Page 7 - Taverns Stands in Woodstock - for Flipbook_Neat

A local cabinet maker and wood carver, Moody Heath, carved a large golden eagle that was placed atop the tav-
ern. “During the years 1830 and 1832, an eccentric creature named Moody Heath lived in the village. He was
an expert workman in all kinds of wood carving, and during his stay here was in the employ of Fisher &
McLaughlin, doing all their work of this kind. Among other things, he carved the gilded eagle which has given
name to the hotel and which still adorns it, doing the work [the gilding] in Joseph Churchill’s paint shop.”

After Colonel Cutting, Cutting & Phillips were the owners of the tavern. “Phillips was a good hand at mixing
drinks and perhaps enjoyed imbibing himself at times.” Cutting & Phillips were succeeded by William Colston
about 1832, who after keeping the tavern for a few years he supposedly gave up the stand to Lewis Lillie. “It was
in Lille’s day that the only Scotch bagpipe ever heard in the village, or at least the only one that has been heard
for years and years, was on exhibition in the hall of this hotel one summer evening. It created a great commo-
tion among the boys, especially the big ones, who penetrated with an extreme disgust for the sound of the thing
forthwith marshalled themselves with all sorts of vile and squeaking instruments and tin pans and paraded
through the street in front of the hall where the poor Scotchman was giving his concerts. Mr. Lillie attempted to
stop them, whereupon there was a division among the people, and the village was in an uproar. However, the
storm soon passed away.”

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