1928 Thomas Clinton
CLINTON RELATES TALE OF HISTORIC WASHINGTON HALL. Merchants Bank Site Has Legends DATES FAR BACK Once Used For Federal Prisoners (BY THOMAS P. CLINTON) Strangers, and tourists, and rummers and all travelers pass1g through Tuscaloosa are de Ince impressed with magnitude nd heighth and granduer of this. uscaloosa's greatest buildinghe Merchants' Bank and Trust lompany's street building and at the Greensboro corner venue. Thinking that some of the Id citizens.
and a percentage of he new comers, might appreciate little of the past history of this Id corner, I will, in this article, mention some facts that were reited to me by older people and in bars gone by, well as my own collections. Perhaps the first indication of vilization, and of the advent of he white man in these parts was then a great uncle of Banks (hompson cut out a wagon way rom near the present flag pole forth along this avenue towards he river and on to the river hrough the heavy growth of cane mulberry trees about red and ten years ago. Another ause of suspicion that civilization ras approaching was the fact of ne Thomas Lovel built a twobom, hewed log house on Lot 109 there the Merchants Bank and company building now tands. I am of the opinion that his log house was built at a date efore the survey of the streets, venues, lots. blocks and the early summer of 1821.
f the opinion that this Thomas Lovel was a "squatter" and not a urchaser in this part of town. Old records in the land office in Iontgomery fail to show that he ver had a deed to Lot 109. But, ecordine to Smith the who writings came of Judge 821, we learn of this being the irst hewed log house in the new settlement. And we learn of Lovel using the place for a boarding louse, or tavern as such a place was then called at the time. After Lovel had occupied the place for few years it was used as a store /house by two brothers named Jenkins.
They came here in 1819. But just when they took charge of the log house we are unable to say. The old records show that at the land sales of 1821 the lot was sold to Wm. Toxey, who was grandfather of our present day Wm. Toxey.
The sale was on October 31. 1821. A perusal of the old records gives the impression that the first lots were sold adjacent to Queen City avenue and they continued west through Section 22 and on to 32nd avenue by Phifer's store Continuing from there west was the "New Town" survey, an entirely different corporation. Wm. Toxey was of the firm of Pass and Toxey, and old authorities speak of them doing business in Tuscaloosa as early as 1820.
John B Pass, Toxey's partner, ran the Eagle hotel near the present L. & N. freight office in 1830. The place was also known as the Medlock hotel, and was burned in 1836. As best I can find authority, Wm.
Toxey did not improve or develop his purchase immediately. For Lovel's old log tavern was yet in evidence occupying the corner. when the late Dr. John Neilson came to Tuscaloosa in 1831. But am of the opinion that it was torn down that year, and that Pass and Toxey started building the first two-story brick business house that was ever put up in Tuscaloosa.
and on the site of the old log cabin. As I say, old authorities make claim that this was the first two-story store house put up in these parts. The ground floor of the bu'ldting was used as a store by Pass and Toxey, and the second story apartments were used as a hottl by a man named Wm. Dunton. He called his place the "The Golden Ball." Making reference to the first two story brick business house brings to mind that we were always told that the home of Mr.
Verner on Broad street was the first. brick residence built here. think it must have been built by Dr. James Guild, for he lived there 60 years ago. Taking the old records as authority, we find that Samuel B.
Ewing purchased the property from Toxey January 31, 1832. But I am of the opinion that Toxey continued to run his business there after this date. Samuel B. Ewing remained in ownership of the property until March 25th, 1835; three years. On this date he sold to Charles S.
Paterson. Most probably Paterson used the whole building as a hotel. For hotel keeping was his calling..A very few years after. this he ran a hotel where the First National bank now stands. and called it the LaGrange hotel. After Paterson's occupancy of the property, an Irishman named Wim. Clare conducted a hotel here.
All along this period of time additions verging north were put up, until about middle of the past century the building extended back to Fourth street. The reflecting mind note that while the building this corner is today with, the tallest in the city, ninety years ago there was on the same spot the longest building in Tuscaloosa. And no building has since been put up with such length to it. Just how long Wm. Clare ran business here is unknown.
