Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-22
TIE INDIAN QUEEN.


aoNEsrO MEET rnk nLscx hOksE.
History Of an Old Hosselry-L,ceu.ed in
lS7s-lts Succession of LanLiori.-
Early Rscoilections.
The old Indian Queen hotel, ON East
King street, just above Church, has at
last been lsveIsd with the ground and the
site, aud some adjoining ones, on which
old-time buildings are standing, will soon
be occupied with a large new market
house, to be erected by the Eastern
Market company. The Indian Queen was
one of the oldest hotels in Lancaster,
having beeu built before the Revolution
ary war.
From an examination of the records in
tho county offices it appears tho lot of
ground on which it stood was purchased
from James Hamilton by Adam Simon
Kuhn on the first of September, 1860. The
stone building was probably erected by
Mr.. Kuhn and occupied by him as resi-
dence as the records show that Simon
Kuhn, ct al, sold the property including
the " messuage," to Michael Lightner,
Nov. 10, ITS. The records of the court
show that Michael Lightncr was licensed
tavern keeper in 1777. He probably oc-
cupied the premises as tenant and
bought the property tho year following.
On the Sd of January, 1856, the property
was purchased from Michael LightDer by
Gottlieb Eberman, matchmaker. At tho
timo the deed was made Lightner's wife
was absent, whereupon Michael and john
Lightner bound themselves in the sura uf
S40O to protect the purchaser aud to Sc
cure tho wife's signature within six
months.
During Gottlieb Eberman's ownership
the property fell iutO tho hands of the
sheriff, John Miller, who sold it at sheriff s
sale to Michael Bartgis, giving him deed
for it dated September 4, 1887. Bartgis
was an old tavern keeper, and we find that
he owned property on South Queen street
near Centre Square, where he kept tavern
as early as 1918, and for many years after
wards. On purchasing the Indian Queen
he removed thither and kept tho place as
"a tavern, until the time of his death. His
wife Catherine succeeded him and kept
the place until 179S. On the 18th of March
Of that year she offered for sale I" that
noted tavern, and the other large stone
house adjoining, situated in King street at
the corner of Middle street, or tho begin
Mug of AdamstOwn."
~ h8H Centufy ago.
John Vein was the purchaser and the
property remained in the possession of his
family until December Is, 1884, when his
administrators, George Musser ct al, sold
it to George Musser, who OH the 9th OF
the same month decided it to DR.. Samuel
Humes.
DR.. Humes owned tho property at the
time of his death, which, we believe, Oc
CURED in 1851. His executor, DR.. Carpenter,
sold the property to DR.. John LevergOod
and executed him q deed for it ON the Isl
of April, 1864. On the 18th of October,
1865, DR.. Carpenter purchased the prop
erty from DR.. Levergood and it remained
in his possession until few weeks ago
| when it Was sold to tho Eastern Market
company.
Tho Indian Queen, probably built by
Adam Simon Kuhn shortly after he pur
chased the lot from Hamilton, in 1850
was a substantial stone structure two
stories high, exclusive of good basement
and finished attic. There is tradition
that during visit fnado by Gen. Wash
ington to Lancaster long before he was
president of tho United States, ho stopped
at the Indian Queen and occupied the most
eastcrly of the second story front rooms.
The Oldest Inhabitants KecolIocitOns.
A reporter of the INTELLIGENCER has
taken occasion to interview q number Oi
tho oldest inhabitants, with view of
gettiAg some facts concerning the charac'
ter of the men who kept the hotel. One
old fellow says he can remember it for "
years. He had heard it said that in its
| early days it was rather "tOny" house,
but within his recollection it was rather a
common sort Oi 4 place !; was a headquar
ters for people who were Il little "fast," "
| who had plenty of money and spent it
| literally for wine, cards, dances, sc. The
largo room on the second floor was noted
ball room, in which almost ali the f;,s,
young men OF half century ago had al
one time or another danced hOedOwns
straight fOu-s, and Virginia reels to til.
music of fiddle or two, in the hands ol
Lancaster's famous fiddlers.
Nobody now living remembers anything
about Michael Lightner, Gottlieb Eber
man, Michael Bartgis, or his wife, Gath
arino but some of the old citizens can
remember John and Peter Wien and Jacob
| FOrney, who were owners or keepers OF
the hotel, and who were relatives of the
late Col. Forney, formerly editor of the
| INTELLIGENCER, Press and Progress.
| IL was subsequently kepC Dy mau
named Lovett, by George Kitch. Samuel
Harman, George Croft, John Fries, George
Prizes and others. George Prizes, who now
lives in COnestOsa Centre, was the last
licensed landlord. He left tho hotel about
1860. During the war the place was kept
| as q recruiting rendezvous and barracks,
and subsequently was let to tenants, gen
orally Of the poorer class.
There is now nothing left Of 1t but a
fow piles of stone and lumber, but from
its ashes will soon arise beautiful and
capaciOus market house, from whose stalls
the rapidly increasing population of the
east end may spend their money for more
necessary and substantial. if less exhilcra-
ting, luxuries than were won't to to found
at the bar of the Indian Queen.