"Ansted: Tiny Mountaintop Town Full of Historic Charm," a 1985 newspaper article from the Charleston Daily Mail.

In Fayette County, West Virginia there are two historical structures which used to be wayside taverns operated by our Tyree family: "The Halfway House" in Ansted and the "Old Stone House" at Clifftop (or Ravenseye).

The historical marker in front of the "Tyree Tavern" in Ansted contains the following text ...

"HALFWAY HOUSE
Regular stop on the James
River and Kanawha Turnpike.
The original building, dating
from before the Revolution,
was rebuilt by William Tyree,
1810. During the winter of
1861-62, it was headquarters
for the Chicago Gray Dragoons."

 

This tribute to our Tyree family refers to Col. William Tyree (born 1807), but it is unlikely that he actually performed the aforementioned renovations at the age of three. Local historian, W. T. Lawrence, comments on this historical marker: "John Jones, the Indian fighter, received a 400 acre land grant, and the second owner was a Skaggs, who sold to his son, and the son sold to George Hunter. On September 19, 1838, George Hunter sold the Halfway House and 200 acres of land to Francis Tyree and William Tyree [two sons of Richard F. Tyree], jointly for $5,000. These were the only owners of this tract of land at that time. I believe they made a mistake on this marker which would cost about $1,000 today, and did not want to correct it, or thought it was right."

An essay on Ansted's Tyree Tavern (author unknown), furnished by the Fayette County Historical Society, gives a colorful account of this tavern's history.

A couple of blocks away from the Halfway House is Ansted's "Westlake Cemetery." The 7 1/2 acres of land, which this cemetery occupies, were donated by Col. William Tyree in 1883, the year of his death. Many Tyree graves are located here, in the far corner. Also interred here is General "Stonewall" Jackson's mother.

Another essay, William F. Tyree by Himself, includes an account of William F. Tyree's 1881 "homecoming" to Hawks Nest, which is located about one mile west of Ansted on U. S. Highway 60. [WIlliam F. Tyree was the grandson of Col. William Tyree and was my grandfather. - Robert F. Tyree]

About seventeen or so miles east of Ansted on U. S. Highway 60, there is a historical marker for another Tyree Tavern, the Old Stone House ...

"OLD STONE HOUSE
Southwest is the Old Stone
House, built, 1824, by Richard
Tyree on the James River and
Kanawha Turnpike. It was visited
by Jackson, Clay, Webster,
Benton, and other notables.
Here Matthew Fontaine Maury
wrote his book on navigation."

The house itself is a mile or so southwest of this sign, on the one-lane Stone House Road.

New Year's fire guts Stone House, in January of 1996.
Old State Road Long Abandoned, a 1966 newspaper article.
A Visit To Old Tyree Tavern At Clifftop, a 1961 newspaper article.
Old Tyree Tavern Once Favorite Inn, a 1957 newspaper article
Tyree Tavern Near Clifftop Favorite Stopping Place For Riders And Coachmen On Old James River Turnpike, a 1952 newspaper article
Mrs. Tyree takes on the Army, during the Civil War.
"Grave Matters" explains the Cavendish grave in the Old Stone House graveyard.
1818 Deed.

Go to  Home Page or  Genealogy Page