Bucks Lehigh Valley Historic Tavern Trail

America250: The Pineville Tavern and a "plan" for the Battle of Trenton

Sat, Apr 18 · 1:00 PM EDT

The Pineville Tavern, 1098 Durham rd., Pineville, PA, US

We'll continue our America250 celebration of colonial-era taverns and the roles they played during the Revolutionary War with a visit to the Pineville Tavern in Buckingham Township, central Bucks County.

Dating to 1742, the Pineville Tavern has operated as a tavern since at least the 1760s and was one of 13 inaugural recipients of Bucks County tavern licenses in the 1830s. Much of the current building likely dates to this period.

In December 1776, it may have been the site of an intelligence operation when Continental Army General William Alexander, recently released in a prisoner swap after being captured by British and Hessian troops during the Battle of Long Island, allegedly briefed Alexander Hamilton and a Continental Army intelligence officer here on Hessian positions across the Delaware River in New Jersey, information that was key to Washington's successful surprise attack on the Hessians a few weeks later on Christmas night.

The story appears to be mostly apocryphal, however General Alexander and Alexander Hamilton both fought with Washington at the Battle of Trenton and Washington did consult with the general (known as Lord Stirling) the night before the attack was launched. So we'll look at what's true and what's local legend at this event and explore more about how this part of Bucks County contributed to the Revolutionary War.

We'll have the authentically-restored 1742 Room to ourselves for lunch and drinks and they will do separate checks. Please note, this is a second-floor space with no elevator so you will need to be able to walk up a flight of stairs to attend this meetup.

See you there!

Salute to Col. George Taylor in Catasauqua

Sat, May 16 · 12:30 PM EDT

George Taylor House, 35 S. Front St., Catasauqua, PA, US

As we continue our year-long America250 celebration, we're going to pay special tribute on this day to Col. George Taylor, the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who lived in both Bucks County and the Lehigh Valley.

We'll tour the George Taylor House in Catasauqua at 12:30, which Taylor built and lived in from 1768 to 1774, then head across the road to his namesake microbrewery, the Taylor House, to raise a glass to the founding father.

Born in Northern Ireland, Taylor came to the new world as an indentured servant in 1736. He was indentured to Samuel Savage Jr., the ironmaster of the French Creek Iron Works in Coventry Chester County.

Taylor learned the ironmaking trade, eventually married Savage's widow after Savage died and managed the Warwick Furnace and Coventry Forge in Chester County, before leasing the Durham Furnace in upper Bucks County in 1755. Taylor became justice of the peace in Bucks County from 1757 to 1763 before moving north to Easton after his lease of the Durham Furnace expired.

In Easton, Taylor again became a justice of the peace in Northampton County and was elected to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. In 1768, he built a home on 331 acres at Biery's Point in present-day Catasauqua. He lived there until 1774 until once again leasing the Durham Iron Works from prominent loyalist attorney and businessman Joseph Galloway. Durham Furnace, under Taylor's management, would become the first ironworks in Pennsylvania to supply munitions to the Continental Army in 1775. Taylor was commissioned as colonel in the third battalion of the Pennsylvania militia that same year.

The following July, Taylor became a replacement delegate to the Continental Congress after all five of Pennsylvania's original delegates were forced to resign because they remained loyal to the British crown. That Continental Congress drafted the Declaration of Independence, which Taylor signed on August 2, 1776. He was the only resident of either Bucks or Lehigh Counties to sign the Declaration as well as the only former indentured servant, the only ironmaster and one of just eight foreign-born signers of the Declaration.

Taylor ended up losing his lease on the Durham Furnace in 1779 after the fledgling US Congress seized it from the traitor Galloway. He returned to Easton in ill health in 1780 and passed away the following year. His final residence in Easton, known as the Parsons-Taylor House, still stands today, the oldest residence in Easton. It serves as the headquarters of the George Taylor Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Taylor is buried in Easton Cemetery.

We'll have a guided group tour of the Taylor House (in Catasauqua) at 12:30. A $10 donation is suggested. Then we'll head across the road to Taylor House Brewing to raise a glass to old George. Join us for any part of the day you wish.

See you there!