Introduction: The 1913 book "A History of Uniontown: The County Seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania" has a four page description of the White Swan Tavern that mentions the residence of the gunsmith Peter White. This web page attempts to interpret the 1913 description to determine where the residence of Peter White was located.
The most relevant part of the 1913 description states, "Thomas Brownfield first rented this property in 1805, and after conducting a tavern here for some time, he purchased it and continued it as a tavern until his death. The old log bar-room part was the only portion of the original property when Mr. Brownfield bought it, and here he swung out his sign of 'The White Swan'... In 1818 Mr. Brownfield built a two-story brick building east of the original log part and this was used as a parlor. This part lined on Mill Alley. Mr. Brownfield ... died April 27, 1829 ... and his widow with the assistance of her youngest son, Nathaniel, conducted the business for some years." Still referring to Thomas Brownfield, the above excerpt states, "Section by section was added to the original old log front until the front of the lot was occupied. ... Thomas Brownfield erected a log tenement next west of the old tavern among the occupants of which may be mentioned ... Peter White, a gunsmith... West of the log tenement Nathaniel Brownfield build a frame wagon shop which was used as such for many years."
The following photo of the White Swan Tavern is also from the 1913 book. The "two-story brick building east of the original log part" that was used as a parlor is visible at the left-hand side of the photo. Next, there is a long wooden structure that appears to be made from two log bays. Although both bays share a common (but slightly uneven) roof, the second bay has a lower foundation and a lower door and windows compared to the first bay that is located near the brick building. The long two bay log building is abutted by a building with a lower roofline than the long building. I suspect this is the "log tenement next west of the old tavern" that Peter White lived in. After a very narrow passageway, there is a building with its ridgeline oriented perpendicular to the street. I think this is the "frame wagon shop", and I think it appears as a woodworking and painting shop on the 1886 map that is included farther below.
The following photo from the National Park Service shows a different view of the old White Swan tavern. At the far right, a regular door has been installed to close off the passageway between the building I believe was the tenement, and the building I believe was the wagon shop.
In the following excerpt from the 1858 Barker map of Fayette County, the White Swan tavern lot is circled. Notice that the lot immediately to the west is not occupied.
The following 1872 map identifies the location of Nathaniel Brownfield's White Swan "Hotel" (not to be confused with the 1925 brick edifice that was erected on the same spot and given the same name--now known as the White Swan Apartments):
Compared to the 1872 map above, the following excerpt from the 1886 Sanborn map of Uniontown shows that a woodworking and painting shop has been erected west of the tavern. I believe this is the wagon shop referenced in the excerpt from the 1913 book that is included above. The location of the the building I believe to be the Peter White residence is approximately 39.900792203, -79.72948553.
The following description of the White Swan Tavern is from the 1882 book "History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania":
Visit the Gunsmith Index for information on western Pennsylvania gunsmiths and pictures of the longrifles they made.
Go to the Korns family genealogy home page
