third side perpetuates the memory of the twice bereaved widow as follows: “Sic Transit Gloria Mandi: Lydia S. Kruger, wife of Gen. Daniel Kruger, formerly Lydia S. Bogs, first married Col. Moses Shepherd: Born Feb. 26th, 1766: Died Sept. 26th, 1867, in the 102d year of her age.” High up on the granite shaft is chiselled on two sides the picture of a log cabin, and at the door appears a female figure in sitting posture, with a dog in repose at the feet, while in the back ground is seen the representation of a martial group, with branches of a palm tree overhanging the whole design.

A short distance west from widow Goodings, Samuel Carter kept a tavern as early as 1830. It was a brick house on the south side of the road, a resort for pleasure seekers from Wheeling, and a well kept house. This house was subsequently kept by William Strawn.

About one mile west of Carter’s, Michael Blackburn kept a tavern in the olden time, and was well favored with custom. It was a stone house on the north side of the road.

Next comes Steenrod’s, two miles out from Wheeling, a brick and stone building on the south side of the road, and a widely known old tavern. Daniel Steenrod, the old landlord, owned the property, and was a man of intelligence and much influence. His son, Lewis, represented the Wheeling district in Congress during the prosperous era of the road, and, as before stated, was one of its most zealous champions. Lewis Steenrod, a grandson of the old landlord, is at this time (1892), High Sheriff of Ohio county, West Virginia, and on November 18th of this year, executed Maier, the murderer. Daniel Steenrod kept the old tavern last mentioned as early as 1825, and probably before that date, and continued throughout the whole period of the road’s great career as a national highway. He died April 27th, 1864, aged eighty years. The property still remains in the Steenrod family.

A short distance from Steenrod’s, on the north side, was “Good’s Bottom,” now called Pleasant Valley, doubtless by reason of the frantic iconoclasm, which has lain its ruthless hands on so many old and familiar names. At Good’s Bottom there was a race course in early times, and it was here, and previous to 1840, that the celebrated horse “Tariff” lost his laurels. “Tariff” was owned by Thomas Porter, a farmer and stock man of Claysville. Joseph White, the well known marble dealer of Uniontown, a native of the vicinity of Claysville, was a witness of the discomfiture of “Tariff” on the old race course at Good’s Bottom.

And now, after a long journey of two hundred and sixty miles, the city of Wheeling is reached. Wheeling was the western terminus of the road, in contemplation of the Act of Congress of March 29th, 1806, given in a previous chapter. John McCortney kept the most noted wagon stand in Wheeling. He was likewise a commission merchant, which further identified him with old wagoners, enabling him to furnish them with back loads. His tavern was located on Main street, running back east on Fourteenth to alley B, parallel with, and between Main and Market, with ample grounds surrounding it for wagons and teams to stand on. These grounds were so extensive that they accommodated the old time circus, in addition to wagons and teams of the road, and two distinct circuses have been known to exhibit on them at the same time. They were not of the modern “triple ring” order, but of the Dan Rice design. McCortney was a man of agreeable manners, and managed his extensive business with marked success. He died in Wheeling on December 10th, 1872, aged seventy-nine years. He was three times married. His last wife was the widow of William H. Stelle, one of the proprietors of the Good Intent stage line. Martin Bugger was McCartney’s bar-keeper for many years, and is remembered by old wagoners as a rival of Wilse Clement in hard swearing. On lower Water street, Robert Newlove kept a wagon stand, and was well liked by old wagoners, and well patronized by them. He was the owner of wagons and teams, which he kept on the road, in charge of hired drivers. In 1829 Richard Simms, the old stage proprietor, kept the United States hotel, and was its owner. James Beck kept this house after Simms, and James Dennison after Beck. James McCray kept it next after Dennison, and Mordecai Yarnell next after McCray. The Monroe House, on Monroe, now Tenth street, was kept in 1830 by John McClure, and subsequently by James Matthers. The Virginia House was kept in 1830 by John Graham, and afterward by one Beltsville, and later by Jacob Kline. Beltsville and Kline came out from Baltimore. The United States, the Monroe and the Virginia, were stage stations. On upper Main street, in 1830, Moses Mossier kept a tavern, and on the same street, and at the same time, a tavern was kept by Mrs. Beamer, widow of Captain Frederic Beamer, assisted by her son, Samuel, who was a soldier of 1812. Capt. Frederic Beamer kept a tavern in Wheeling as early as the year 1802, at the sign of the Wagon, and took boarders at two piastres a week. The town council of Wheeling met in Capt. Beamers tavern in 1806. The house that Widow Beamer presided over as hostess, is a brick building, on the southwest corner of Main and Ninth streets, on a lot bordering the river. This house is still standing, but has not been used as a tavern for many years. Beamers old Landing was at the foot of Ninth street, where the National Road approached the Ohio river. In 1830 Joseph Teeters kept a wagon stand in Wheeling, below McCartney’s, and John Bradfield kept a similar stand on Water street in 1837-8. The mysterious disappearance of a man by the name of Cooper from the Mossier House about 1840, produced a local sensation, followed by an accusation of foul play and a charge of murder. Cooper, in company with a friend and neighbor by the name of Long, put up together one evening at the Mossier House, and on the next morning Cooper was missing. The two had come in from Ohio, and were going to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where they were born and raised, to visit relatives and old friends. It appears that Cooper rose early and took an outgoing coach back to Ohio without notifying his traveling companion or any one else. A dead body was found in the river and identified as that of Cooper; and Long, after reaching his destination, was arrested for murder and lodged in the Washington jail. The Virginia authorities made no requisition for him, and he was finally discharged, and settled in Michigan. A few years afterward, Cooper was discovered in Indianapolis, sound and well.

JOHN McCORTNEY.