The Frankford Dispatch Vol. 33 No. 32 Friday, January 13, 1911

Passing of the Old Jolly Post Hotel.

_4• 'cfL

~~ 7_02-Is THE JOLLY POST HOT

The work of dismantling the famous old Jolly Post Hotel has been commenced, preparatory to raising the historic struc-ture to make way for the erection of a number of stores. The old building con-tains an Immense open fire-place of brick, which in recent years had been boarded up. J

A very Interesting artcle by Mr. A. B. Kennedy, entitled, "A Fassidg of the Old Jolly Post Inn," published In the Septem-ber number of McDougall's Magazine, is given herewith:

One by one the old Iapdmarks that are identified with colonial and revolutionary history are disappearing. The latest to give place to the march of modern im-provements is the old "Jolly Post" Inn in Frankford, which Is now being torn down to make room for a row of stores. This old building is not only one of the oldest houses in Pennsylvania and one of the few remaining relics of stage-coach days, but is more closely associated with the names of Washington and Lafayette and with the early days of the Revolution than any other building In Pennsylvania outside of Valley Forge and Philadelphia.

The present generation will remember the "Jolly Post" as an old stone building of two stories and a slated mansard roof, with a new brick "L" at the southern end, situated on the west side of Frankford aye-flue; a few doors above Orthodox street, and numbered 4608. It stood several yards back of the present building line, and a broad wagon-way at the northern end led to a good-sized stable-yard in the rear, containing various sheds and outhouses and also a livery-stable that was once the inn barn.

They will remember the "Jolly Post" as a decently kept "commercial hotel with a modern bar-room on the first floor; that it was frequently visited by coaching parties from New York and Philadelphia; and that in the days of the popularity of the bicycle, it was a favorite resort of the wheelmen. But it presented no advantages over many other road-houses save in its historic associations.

Very different was the "Jolly Post" in the old Colonial days when Frankford aye-line was the King's Highway and the post-road between Philadelphia and New York. Then there was no more charmingly situat-ed inn in the country. Its symmetrical proportions were unmarred by the "L," its

•

L OF OLDEN DAYS.

roof was low and shingled and pierced with dormer-windows and a smaller, "Col-onial" porch ornamented its front. Before it, amid a number of fine old shade trees, was a well famous for Its clear, cold water. The stable-yard extended south to Smith's Lane; now Orthodox street.

The property comprised more than twen-ty-five acres and extended northward along the highway for several hundred feet and westward to the present location of Leip-er street. This ground was occupied in part by a large orchard, but principally by an extensive garden containing arbors cov-ered with woodbine and sweet-briar, and rustic seats embowered in lilacs and was traversed by box-bordered gravel walks.

It was a favorite diversion of the young men of Philadelphia to drive out to the "Jolly Post" with their sweethearts in the early dusk of a pleasant summer evening over the excellent turnpike, and to spend an hour or so in its beautiful garden and return to the city by moonlight.

Continued on Second Page.

"JOLLY POST INN." Far-famed, romantic Jolly Post, Thy lengthened life can now; But on the page historic boast Of past and halcyon days.

Time, the grim leveler of all, Hath doomed thy ancient walls By ruthless, thoughtless hands to fall And crumble into dust.

Could thou but speak to listening ears What wondrous stories old; Weird mysteries of other years With pride could thou relate.

Here sturdy patriots renowned, Trav'ling the King's Highway; Repose from wearied journey found Beside thy cheerful hearth.

Changes each hoary century brings—The crack of stinging whip, From lumbering coach to mighty wings Of "Man-Bird" thou hast seen.

At last with usefulness' outgrown, Though in tradition rich; Thy gables quaint are now outshone, Ye old-time wayside inn.

—Composed by Richard T. Holme.

Ft A

The Historic Jolly Post. Continued from First Page.

The inn itself was not only a favorite stopping-place for travelers and a post-house, where coach horses were changed, but the principal rendezvous for the citi-zens of the vicinity to meet and exchange new's and discuss politics. In the years immediately preceeding the Revolution its bar-room was the scene of many heated de-bates, for there were numerous Tories as well as revolutionists in the neighborhood.

On his way to attack the Hession troops at Trenton, Washington spent a night at the "Jolly Post," and subsequently fre-quently rested there on his journeys to and from New York. In memory of this, it was proposed in later years to change the name of the inn to "Washington's Head-quarters," but the old name was so dear to those whose forefathers had known the "Jolly Post," through so many generations that the suggestion was not received with favor.

