Deborah McLaughlin Disney (c1798- ) was a remarkable businesswoman who leased the hotel(not tavern), then bought it in 1840. An acre was sold for a new courthouse and jail; the deed even stated where Court Street would run, and they had to build a "substantial fence." She increased the hotel size by 1844. "Mrs. Disney's Hotel" or the Union Hotel was a "commodious and well-established hotel," with a 4 story brick addition on the west side, a stable for 70 horses, running water at the stable yard with room for a flower garden, 8 acres to grow vegetables and hay, and outbuildings. She sold it in 1860.A meeting was held at her hotel in 1837 by a group of local businessmen, with Gov. George Howard of "Waverly" as chair, to create an independent Howard District within Anne Arundel county. When they were successful in 1840, the new courthouse was built on an acre of land from Disney, atop the hill behind her hotel. It became a county in 1851. Past post HERE
Deborah married Irvin McLaughlin. [from secondary source, I couldn't find date, etc. Anyone?]
1819 Irvin McLaughlin bought 10 acres from Elias, Thomas and William Brown, for $5000, to be paid in segments.
1824 Irvin borrowed money from the Ellicotts and his collateral included 8 mahogany tables, 15 beds, 5 mirrors, 8 dozen wine glasses, 4 horses, a cow and other items for his hotel. But he failed to pay.
1826 The hotel was auctioned off and the Browns paid $6250.
1829 Charles S. W. Dorsey sold the property to William Lorman of Baltimore.
1835 Marriage: "Edward W. Disney Male [born in Annapolis] 21 Jul 1835 Deborah McLaughlin Baltimore County." He died the next year in Ellicott's mills, age 35. They must have leased the building from the owner Lorman, because the 1837 article refers to "Mrs. Disney's Hotel."
1837. Ellicott’s Mills, Feb 18th, 1837
Agreeably to notice, a meeting of the citizens of the upper section of Anne-Arundel county, was held this day at Mrs. Disney’s Hotel, to take into consideration the propriety of memorializing the Legislature of Maryland to partition off the upper section of said county into a separate county. The meeting was organized by appointing Gov. Howard Chairman, and Col. George Cooke, Secretary. [Maryland Gazette]
1840. On June 17, 1840 Disney bought it from Lorman for $6,000 (10+ acres and "Mount Misery"). After two decades, Disney sold it on Feb 5, 1862 to John R. Clark for $5,800. [Md Land Records]
1840 map of George Ellicott’s division of real estate from HO-82 shows 'Tavern' with additions on north side of the Frederick Turnpike. Click to enlarge.
In 1840 Howard District of Anne Arundel county was formed and needed its own courthouse, jail and almshouse, so district commissioners got land from Disney to build a courthouse. The deed was signed Feb 8, 1841. [Md Land Records]
1840 Disney obtained the deed on June 17, 1840 from Lorman for $6,000 for 10+ acres and “Mount Misery.” The same day she borrowed $3500 (promissory note within two years) thus settled on a mortgage with Reuben M. Dorsey (trustee for Susannah Brookes) “Mt Misery” and discuss the new courthouse. Thus, on Feb 8, 1841 they both had to sign over the deed to “two pieces or parcels of ground” to the three commissioners of Howard District of Anne Arundel County and to their successors in office - William H. Worthington, Wesley Linthicum and Perry Gaither for a new Court house and Jail being built. The land started at the fence or line between Ellicotts and McLaughlin (now Disney’s) to the new jail being built. The commissioners would build and maintain a thirty five foot wide road between “Disney’s Hotel and the store now occupied by McLaughlin and Butler” go past Disney’s stables on “an easy grade around the hill” behind the Hotel with a “substantial fence” along the road and upper property... [Md Land Records]
1844 Howard district court…come on, we have as good judges…Mrs. Disney has enlarged her hotel by the addition of a large and beautiful four-story brick building attached to the west end, which no doubt will add much to the accommodations of her excellent establishment; while friend Barling, “as busy as a bee,” is ready to entertain man and beast at his far-famed “Patapsco Hotel.” And last but not least, friend Dorsey, the supervisor has had Main street shoveled and scraped, so that you now can pass over where you please without losing or even soiling your shoes, I move him a vote of thanks [Baltimore Sun Mar 14, 1844]
1850 census
Deborah Disney, age 52 and born in Maryland, was living at "Hotel" with her real estate valued at $10,000. William J. McLaughlin age 27 (MD) was hotel keeper; Henry McGowan 20 (Ireland) was bar keeper; Mrs. Bryant 45 (KY) with her 17 yr old son, and George Bond 23(MD) who could not read or write.