Files of old Tuscaloosa newspapers show his advertisement of running a hotel about 1842, along with another Irishman named Daily in the Walter Patton house on Sixth street. They ran the business as "Clare and Daily." Near the period of time under consideration, the early thirties of the past century, there came to Tuscaloosa a character who was: destined to gain considerable notoriety in the little town. This was the immortal Matthew Duffy, more than six feet in height. During the old regime. few, if any of the old celebrities left their footprints in the sands of time as did Duffy.
He was the last Matthew, conducted a hotel on the old corner as far as my information goes. was typical of the "old school," and of the "old south." It has been handed down that he was a man of culture and refinement. Old, Tuscaloosa was indebted to County Tipperary, Ireland, for this ideal hotelman and leader among local politicians and eminent authority on matters horticultural. He and his parents came across the ocean in days of old sailing vessels and about the time of the second war with England. They located in North Carolina.
But in early manhood he brother, John Duffy, who lived in the Peter Clinton residence, came |to Tuscaloosa. Matthew Duffy's wife bore some degree of relationship to James K. Polk. And files of old-time newspapers mention about James K. Polk coming all the way from his home in Tennessee attend Democrat assemblies in Carrollton and Pickensville in Pickens county.
We no au-| thentic record o of James K. Polk ever coming through Tuscaloosa. but the consideration mind that Tuscaloosa lay on his route whether he came by Moulton land followed the newly out By-: ler road or whether he came through Blount county and Jones valley on the old Huntsville road. Either way would have brought him to Tuscaloosa. And he probably would have stopped over to see!on his relatives.
Duffy must have had charge and owned the hotel pear the year 1835. and conducted business there until about the year 1861 when the Civil War commenced. While he conducted busi-| ness here the place was called the "Washington hall." I recall there was a brick pillar about three or four feet from the immediate corner. This pillar was about four feet square at the base. About two and a half feet from the ground an offset of about eighteen inches, then the brickwork continued about four feet higher.
In the top of this| brick work was inserted a large steel frame. This frame supported a life-size picture of General.George Washington holding a gray jushorse by the bridle. And above this picture was painted in large letters, "Washington hall." This recbrick pillar and picture stood at this corner probably about half a century, for it stayed intact for | years after the building was burn- farmed in 1865. The offset in the brick work of such dimen- sions that it was an attractive seat for two loafers. Unless it was rain- ing or it was very cold, two of idlers about town occupied the conveniseat. fraternity It was from used early by some morn of until the into the far watches o night and for a long period of years.
It is no exaggeration to state that the old wise-acres, the oracles wis- dom. so to speak. for near half a century, sat in judgment on the old piece of brick work and dis- cussed pro and con, the mysteries exerof politics, science, religion. liter- jature. slavery, secession, nulifica- tion, predestination free thought.
free love, free trade versus a high protective tariff, etc., etc. Also, as regarding this old brick pillar, it might here be mentioned that for many years a tradition prevailed about slaves being sold at auction while standing on the brick pillar. but I think this was a mistake. Most probably the old piece of masonry was put up to serve as a "horse block," to assist Roberta person in mounting a horse. A few feet east of this brick pillar railwere the steps both broad and long leading into the hotel lobby and also into a large drinking saloon.
Records are yet extant telling of exthe roomy steps being often used as a standing place for the candi- date and the politician to address the assembled crowd in front. The saloon, it was said. was a [gorgeous affair, grand and expen- sive in its furnishings. Writing of this part of the old hotel brings to upmind an incident that was related to me years back, and I have rea- to believe the narative. I was son |told of a certain old colonel who lived seven or eight miles out on the Greensboro road.
He was an ardent believer in Saint Paul's ad- 'monition to Timothy about sake taking and differa little for the stomach's his infirmities. Or, to put it in other often got glorious- |ly full when he came to town. And on one occasion, for some reason or other, he rode his horse into this place and with a long stick which he carried in his hand he reached over and broke fine mir- [rors and whisky decanters other things numerous. Then he rode the horse out and went home. Vainly he was " downing whisky two ways that day.
Next day he came to town and paid a hundred dollars for the wreck he had made. Another apartment of the Wash- ington hall was a large auditorium culthe second floor and 'States used mostly as a United court room for many years. And the society, element had dances and balls capacious apartment. I was told of this part of the building being used for many and varied, 1850, purposes. shortly At some before period this date I think, the U.