During the battle of Germantown the inn was the centre of several scrimmages; sometimes it was held by the British and sometimes by the patriots. While Lord Howe occupied Philadelphia, its loyal, land-lord was frequently forced to shelter red-coat officers and men. The road near the "Jolly Post" was the scene of the exploits of the notorious Tory robbers, who, under cover of darkness, pillaged houses and burned barns.

Lafayette, upon. his visit to Philadelphia in 1824, spent the night at the "Jolly Post" before entering the city. Here he received the delegates who were sent to welcome him to the city. A romantic memento of the old days that is thought to date from his visit was found when the building was renovated in 1893. In scraping the accu-mulated layers of white-wash from the walls of one of the rooms the workmen came upon a letter written upon the orig-inal surface of the wall. It was in French and proved to be a love-letter to one of the chambermaids. It is thought to have been written by one of Lafayette's suite.

For many years the "Jolly Post" con-tinued to be the centre of political activity in the neighborhood. During the "log-cabin and hard cider" campaign of 1840 a good sized log-cabin was erected at the side of the entrance to the stables and the old inn was the . scene of many political meetings during, that exciting campaign.

Four years later, during the "Native American" riots, a troop raised by Steph-en C. Paul, who was landlord of the "Jol-ly Post" at that time, was drilled in the road before the inn and played an import-ant part in quelling the riots.

The prosperity of the old "Jolly Post" continued throughout the stage-coach days. The house was gradually enlarged until it was fully twice its original size, but at the same time the grounds about it were curtailed with the growth of the town. But with the advent of the railro,ad the prosper-ity of the old inn began to decline. Prior to 1893 it was unoccupied for twenty years. In that year it was bought by Edwin For-rest Smith, who ran it as a hotel until his death in 1905. His widow continued the business until .the spring of 1910, when she sold the property to a builder who at once began the work of demolition.

The date of the building of the "Jolly Post" is not known precisely, although a tradition in Frankford places it at 1680 and a sign put upon the inn during the "old home week" a couple of years ago, bears that date. It was in 1680, however, that a tract of 70 acres, of which the "Jolly Post" property was afterwards a part, was deed by William Penn to Henry Waddy. In 1694 this tract passed by will to Wad-dy's daughter, Mrs. Richard Cooney, who sold it in 1698 to Robert Adams, for whom Adams street was named, and who, In turn, in the same year sold it to John Worrell. That portion on which the "Jolly Post" stands, consisting of 14 acres and 26 perches, was devised by John Worrell to his son Isaiah, who owned it from 1698 to 1748. It is pTobable that the building was erected in one of the early years of this period. This would make the date about 1700.

The old building is quite as notable as a homestead of the Worrell family as a rev-olutionary Inn. The Worrells are famous in t1i3s section -of the country, wjiea +b'ç tie 4nans ISes en tms cay. rue of thç family was Richard Worrell, a Quaker, who landed In America before William Penn, He built the. house still standing In perfect condition at 4335 Iarankford ave-nue, in which, it is said, the first protest against slavery made In America, was drawn up by the Germantown Quakers In 1688. The Worrells also took a prominent part In the Revolutionary War; General Isaiah Worrell was an officer in the Con-tinental army.

The year In which the Worrell mansion became the "Jolly Post" Inn is also uncer-tain. In 1748 Joseph Thornhill became the owner of the property. The "Pennsylvania Chronicle" of March 14, 1768, contained the following advertisement:

To be SOLD by the Subscriber, living on the premises,- in Oxford township, in the county of Philadelphia, THE NOTED INN, called the sign of the JOLLY POST, about five miles from the city of Philadelphia, near F'rankford being a commodious stand, and pleasant, lofty situation, containing about twenty-five acres of land, about eight of which are well timbered, a young, thriving orchard, with about two hundred apple trees, a convenient house, kitchen, stable, sheds and trough to feed horses In, a well of good water just before the door, a good garden with sundry arbors there-in, very pleasant in the summer season for any person riding out to take fresh air, as the road is generally very good between the premises and the city. Any person In-clining to purchase the same, may know the terms by applying to me.

The date in which the ion was started, therefore, must have been between 1748 and 1768, probably nearer the former date than the latter.

In 1787 it was sold to John Papley, and subsequently passed through the hands of his wife, Susan Papley; Dr. Enoch Ed-wards, for whom Edward street in Frank. ford is named; George Webster; Jacob Coats and his wife, Elizabeth; and Mrs. Caroline Comly. The children of Mrs.. Comly, who Are the great grandchildren of General Isaiah Worrell, were the owners when the property was purchased by its last landlord, E. F. Smith, in 1893.