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Johnson's Tavern (closed)
Formerly/Also Known As Hatfield's Tavern, Guttery'S Tavern, Foster's Tavern, Holmes's Tavern, Hatfield's Tavern
6771 National Pike
New Salem, PA 15468Now a private residence.
From Searight's The Old Pike (1894):
About one mile west of the Abel Colley house there is an old stone tavern on the north side of the road, known in early days as Johnson's, later as Hatfield's. This house was built in 1817 by Randolph Dearth for Robert Johnson, who kept it as a tavern down to the year 1841, when he retired to a farm in Franklin township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he died, leaving behind him a good name, which is better than great riches, of which latter he had a goodly share. He was the father-in-law of Thomas Brownfield, who, in 1862, was Sheriff of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and previously a tavern keeper on the road. Henry L. Murphy, a well known and thrifty farmer of Jefferson township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, likewise married a daughter of Robert Johnson. This tavern, under the guidance of Robert Johnson, did a large business, and the old proprietor made money by conducting it. The successor of Robert Johnson in the management of this house was Arthur Wallace, who remained in it for a single year. He was a brother of John Wallace, who once kept the Wilse Clement house in Hopwood, and subsequently removed to Morgantown, Virginia, and an uncle of James Wallace, present proprietor of the Wallace House in Morgantown. Peter Frasher, the old wagoner and tavern keeper before mentioned, married a daughter of Arthur Wallace. Charles Guttery succeeded Arthur Wallace in the Johnson House. Guttery was an old wagoner, and is now keeping a tavern in Beallsville, Washington county, Pennsylvania, and probably the oldest man in the business. He was at the Johnson House in 1844, and a wagoner many years before that date. From 1849 to 1851 John Foster kept the Johnson House. He was a brother of the first wife of Robert Hogsett. Foster was succeeded by Hiram Holmes, who kept the house one year. In 1852 William Hatfield, who had previously bought the property, went into the house and kept it as a tavern until the year 1855, when he closed it as a public house, but continued to occupy it as a private residence until his melancholy death. Before engaging in tavern keeping, William Hatfield served many years as a Justice of the Peace, and subsequent to 1855 served a term as Associate Judge. He was a blacksmith by trade, and made the old iron gates of the road. He was industrious and honest, and likewise noted for his kindness to his fellow men. It was while engaged in doing a favor for an old neighbor, in the year 1871, that he lost his life. His neighbor, John C. Craft, had purchased a patent pump, and called on Judge Hatfield to assist him in placing it in his well. The Judge, as was his habit, promptly responded, and, going down to the bottom of the well, called to his neighbor, who stood at the surface, to send him down a saw or an ax. The needed tool was placed in a heavy iron-bound tub and started down, but, through neglect, the cable slipped, and the tub was precipitated a great depth upon Judge Hatfield's head, fatally injuring him. He was extricated from his perilous position in an unconscious state, carried home, and lingering only a few hours, died. His remains were interred in the beautiful cemetery near Brownsville, attended by a large concourse of sorrowing citizens, including the Judges of the Courts and the members of the bar of Fayette county, Pennsylvania.
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Last updated: 2014-04-05 18:30:21 |
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