Come let us journey back in time’s flight to the quiet of Olde Salem town. At with time for leisure and loitering, let us visit those spots which have been made famous by events of the passing year.
There stands on South Main street, just a block from the Square, the building which was known as the Salem Tavern. The present building was erected by the church in 1784 on the site of the former tavern which had been burned earlier in the same year. The material had been secured for a Sister’s House, and we can imagine how anxious the Sisters of the Congregation have been for the erection of their new home. When the tavern was burned the church authorities conferred and decided that since the tavern was of more importance than the Sisters’ House, the material prepared should be used for a new tavern and the Sisters would have to wait. Poor ladies, what could they do against such a decision? The tavern was built and the Sisters waited two years longer.
On May 31, 1791, President George Washington was entertained in this same tavern. During his visit Ex-Governor Burke and Governor Josiah Martin came to call on him. A supper was prepared for him in a little log house which, having been weather boarded, still stands just across the street from the old hotel, and eight specially chosen townsmen were invited to meet with President Washington around that supper table. During his visit he was shown over the town and was especially interested in the industries of the Brother’s House and the town water works. A copy of the speech he delivered, written in his own hand, is now on file in the Church Archives.
Another visitor who was perhaps famous, was Peter Stuart Nye, a native of France and a soldier in Napoleon’s army. From sundry remarks which he made, it was generally believed that he was Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous marshal who had escaped from France and journeyed to North Carolina to make his home. He often came to Salem to visit with the people and to astonish men, women and children with his feats of sword-play.
In the house now occupied by Dr. Kenneth Pfohl was stationed the Community Store during the years 1775-1817. This was likewise under church control. During the days just before the battle of Guilford the manager was a man named Bagge, who knew that the church lands, granted by England, would be in danger if the people were too openly hostile to the British. “One day an English courier that my party has been visited and a horse taken from my stable, what can I do?” On the morn when he found his horse gone and his pantry nearly empty, he calmly went about his usual tasks and no mention was made of the matter.
The house on the corner below that now occupied by Mother Elizabeth and her children was built in 1780 by this same Mr. Bagge as a dwelling for his clerk.
The building on Main street which we know as the Widow’s House was built in 1768 as a home for the Single Brethren of the Congregation. In this building was begun the industrial life of Salem and at one time there were as many as 16 industries lodged therein. The northern end was erected first, and it was not until 1786 that the lower brick edition was added.
While the foundation for this latter part was being dug, a man, Andrew Heuser, was killed and the foundation laid for Salem’s ghost story, the “Capers of the Little Red Man.” Even after the widows had moved into the building this little man dressed all in red would appear and dance up and down, playing his flute until the ladies were nearly distracted. Nobody could catch him and nobody could stop him. At last one day when he was cutting up more than ever the minister arrived, and just going as near him as he dared, said, “Whoever you are, in the name of the Lord, I bid you depart.” This was the last of the little Red Man, he was never seen again, but the children of Olde Salem were always careful not to go alone into the dark cellar of the Brothers’ House.
March, 1781, Cornwallis and a part of his army marched up Academy street and stopped at the Brothers’ House to rest. The old cook, who was a German, was asked to fix a meal for the soldiers and when he refused one of the officers, wishing to frighten him, said, “Cook for us or I will run my sword through you.” Still the old fellow refused. When the officer made as if to carry out his threat, the old cook forgot his cookery and remembering the days of his youth when he was a gallant young soldier, unseated the officer with one deft movement much to the discomfiture of his victim, but to the keen enjoyment of Cornwallis and the other men. The church authorities pled with him to make a supper but he refused to the last to cook for the British.
Back of the Brothers’ House stood the Baker’s Shop, also run by the Brothers. Some of Cornwallis’ soldiers went in here and loafed around and one unlucky soldier put his sword down on the counter. Alas, he never saw it again, for it has remained ever since a resident of Salem.
Perhaps you are beginning to think Salem unpatriotic, after having heard all these British stories. That, however, is not the right term; she was not unpatriotic, simply very diplomatic.
In the house once occupied by Mrs. Douthit’s millinery shop and adjoining Welfare’s drug store, soldiers of the American army sat all one night, came through the town, and stopped at Mr. Bagge’s store to ask for a fresh horse and some food. The answer to his request was after this fashion, “Sir, I am a poor old man and undefended. If in the morning I find loading bombs which were used against the British” some words omitted) in the battle of Guilford. After this famous battle many of the wounded were brought to Salem and cared for in the building which stood on the corner of Main and Bank streets opposite the Belo Home. This was the site of the first two-story dwelling in Salem.
The building which we know as the Historical Building, was built in 1794 as the Boys’ School. A school for boys had been opened in 1772 but met in another building. One day the pupils were busy at their tasks when a great commotion was heard in the quiet street. The teacher looked from the window and learning the cause, shouted, “Boys, run home quick, the Red Coats have come.” We can imagine that the school room was quickly vacated as the pupils rushed to their homes.
When the present building was erected in 1794, the first floor was used as a dwelling an the two upper floors were occupied by the school. The teachers’ bed rooms and sitting room were likewise in this building and there was a large sleeping hall for the students. Every morning the respective mothers came to make up their son’s beds and clean up generally. No meals were served in the school so the pupils were compelled to go to their homes for their meals. On Sundays the teachers accompanied them to church and when a funeral was held school was dismissed and everybody attended the funeral.
During this time the museum occupied a part of the chapel in the Brothers’ House until it was moved to the upper floor of the cabinet shop which stands on South Main street, just below and a part of the Salem Home. In 1857 the building which is now occupied by the music class room was built by the Salem Classical Music Society and the Young Men’s Missionary Society as a kind of club, museum and historical building. When the new Boys’ School (now Central school) was built, the Historical Society moved its offices to the present building where they have remained.
The present Sisters’ House was erected in 1786. Here the Sisters lived, and carried on their occupations as did the Brothers. Some of them went out by the day to help the housewives and the story is told of one sister who always arrived at her employer’s house at 5 o’clock in the morning and was very indignant if the family were not up and no work was ready for her. In 1772 the school for the girls of Salem was begun and in 1802 a boarding department was opened. For a time the sisters furnished the board for the Academy, thus earning a substantial livelihood.
From the front page of The Salemite, student newspaper, Jan. 13, 1923
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