| Main Page About Us Museum of the Early American Circus Exhibits Current Past Programs Press Release News Articles Somers History Somers Timeline (1609-1866) Elephant Hotel History Historic Properties Join Us Contact Links |
| Please pardon our appearance. This is an interim page while the official Museum page is undergoing revision. Please excuse the advertisements, but we have to put up with them since this is a free page from Yahoo! while the permanent website is under construction. Last upate: April 27, 2006 |
| Main Page - Museum - Current Exhibit - Past Exhibits - Programs - Press Release - Historic Properties - Join Us - About Us - Hours - Contact - Links |
| Hachaliah Bailey
A Brief Biography Born in Somers in 1775, son of James and Anne Brown Hachaliah Bailey was raised on a farm which still stands a quarter mile from his Elephant Hotel. Though as the son of a farmer he undoubtedly participated in farm life, Hachaliah apparently aspired to other things. As a young man he participated in varied business interests. Hachaliah worked as a drover, transporting cattle to New York markets. In 1809 he became Secretary of the Croton Turnpike company, which operated three toll gates on Somerstown Turnpike (now Route 100), including one just north of his family home. In Thomas Scharf�s History of Westchester County Hachaliah is attributed as being part owner of a Hudson River shipping sloop, and later owner of the Red Bird stage coach line. He has been credited as part owner of the Bull�s Head Tavern in New York City, though there is no documentation of this. Hachaliah also served as postmaster, transported the mail via stage coach from Sing Sing to Somers, and ran from State Assembley unsuccessfully in 1829. Hachaliah�s interests and occupations as a drover, cattle merchant, menagerie entrepreneur, and hotel owner, belie a man with varied interests and enormous energy. Hachaliah Bailey�s enduring fame results from his acquisition of an unusual creature he discovered around 1805. The second elephant brought to America, probably from India, was first brought into Boston Harbor in 1804, and exhibited by Edward Savage in the Northeast. Around 1805 the elephant was being shown throughout this region, and though the exact date of his purchase is unknown, it is probable that young Hachaliah acquired her at this time. The elephant became known as �Old Bet�. Hachaliah, familiar from his frequent trips to the cattle markets of New York City with the tavern yard exhibits of animals, undoubtedly understood the public fascination in viewing exotic animals. Bailey took on partners who traveled with the elephant throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties in New York and then further afield, from Savannah to Maine. It became tradition to travel at night to avoid giving free glimpses of the animals. Hachaliah�s fame inspired a young P.T. Barnum, part of the next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs, who relates meeting Hachaliah in his Bethel store, in his 1855 autobiography He also tells the tale of an unscrupulous partner whom Hachaliah confounded by threatening to shoot his half of their jointly owned elephant. Other menageries formed in the area, and soon partnered with the small traveling circus companies. A canvas tent was first used by a Somers man, Joshua Purdy Brown, to provide shelter for the outdoor events. Hachaliah�s Old Bet was killed in Maine in1815. Hachaliah exhibited her skeleton in NYC in 1816. Hachaliah acquired a second elephant, Little Bett and a third, Columbus 1817. Hachaliah purchased land at the crossroads of the Croton and Peekskill Turnpikes in 1807, and built the Elephant Hotel, which opened in 1825. In front, he erected a wooden statue atop scrolled ironwork and a granite pillar in front to honor his elephants. Hachaliah sold the Elephant Hotel and moved to Fairfax county Virginia in 1837, purchasing 536 acres in a place which became known as Bailey�s Crossroads. Hachaliah�s son Lewis, who had toured as a clown, and wife Maria, a former equestrienne performer, operated an inn there for many years, known as the Moray mansion. Hachaliah deeded over his ownership to his daughter-in-law Maria, and returned to Somers in 1845. While here, he was kicked by a horse and died. He is buried in Ivandell Cemetery. His large obelisk marker has three simple words on it, �Enterprise, Perseverance, Integrity� |
| The Elephant Hotel, Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York (914)277-4977 |
 |
| The Elephant Hotel |
| Somers Town House 335 Route 202 Somers, New York (914)277-4977 |