In 1842, brothers Samuel and Thomas Tompkins 1Possibly Hopkins. built the National Hotel on Main Street in the center of the Oswego business district. The National was the first hotel in Oswego although smaller taverns had been built earlier.
In August 1843 Wright Murphy leased the National Hotel from George T. Hopkins.
William Briggs succeeded Wright Murphy as manager of the National Hotel. In 1853, Briggs completely remodeled the hotel adding several guestrooms to the older part of the hotel and a new 30 by 40-foot two-story addition. There was also a stable in conjunction with the hotel where traveler’s horses could be fed and cared for.
In January 1856, Mathias Beaupre who had managed the Kendall House, succeeded William Briggs as manager of the National Hotel. Beaupre remained the landlord until June 1, 1862 when Moses J. Richards became the proprietor. Moses owned and managed the National Hotel until it was destroyed by fire February 9, 1867. The same fire consumed a significant portion of the Oswego business district. By great effort, most of the hotel furniture and the barns belonging to the hotel were saved. The fire undoubtedly was a severe financial blow to Moses as he declared bankruptcy in April 1869.
One of the National Hotel’s claims to fame was, when Oswego became the county seat, Judge Caton held the first court in Oswego in the hotel.
At the time of the 1850 census the following members of the Briggs family, their staff and guests were living at the National Hotel.
1850 census of Oswego Township, pages 237 A & B, enumeration date October 1, family # 83.
Briggs, William 39 M VT Innkeeper Briggs, Cecelia 32 F NY Danforth, William Jr. 11 M NY Danforth, Martha 6 F NY Towle, Martha 64 F NY Burkhart, Frederick 18 M Germany Hostler Barber, Sheldon 26 M NY Bookkeeper Herrick, Harriet 40 F NY Stockton, Mary 32 F NY Hemm, Barbara 25 F Germany Herrick, Jane 4 F IL Herrick, Oscar 2 M IL Bradley, Erasmus D. 30 M NY Constable Miller, Richard D. 25 M NY Merchant Fenton, Marcus A. 39 M NY Postmaster Denton, John M. 36 M Canada Carpenter Burdick, Hiram 26 M NY Carpenter Sanders, Samuel 38 M NY Grocer Rank, Lorenzo 23 M Germany Tailor Turner, John 42 M NY Wheelwright Massey, Robert 28 M NY Painter Murphy, Alexander 26 M NY Painter Johnson, Patrick 44 M Ireland Mason Perry, William 24 M NY Carpenter
In 1860, Mathias Beaupre was the proprietor of the National Hotel.
1860 census of Oswego, page 279, enumeration date August 22, family # 1884.
Beaupre, Mathias 46 M Canada Hotel keeper Beaupre, Sarah 39 F Canada Beaupre, Charles E. 20 M IL Beaupre, William 16 M IL Beaupre, Sarah 14 F IL Beaupre, Arthur 7 M IL Beaupre, Eben 2 M IL Schiller, Margaret 17 F Baden Domestic Weber, Mary 15 F Baden Domestic Parke, A. C. 67 M NY Barkeeper Hall, Asher B. 26 M NJ Kennedy, Joseph D. 32 M MA Danforth, William T. 20 M NY Cooper Wicks, James 24 M Ireland Cooper Stafford, Henry 20 M VT Painter Rank, Lorenzo 25 M Bavaria Clerk Barney, James 21 M Canada Laborer VanDorston, John P. 22 M NJ Lawyer Danforth, Charles 42 M VT Cooper Jackson, William 25 M NY Agent Long, R. 21 M IL Carpenter
References
| 1. | ↑ | Possibly Hopkins. |