S. court ceas- ed meeting in this hall. Then we businformation available show- ing that the Alabama Historical society was organized, in this court room on July 8. 1850. by Dr.
Basil Manly, Gover- nor Collier, Chancelor Bowie and others. Soon after the discontinuance of court in this apartment, the place became the resort of gamblers. O conmy country, what a fall! What a.(transition! From a temple of tice to a gambling den! One very aged citizen yet in the land of the living told me some of his ollections of this apartment that go back to the fifties of the past century. He spoke of a certain doctor who was also a river er on a scale. This doctor was once quite late in the night engaged in a big card game in the old court room. He was playing against man from the Flatwoods section west of Northport. For 'ence Moore.
sake. On we the will night call referred this man' Moore was a heavy loser. He left the place in an ill frame of mind. and meditated as how he might get even with the doctor. He hastened to a place where the doctor's horse was hitched.
He rode the horse to the Washington hall corner, and by dint of tion and methods known only to himself, succeeded in leading the up a long stairway and hitched him in the old court room. The doctor searched far and near for the horse. Next day someone found the horse. It took several 'men quite a long time to get him down. Another incident concerning this place and this party,' Moore, has been handed down, and has survived about seventy years.
I was told of the old John circus that traveled in here 'overland before the days of The night performance was going on. And the element was at the old gathering place, the old court room. There was an pert poker player traveling with the show. At each town he supposed to take in a pile of cash from the amateur players. While the show was going near the site of the present L.
& N. freight office, this expert made his way to the Washington hall and went 'stairs. Right then and there were birds of a feather. He put up some money and took a hand. About six or seven of the local sports were in the game, the aforesaid doctor and the Northport hero, Moore, among the rest.
In the early part of the night luck favored ent parties. Everything moved on pretty even. But as the hours passed by (Jarger bets were in evidence, and excitement grew strong with all except Moore and the circus man. They were both self-possessed and perfectly at ease. Every man, present.
thought he held a good hand, but the amount of cash put up unnerved them. One by one they dropped out of the game till 'only the circus man and Moore sat facing each other. Then showman said, "My, Moore, you might just as well give up; I have here in my hand four aces." Then Moore, prefacing his answer with language more forcible than tured, exclaimed "that's all right, I have five aces, and he threw lout on the table five aces. And he picked up the "pot"- -about eight hundred dollars. looked like pack of cards contained nine aces.
Very evidently Greek had met, Greek. As best I can locate, this period of time was about the fall of 1860 and a little before Duffy quit iness here. At this time the back apartments and verging north was a barber shop run by a yellow negro named Jim Abbot. During the Civil War the extreme north end of the building was used as an arsenal for storing guns and ammunition for the home guards. In 1864 there was one Major Spotswood who ducted an enrollment office in the.publifront verging east. If some one wanted to go to the war, he was Wilenrolled, and instructed at this edoffice end started for the front. Near the barber shop and on the busiavenue vas the postoffice. In 1838 Samuel G. Frierson was Eufauap- pointed postmaster, and for years he conducted the postoffice here.
Now, as tending to show how the old was the popular meet- corner aling place in the dim I will long ago, mention about the tial of 1844. election I have before me od (Garett's Corolan authority Public Men of Alabama. Tuspage 373) where it is related that on the 16th of November ora large crowd of old Whigs were assembled at "Duffy's hotel" to hear if their . candidate, Henry Clay, was ahead in the recent election. The account that says just at sundown the stage came in from Greensboro Alathe that with torch the night light Democrat, news the that procession, was Democrats James elected.
etc. K. had Polk. And a tells' of the old- Also. Garret time Whigs gathering good the night of November 17, 1840, numbers at "Duffy's corner" on four years earlier than the above mentioned.
four- This night the nation'horse stage would come in from Elton and to bring along the calmmail, and they were hoping to hear that Wm. Henry Harrison would debe president. They stayed at the hotel letand the postoffice till just acabout midnight, and at that hour the stage came to a halt at the hotel, and the word went forth Crimsonthat electel. Nm. Henry Harrison was But the Democrats had carriel Alabama for Van Buren and Johnson.
Wm Garret lived in Tuscaloosa at this time, 1840, and he knew whereof he wrote. Matthew Duffy bought the Washington hall in Januaty, 1839. He owned the prop- erty till 1856. at which time he sold itto Steven Miller, grandfath- er of Mr. Steve Yerby Yerby But Duffy rented the place from Mr.
