Moses Specht’s Oregon Hotel History

Adam Specht and wife Catherine (Smith) came to Beavertown in 1805. They had their son Moses on March 4, 1818. Moses only attended subscription school for three, three month terms, and learned the basic 3 Rs. By private study, he became a skilled accountant. He early learned the gunsmith trade. In 1839, at age 21, he became the Constable for Beaver Township, Union County, PA. In 1845 he was elected Justice of the Peace.

In between, in 1840, he opened and operated an iron foundry, making thrashing machines, plows, corn shellers, and custom made to order implements of all types. That same year, 1840, he was appointed Post Master for the village of Beavertown. In later years he was Sheriff from 1861-67, a building contractor from 1850-1880, having built the Reformed Church in Beavertown in 1851, the Dreese’s Covered Bridge in 1872, the Beavertown School house and the Lutheran Church in 1880, plus many other structures still standing today. He was instrumental in establishing the Sunbury and Lewistown Railroad, being both director, builder and stock subscription solicitor. He was involved in the new bank in Selinsgrove in 1870, and became a director. He was the RR freight, passenger and express agent in 1871, the Adams Express agent that same year, and the owner-operator of the feed and coal siding at the RR. He was Snyder County Auditor for 4 years. He died of an apoplectic stroke on November 3, 1895. To the end he followed the Biblical advice of “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might”.

The above only briefly indicates the activities of Moses Specht. Not mentioned was the fact that in 1845 he built his first brick building, and called it the Oregon Hotel. In 1847 he added to the structure, and made a store out of the addition as well as the site of the post office. He routinely filed his petition for liquor license with the clerk of courts, and was always granted it even with heavy prohibition sentiments building since 1851. In 1889 he changed the name to “The Conway House”, but the operation was the same. In late January, 1892, he got out of the business and leased, and then later sold it to the Winey Brothers. They operated the business routinely until Prohibition closed them down in 1919. The place then became a private home of the Winey’s, and their descendants, until it was sold and once again became a hotel and barroom in the early 1950s.

To be continued