ESPY HOUSE HISTORIC FIGURES AND EVENTS
OVERVIEW
THE ESPY HOUSE, LOCATED IN HISTORIC BEDFORD, PENNSYLVANIA. WAS BUILT AROUND 1771. AT THE TIME, IT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN ALL OF BEDFORD. SEVERAL FAMOUS AMERICANS HAVE OCCUPIED THE HOUSE OVER THE YEARS, BUT NONE MORE SO THAN PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON. HE USED THE HOUSE AS HIS HEADQUARTERS DURING THE WHISKEY REBELLION OF 1794. TODAY, THE ESPY HOUSE IS OWNED BY TODD EICHELBERGER WHO WAS INSPIRED SO MUCH BY THE HISTORY OF THIS HISTORIC LOCATION THAT HE CREATED A WHISKEY OF SUPERIOR TASTE AND PRESTIGE TO COMMEMORATE THE HOUSE AND ITS HISTORIC INHABITANTS.
COLONEL DAVID ESPY
THE ESPY HOUSE WAS NAMED AFTER COLONEL DAVID ESPY WHO WAS A VERY INFLUENTIAL AND PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN AND POLITICIAN IN BEDFORD, PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE LATE 1700’S. HE WAS ALSO A REVOLUTIONARY WAR ACTIVIST WHO AIDED TROOPS WITH SUPPLIES AND HELPED KEEP THE PEACE IN A HIGHLY VOLATILE PERIOD OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
ESPY BOUGHT THE STONE HOUSE FOR 600 POUNDS FROM ITS ORIGINAL OWNER AROUND 1789. SOON AFTER, HIS GROWING FAMILY MOVED IN AND MADE SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING ADDITIONAL LIVING SPACE AND A BALCONY AND PORCH OFF THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS, THE HOUSE WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE NICEST IN BEDFORD AT THE TIME. THIS MADE IT AN OBVIOUS CHOICE TO HOST GEORGE WASHINGTON, WHO NEEDED A BASE OF OPERATIONS DURING THE WHISKEY REBELLION OF 1794.
MAJOR GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR
MAJOR GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR USED THE ESPY HOUSE AS HIS PERSONAL OFFICE FROM 1771 TO 1772 AND IS THE ONLY STRUCTURE STILL STANDING HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH. BORN IN 1734, ST. CLAIR IS KNOWN AS A SCOTTISH-AMERICAN SOLDIER AND POLITICIAN. HIS MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT WAS SERVING UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON IN SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL MILITARY CAMPAIGNS. AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR, HE SETTLED IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE HE HELD LOCAL OFFICE AND HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY. HIS COMMAND ABRUPTLY ENDED WHEN HE LED A RETREAT AT FORT TICONDEROGA IN 1777. AFTER THE WAR, HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. DURING HIS TERM, HE PASSED THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE AND WAS THEN MADE GOVERNOR OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY IN 1788.
THE WHISKEY REBELLION
IN 1794, CONGRESS REPEALED A TAX ON DISTILLED SPIRITS, BUT REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE CAUSING THE ONSET OF WHAT WAS LATER KNOWN AS THE “WHISKEY REBELLION.” LOCAL RESIDENTS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WERE UNCEREMONIOUSLY INFORMED THAT THE NEW TAX WOULD BE COLLECTED, BY FORCE IF NECESSARY. THEY FELT THE TAX WAS UNFAIR AND ORGANIZED THE FIRST REBELLION AGAINST THE NEW UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. GEORGE WASHINGTON MOBILIZED 12,950 TROOPS FROM EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND NEW JERSEY UNDER GENERAL HARRY LEE, WITH THE INTENT ON QUELLING THE REBELLION AND ASSERTING THE GOVERNMENT’S AUTHORITY TO MAKE LAWS AND ENFORCE THEM. THE REBELLION ENDED WITH ONLY MINOR CONFRONTATION AND NO LOSS OF LIFE.
HISTORIC STATUS
THE ESPY HOUSE WAS ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1974 AND DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK IN 1983 BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS DESCRIBE THE HOUSE AS A 2 1/2-STORY FIELDSTONE HOUSE ONCE OWNED BY LOCAL OFFICIAL DAVID ESPY WHO LENT OUT THE HOUSE IN 1794 TO PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON TO USE AS HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS DURING THE WHISKEY REBELLION. THE HOUSE WAS ALSO USED BY REVOLUTIONARY WAR GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
ESPY HOUSE ARCHIVES
IN OUR OVER 250 YEAR ESPY HOUSE HISTORY, WE’VE COMPILED QUITE THE TREASURE TROVE OF HISTORIC DOCUMENTS. MANY OF THE DOCUMENT S ARE ON DISPLAY IN THE ESPY HOUSE, BUT CAN BE DOWNLOADED BELOW FOR PERSONAL VIEWING. PLEASE NOTE ALL MATERIALS ARE COPYWRITED. IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO USE OR REFERENCE ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS, CONTACT US AT [email protected].
WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE Painting by Emanuel Leutze, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
THE WHISKEY REBELLION Artist unknown, attributed to Frederick Kemmelmeyer Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON Portrait by Gilbert Stuart, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
COLONEL DAVID ESPY Portrait drawing in possession of the late Dr. C. N. Hickok. Original Illustrator unknown. From the distinguished decendants of George Espy
MAJOR GENERAL ARTHUR ST CLAIR By Charles Willson Peale, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
WHISKEY REBELLION ILLUSTRATION By James Dabney McCabe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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