Miller for four years or dermore and ran a hotel there till close about the time of the seses- sion convention in January 1861.1 Near about 1850 he purchased a large body of land quite near to acBlount Springs in Blount county. In the fall of 1852 he planted over a hundred acres in fall and winter apples on this tract of land, which land has ever since been called "Duffy Mountain." even till now. Near by he planted forty acres in peaches and a lot of pear trees. The apples were known as the Fowler apples. Without the aid of cold storage, they kept until into the following June.
By 1855 his Andersonbig apple orchard was producing fruit. He erected large spacious buildings and in the late fall cov- ered the apples with wheat straw arrestto guard against a freeze. He hauled the apples in wagons to Tuscaloosa and to points in south WashingAlabama. He had all this on fout Novemwhile he was yet running the ho- tel in Tuscaloosa. Also, at one time had an apple orchard in Tusca- loosa, east of the avenue leading down to the river and east of the practieStalworth lake.
(m leaving Tuscaloosa a little! before the Civil War Mr. Duffy constarted up, the same business at Springs. He continued on untl his place of business was bumed in 1869. and I think he died shortly afterwards. He was bebutied on Duffy's Mountain at Bbunt Springs, as were also his neighborsol and daughter and his Hs daughter, Mary Gordon Duffy, mide for .herself a name and a fame as both of prose.land of verse. In the war period she helped the Confederate cause con- siderably in taking long horse- back rides to bring information from one point to another. My information concerning the Washington hall during the Civil War period is not altogether com- plete, especially as regards the ground floor. During the early part of the war the top story was used as a prison where federal soldiers were kept. And during the later part of the war, and for 3 while after, it served as a hospi- tal for sick and wounded General Confed- Forrest erate came soldiers.
through Tuscaloosa on March 30, 1865, whea he was on his way to fight the battle of Sei- Ima. I knew parties who talked to him in the Washington hall that day. But I have no knowledge as to whether he was guest of the hotel. or whether he came to see the sick and wounded soldiers. But, concerning this visit of General Forrest, I have been told by parties who were present at the time, that the general and his staff officers rode up in front of hotel.
They had come from Colum-| bus by way of Carrollton, Pick- ensville, Vienna, Romulus. and Northport, When they reined up their horses in front of the hotel all the staff officers dismounted and unhitched their saddle girts that the horses might rest. better O. for a short while. But General For- rest remained seated on his horse.
Col. J. M. Vanhoose made a short but appropriate speech by way of extending welcome to the gallant soldiers. Several others spoke expressing words of wel- come, admiration, and goods feel- in ing.
It here observel that General Forrest had attached his hat a large and beautiful ostrich plume, and a delegation of ladies came to him and asked that he leave the treasured plume with them in commemoration of the notable occasion. General Forrest expressed re- on gret that he could not comply with their request. He told them that in time of action, when a battle was going on, his men could bet- ter distinguish, and locate him on the large plume. He stated that he never ordered his men, "go on boys," but he always | | | gave the command "come on boys." He said that he "never ordered his men where he would 'not go himself.".
Late that evening it began raining, and I met Jackson's divi- sion of Forrest's cavalry above the University riding in the rain and deep mud. They were all in royal good spirits, laughing and joking despite the weather. That night they camped at Box Springs above Alberta. But, resuming about the old Washington hall and regarding the time when the place was used as a prison for federal prisoners, the following facts are pertinent: When the Battle of Shiloh was fought April 6. and 7, 1862.
and just before Albert Sydney John-| son received his death wound. the Confederates captured three thou- sand of Grant's own individual soldiers. In the battle they had been under command of a brigadier general named Prentice. Most of the way from field to Tuscaloosa they were shipped by water. They went in boats down the Mississippi river to New Orleans.
From New Or- leans they were sent to Mobile. And from Mobile they came to Tuscaloosa in a number of steam boats. They came to Tuscaloosa soon after the battle, probably late in April. When the big cargo of passen- gers came to the old Tuscaloosa wharf, about half way between the county bridge and the M. & O.
bridge, it happened that the Warrior river was remarkably high. A large warehouse stood on the top of the first elevation from low water mark. The river was SO high that prisoners came on a plank into the warehouse. They stayed a short while under guard in the warehouse and were then placed in the second story of the Washington hall. and in the Rose- •nau building on the west side of the avenue from Washington hall and in an old abandoned pa- per mill that stood west of the present Stallworth lake.
