The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-12-18
"REMINISCENCES.

Truman Fairall, famous tavern keep
er on Keyser's Ridge, owned quite a
number Of slaves; Peter McCleary, IA
well-known magistrate and manuflc-
turer of WOODEN goods, also had slaves,
among them one named Stephen, who
was the main hand in the factory, and
was said to have been worth fifteen
hundred doliars-a goodly sum ofmon-
ey in those days.
The Coddingtons, Jamisons, Hof-
mans, DR.. Frey, and others, all had
slaves; and it was no uncommon sight
on muster days, Christmas, Fourth Of
July, or any day Of a public character,
to see quite a number of them i'm
Petersburg, or any place on oradjacent
to the pike, enjoying themselves as
much as any body. They usually had
an opportunity, by working over time
making split baskets, and in other
ways, of earning money to spend; and
they were never very long in spending
it; the women, with the vanity of their
race, on tawdry jewelry, and articles
of adornment; the men on ginger
bread, tobacco, and, when they could
get it, whisky. Davy Hoffman, as he
was familiarity called, lived at Selbys-
port, Md, and owned good many
slaves, among whom was one huge
black fellow called Lem, whose espec-
ial business it was TO take care of the
old man when he got drunk, which
was nightly or daily occurrence: the
old man delighted to play cards, run
horses, fight chickens and other amuse-
ments, and when he could find no one
else to play with him, he made Old
Lem play until he got 50 drunk, when
Lem had to carry him off to bed.
Sixty or seventy years ago, Selbys-
port was Il lively place, although but a
small hamlet. n furnace was erected
near there, with large number OF
houses and workmen. The iron orr
was Of the best, and for two or three
years times were lively enough, bat,
as has happened many times before
and since, the transportation Of the
iron, after it was made, ate up all the
profits and the work was abandoned.
Some of the buildings are standing YET.
y good many persons came to that
country when the boom was on, and
remained afterwards, men of character
and good standing in the community.
Long years ago a man Of wealth, ed
ucatiOn and family influence. who was
a lawyer Of large practice at Baltimore,
named McHenry, a member OF the
family after whom the fort, of Star
Spangled-Banner ncioriety was named,
came To the wiids Of Allegany coan-
ty, purchased large tract of land,
built himself house, and lived fer
years the life Of u rccluse, with an i'm
mense library Of the best books of the
day, aad no companions bat Ais negro
servants, dogs and horses, except when
some Of hi, high-toaed relatives would
come To see him and coax him to r.
tarn to civilization, which he always
refused to 30. He lived aud died on
the farm selected, and no amount Of
coaxing ever had influence enough
with him to change his life. He made
periodical visits to Petersburg and
ncigtboring villages; and, while he
was scholarly, complnionable man,
he made no particular friends. Legend
says, as it generally does, in such eases,
that he had been disappointed in love,
and took this method of drowning his
grief. But, whatever the cause, GER
tain it is, that he never married, nor
gave any intimation of the reason of
his exile. The place Is known to-day.
and presumably always will be, as Ne
Henry; but the house, with its broad
verandas, and wide halls, aid lofty
rooms, and solid furniture, and im-
mense library, with the barns and out
buildings, has disappeared, and no
vestige remains.
The memory Of the grim, grizzled,
gray, stern old man, dressed in the
fashion Of half a century before, only
exists in the recollection of the very
few old persons of the neighborhood;
or as a legend by those who are youn-
ger. Here he lived, for long years. a
life embiitered by some misfortune or
disappointment; and, when the ''rider
on the pale horse" called, there was no
kindly hand OF wife or daughter, sister
or mother, father or brother, to minis
ter to his physical wants, and he pass
cd out, in darkness and gloom, into
the eternal sleep, almost, if not alto
gether, ''unwept, unhonored and un-
sung"
A quaint character lived near Peters
burg, named Wilhelm, who was, in
certain sense, an anomaly. He was u
near relative of the family of Wilhelms
in Elk Lick, and came to Addison
township at a comparatively early day.
For thirty years, perhaps, he never
missed day, or at least very seldom,
summer or winter, warm or cold, wet
or dry, that he did not come to Peters
burg. He was member of the Luth-
eran church, and, on alternate Sun
days, he came TO Lutheran preaching.
He usually rode 4 grey horse, and, no
matter what the weather was, the
horse could always be seen tied in front
of Ross store. The flies might bite, or
the rains fail, or the winds blow, or
the sun shine, the horse was always
there from early morning until bed
time.
He was wonderful talker, and had
singular habit Of wrapping his legs
around each other, rs he leaned against
wall or counter, with his chair. lie
chewed great deal of tobacco, and,
for six feet square around him, the
floor would be covered with his saliva.
He was never known TO take a drink
of water, and when he was thirsty, he
was in the habit of going to the hotel
for cup of cold tea. Sometimes she
made bargain with the tavern-keeper,
paying ten cents for lunch, and cup
of tea; oftener, he ate nothing until he
! got home. Ii, on rare occasions, he
stayed at home part Of a day to oversee
his farm work, he had matches, OF
some means of making n fire, and,
with tin cup, he made tea of the
mountain tea leaves. and drank that