The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-10-06
NATIONAL ROAD TABLETS, 20 a
UNVEILED IN WEST VIRGINIA
Sixteen Miles of Pike in that State
Markers BY the d. A. r.

The Wheeling Chapter of the Soci-
ETY. of the Daughters of the American
Revolution recently unveiled tablets
along the old National Road, the
State having within its confines six
sixteen miles of this historic roadway.
Mayor Thomas, of Wheeling, was
present at the unwilling and also Mrs.
Booth, of the Fort Henry Chapter, D.
A. R.
Mrs. John B. Garden, Of Wheeling,
with an efficient committee, had
charge of arrangements. People
along the National Road swung flags
to the breeze in commemoration of
the 10th anniversary of the day when
Thomas Jefferson signed the bill Gre
ating the commission to build the Ma
. tional artery from Washington to the
Ohio River.
Daniel Steenrod, wealthy and in
fiuential Virginia land owners, super
intended the building of the road
through Virginia (now West Virgin
ia) and for his efficiency was awarded
a gold cup by Congress.
The old mansion then occupied by
Daniel Steenrod is located at Thomp
son station and is owned by Mr. Rud
Ter. 1t is one of the landmarks of the
Wheeling vicinity.
There is but sixteen miles of Ma
tional Road in West Virginia and per-
haps the most interesting relic of the
building of the road, besides the old
taverns, is the monument erected to
the memory of Henry Clay. Sea-
bright's History of the Pike says
that tradition attributes to Henry
Clay the conception Of the National
Road, but this has been disproven,
and it is asserted that Mr.. Gallitin
was the very first man to suggest the
plan of building the road.
II Henry Clay was not the original
planner of this arterial highway, he
was undoubtedly its ablest and most
conspicuous champion.
Colonel Moses Shepherd built Fry's
bridge and the one over Wheeling
creek, near Mrs. Gooding's old tavern.
The average cost Of the road was
twelve thousand dollars a mile.
The first tavern reached in Virgin
ia going west from West Alexander
was tavern that was opened as early
as 1886 by Abram Carr. That was
less than mile from the Pennsylva-
MIA State line. Two miles further, a
large tavern on the north side of the
road was kept by Mrs. Sarah Beck,
This tavern was the station for the
Stockholm line Of coaches.
While Abraham Lincoln was a men,
Der of the Illinois legislature he was q
boarder at this tavern and lived there
also after his marriage. His first
child, Robert T. Lincoln, was born in
Mrs. Beck's tavern. Mrs. Beck left
that vicinity in 1847 The next tav-
ern on the western route from Penn
sylvania was kept by another widow,
a Mrs. Rhodes, who later married
Adam Beagle. The next tavern, not
far from the one kept by Mrs. Rhodes
was the one kept by John White, as
early as 1880.
One mile further west was tavern
kept by Isaac Jones in 1885 and prob
ably earlier. The next tavern is ia,
miliar to all in Wheeling, as it is
again favorite inn for those who are
travelling the Old Trails Road though
not in a six-horse coach of it's early
recollection. The tavern is the large
stone tavern at Romey's Point. This
tavern was kept by Ninian Bell before
1928. 1t was later the stopping place
of the Simms line of stages and also
of the Good Intent line. The old John
Bentley tavern was one mile nearer
the Ohio river and was not only tav-
ern sought by the traveller but the
younger people of Wheeling and vi
entity went there for banquets, and
these festive occasions were long the
talk of the people of that section.
Triadelphia was one of the many
bamlets that were the outgrowth of
the National Road. Here John D.
Foster kept tavern at an early date
and Colonel Thompson later. At Elm
Grove one of the most popular tav-
ems along the road from Baltimore
was the one kept by Mrs. Gooding.
Mrs. Gooding had wide fame as a
hostess and her house was always
crowned by patrons. West from Mon
ument place was the stone house
built by Mr.. Carter and now the res
idence of DR.. Burdette, better known
as the Stamm House.