But prob- ably most of were quartered on the second story of the Wash- ington hall. A few tunneled their way un- der the walls of the paper mill and escaped. At the Rosenau corner, then called the "Drish building," on one occasion a prisoner put his head out the third window on the | | | second story and verging north from Broad street. There was a guard patrolling the avenue. This called to the prisoner to take his head in.
The command.given the prisoner three times, and he continued to keep his head out the window. Then the guard raised his musket and shot the prisoner dead. The dead fell back in the room and his by hat lodged on the window sill. Soon after the war was ended this guard was arrested by United States officials and was tried for shooting the prisoner. He was quitted.
the declaring it was in accordance with the usages of warfare. The Washington hall prison was under a man named Wirtz. He probably had charge of the other two prisons also. He remained in charge these prisons till into the fall of 1862. He had charge of various prisons, and at 'different places, until at length made head official at ville prison in south Georgia in 1863.
He stayed in this capacity till the war was over. Soon after peace was declared he was ed by United States authorities on the charge of cruelty to prisoners. He was tried in court at ton and convicted, and on ber 10. 1865, was hung. The best defence of him known to me WAS written by a federal prisoner of the Andersonville prison.
Wirtz was a Swede, and a ing physician in Louisiana before the war. When the prisoners were, fined in the Washington two of them escaped. They made their way across the river and, probably at night. traveled the Byler road. Near the twelve mile post they came exhausted and hid in a, wheat field.
A resident of the hood found and brought them back to the prison. Probably near the middle of the war period, the (Continued On Page Eight),.sa. more SO than any, fire of which ever had knowledge of Within an hour the Washington | old hotel ceased to be a prison and was used as a hospital for sick and wounded Contederate soldiers 'til the war ended and for a while afterwards. after peace was declare i frederal troops were stationed in Tuscaloosa at different times and in different parts of the town. One garrison of these troops was quartered in the corner northeast from the present, postoffice. Another stayed al while in the big house on Broad street and Twenty-sixth avenue, adjoining the Robertson transfer busines:.
And, into the summer of 1865. / there was a lot of these troops living in the Washington hall. While they were still occupying the place. and in November 1865. building caught fire in the early hours of the night, perhaps about eight or nine o'clock.
One peculiarity of this fire was that it illuminated thoroughly a vast area of country around Tuscaloo-.hall was a thing of history and a pile of ashes cinders. All was destroyed except the aforesaid old brick pillar and the picture of George Washington. With the destruction of this ancient land-mark, there passed the greatest resort for politicians and for society circles that Tuscaloosa had ever known. When the state capitol was and there were annual sessions of legislature for twenty years, the Washington hall, and the old "Indian Queen." corner of Broad were the main places the memstreet and sixth avenue. bers of the legislature to stop at.
though some put up at the old "Bell tavern." where the postoffice now stands. When the big fire came the postoffice did not that time it was on the corner east of the present postoffice. Mr. Miller's loss must have been great, for in those days we heard nothing insurance policies. The war had just closed six months previous and such things as insurance papers had not come back.
Soon after the fire it was rumored about town that the occupants of the building burned it. Also, it was said that the books of the place would not stand inspection, that the bocks got burned. This was town talk. No one knows how much truth was in it. The site of the Washington hall lay vacant for near seven years.
Then, in the year 1872. Mr. Miller started erection two story brick building on the spot. When it was finished. it was the largest and finest brick building in the city limits.
And. within the limits of the county, the Bryce hospital and Woods hall at the University were the only two buildings that were larger than Mr. Miller's new structure. Soon after completion of the building in the wintey of 1872. the firm of Freedman and Loveman rented it from Mr.
Miller. Freedman and Loveman did 1 large business on the corner for many years, selling dry goods and buying cotton. They' were both wholesale and retail merchants About twenty years afterwards the firm was Freedman and Rosenau, and at a later period Rosenau Brothers had a large business on the corner. Sad to relate that in March, 1914. the building with al! its contents was burned.
For J long period of years the place had been known as the Atlanta store But after a lapse of time the place was known as the store of Rosenau Brothers..
