The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07
BOSTON'S OLDEST HOTEL
HANCOCK TAVERN, A COLONIAL
RELIC, TO BE DESTROYED.
For Nearly 800 Years 1t Dispensed
Good Cheer and COmfort-Talley-
rand and Lafayette Its Guests.
Boston Post.

| Boston Post
Since 1884 the old Hancock tavern has
watched the growth and progress of Bos-
| ton from little grass-grown village to one
OF the greatest cities of the western hem
| isphere and now the doom of this old land
mark is sealed. A great office building is
10 supplant the ancient tavern on Corn
| court, thus destroying one of the richest
| and most treasured relics of colonial days.
! This property has just passed out of the
hands of the Duggan family, in which 1t
| has been since 1895. when John Duggan, for
many years landlord. became the owner of
| the property
John Hancock, the first signer of the Dec
laration of independence, was a friend and
patron Of John Duggan and first Governor
OF the State, the tavern, then Coles Inn,
became the Hancock tavern, and from that
| time to the present it has been known by
that name. On the south side of Faneuil
Hall is a passagewey through which one
may pass into Merchants row. 1t is Corn
| court, name known to few save the men
| familiar with the region of the markets
and those who love to delve in the histori-
cal lore Of the older town. In the center
| court stands the old Hancock tavern, the
Oldest hostelry in New England the first
public house, In fact, opened in Boston
This tavern received it's first guest and
brewed its first steaming punch on March
4, 1854, and Samuel Cole, one of the most
prominent citizens of the place, was the
proprietor. At that time the inn was sur
rounded by spacious grounds and COM
1 rr0or laI a
its shipping, for then the tide came up to
the spot where Faneuil Hall now stands.
From the beginning Coles tavern was
popular resort and many were the illus
trious foreigners and colonial celebrities en-
tertained there
Less than two years after it's opening in
october 1886, Governor Vane entertained
Miantonomoh, sachem of the Narragan-
sett Indians, together with his retinue of
ABOUT twenty men, in Coles inn. In 1851
Lord Leigh, finding it TO be such a home
IKE place and so full Of good cheer and
comforts for the traveller, declined Gov
ernor Winthrops invitation to his house,
saying: Il do not want TO be troublesome
10 any one, and-the house at which / am
staying is so well governed that 1 can be
as private here as elsewhere" Samuel Cole,
VINO made this old inn, now about to be de-
stroyed, was prominent man in his day.
he was a selectman from 1853 to 1867. He
was also a charter member of the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery company and the
1ous parts of the town. He is the Samuel
Cole who figures in Longfellow's John En-
dlcott, who speaks In glowing terms of the
inn.
Early in 100 certain portions of the pres
ent building were constructed, and with
the erection of a large market house near
Dy It's success was assured. During the
eventful years which just preceded the rev.
olut1on this inn the frequent meeting
place OF the patriotic men who planned
many of the daring invasions against the
power of England. The old tea room on
the west side of the second story is the
place where the greater part of the men
the Boston tea party, and destroyed the
tea in Boston harbor on Dec. 16, 1913
After the election Of John Hancock as
Governor and the of the tavern
changed, large sign was prepared bear
Ing life-size portrait of the Governor
When John Hancock died in 1893 the sign
was draped In crepe and satin for a long
period.
Until about forty years ago this sign re-
NAMED swinging from a post near the CEN
ter or the court, when Ii was blown down
by heavy gale of wind, killing pedes-
TRAN who was passing the time. After
ward 1t was nailed to the wall under the
third-story window and later removed with
In and placed in the room where the MEM
bers of the tea party held their meeting.
During the summer of 1894 Talleyrand
cock Tavern and expressed himself much
pleased with the mode Of entertainment.
John Cheyerus, the French priest, who
or the revolution in France, and who was
afterward made the first Roman Catholic
bishop of Boston, made this house his home
on ARRIVAL here in 1896
In the following year Louis Philippe tar
rled mere during part of his visit to Bos-
ton under the name of M. d'Orlean. Many
throne he spoke in the highest terms of this
tavern to several Bostonians who were pre-
sented at the court of st. Cloud.
AT the time of the organization of the
elder Adams on one side and Thomas JET
ferson on the other, the friends of the
former met at the Hancock Tavern once a
During the war of 1872 this tavern was
frequented by many of the officers of the
army ana navy. Nearly a century ago the
landlord and owner of the tavern married
the grand niece Of Sir Spencer Phipps. the
colonlal Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-
setts from 1913 to 1871. She was born in
New Castle, Me-, in 1776 Soon after her
marriage she was installed as the hostess
of the Hancock Tavern, which position She
was destined to occupy until she had
reached the age of three-score and ten
years. Although three times united in mar
riage, she never for moment surrendered
ner authority as mistress of the Hancock
Tavern. She married for her second his
band William Brazier, and for some wears
the house was Known as "Brazier's Inn
For years 1t was the resort for business
inSH cuitiine lor tnelr MONDAY punch |
which the hostess was famous for prenar,
ing. p-epai-
Lafayette, on his first visit to America
was guest at this tavern, and on his soc, |
ond trip he presented Mrs Brazier a hand
somely carved snuff box.
This old tavern is a close facsimile of |
Dickens's English Coffee House'' and
such as may still be found in the country
towns of England.
Entering by the door in the corner nj |
the building, one passes into a large room
with many exits. '
The low, square windows. large as thew
are, admit but little light so compactIv
Is the building walled in by the Surround
Ing warehouses. Low-studded Quaint old |
rooms they were, indeed, with droll little |
and halls running up to them
and past them.
For few years this famous old tavern
has been closed. bur il has now passed into
the hands OF Captain Z. b. WadsWorth
who opened Ii TO the public Dec. Is 1sa7'
that date being the Observation-Disclosures
ty-fourth anniversary of the Destruction
of the tea in Boston harbor. Cantain
Wadsworth Is prominent in military cir
cles, and is also a member of the Masonic
fraternity, knights of Pythias Red Men
and other organizations
The heirs of the original John Dupean
who was such close friend of Hancock
now live at Atlantic They are John
James, Charles and Mary Duegan. and
while the figures governing the sale are not
given out it is stated that the considera
ton was between $4,000 and $4,000. or less
than half OF the assessed value
Losses by Fire.