1851 "A Constitution Meeting. – A large meeting convened last night at Mrs. Disney’s hotel, to consider the proposed new Constitution. John S Tylor, esq. John TB Dorsey. Col. Hugh Ely…" [Sun]
1852 "celebrations in grove behind the Union Hotel" [Sun]
1856 “The fourth at Ellicott’s mills” 4th July events held by the YMCA “in the beautiful grove near the Court House, for the benefit of their Library.” Tables “stretched along near Mrs. Disney’s hotel" [Sun]
1857 4th of July march of 800 ended at grove behind hotel – where seats were set up
1856 promissory note to William McLaughlin of Baltimore for $2736.96
Household furniture - 7 mahagany table, 2 mahagany card tables, one work stand, fifteen high post besteads, nine low post bedsteads, twenty two feather beds, seven washstands, three Bureaus, one Mahagany sideboard, one pine side board, one sofa, two wardrobes, twelve cane seat chairs, two cane seat rocking chairs, thirty six common chairs, three large looking glasses, two clocks, two [stoves] one stove, kitchen and kitchen furniture, and all other furniture and affects…” [Md Land Records]
1860 census
Disney age 60 listed her real estate value at $12,000 and personal at $500. The only other person listed was George Gully 35 (MD) B (black), "servant," "idiotic".
1860 Martenet’s map of Howard County - "Union Hotel Mrs. Disney" and 2d building to west "Mrs. Disney" ("brick office") more below.
1860 Sale
Union Hotel, Ellicott’s Mills, at Private Sale
The above commodious and well-established HOTEL is now offered at Private Sale, and presents a fine opportunity to an energetic hotel keeper or hotel company for a fine investment.
Adjoining the property is about eight acres of ground well adapted for raising all the vegetables and hay for the use of the establishment, which can be had with the hotel, if desired.
The Hotel has fine Stabling for about seventy horses.
All the required out buildings are on the place, with running water in the stable yard, and sufficient ground for a flower garden.
For terms and further particulars inquire of Mrs. Deborah Disney on the premises, or Dr. D. B. McLaughlin, at Ellicott’s Mills.
If not sold at private sale, it will be offered at PUBLIC SALE on the FIRST TUESDAY OF JUNE next, at 12 o’clock PM. [1860 April 30 - May 25 ad in the Baltimore Sun]
1860 July 19 “The Union Hotel, at Ellicott’s Mills, was sold yesterday to John Clark for $5,000. [Sun]
1862 The deed was registered to John R. Clark for $5,800.
1864 Disney continued to sell off other land parcels.
Deborah Disney’s Brick Building
8344 Main / 8398 Court Ave.
Now called Curran-Bierly House, it was originally “a two bay wide, two bay deep, two story high, gabled roof (running east-west) brick building, resting on a stone foundation.” A frame home built later encases it.
Deborah Disney was "assessed for a new brick office" [Cramm] and was on the 1860 map (above)
"Mount Misery"
1845 Mar 1845 "Public Sale…decree of the Court of the Chancery… on March 25 “on the South side of the Baltimore and Frederick turnpike road, at the junction of the turnpike with Merryman street. … fronts upon the turnpike road seventy-five feet, and runs back, binding on Merryman street one hundred and fifty feet.…a large double two-story DWELLING, built of granite in the most substantial manner, with Stabling in the rear, and a large Garden… The Dwelling was built, and until lately occupied by Mr. William McLaughlin." [Sun]
1859 Apr 2, 25 building lots part of “Mount Misery” bordering pike, nearly opposite Mrs. Disney’s
Tavern. Beautiful grove of large Oak and Hickory trees, and would be admirably adapted for a fine Country Seat.” [Sun]
1859 Se 12 sale of large lot of ground in the village of Ellicott’s Mills, fronting Mrs. Disney’s hotel, now …Ellicott’s Mills and Baltimore omnibus line… 2 story stone dwelling with basement kitchen and out-buildings, large frame stable for 12 horses, coach house... [Sun]
McLaughlin family
This large family had several members in the hotel trade. After a few years of sporadic hunting I could not definitively find Irvin who Deborah is supposed to have married, nor William J. McLaughlin working with her in 1850, probably her son since she was his executor in 1855. Initially I thought it was Irvin (1799-1865) the eldest of 3 brothers born to Patrick (c1776-1829) and Ann in Havre de Grace, Md. His brother William (1803-1860) built Mount Misery and died at their other brother's Baltimore Barnum's Hotel - Andrew McLaughlin who had the lottery for lower Ellicott mills Main St. in 1834. More HERE
Charles (c1760-1806) and Ann McLaughlin were the parents of Patrick, Thomas, John and Margaret "Peggy" (c1780-1812). At some point Charles owned the Union Tavern/City Tavern in Georgetown, more HERE at one end of the mail run from Baltimore. George Washington attended dances there. Daughter Peggy became the second wife of John Gadsby (1766-1844) of Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria in 1805. They moved to Baltimore when they leased the Indian Queen in 1808 and installed state-of-the-art cooking apparatus, more HERE
Dr. David Barnum McLaughlin, son of Andrew and Francis (Barnum) McLaughlin returned to live in what used to be McLaughlin's tavern (now Trolley Stop). He was the administrator for the sale of Deborah McLaughlin Disney's hotel in 1860.
Talbott & Clark Hardware 1894
Map shows a brick (red) building. Not sure if it was the four story 1844 addition to the older hotel. Now there is a fancier stone building by the old hotel. The stable and garden area became the lumber yard. Currently a parking lot.
Baltimore Sun dates given before info
Census 1950, 1860; Ancestry.com
Cramm, Joetta. Historic Ellicott City, A Walking Tour. 1990
HO-82 HERE Disney Hotel
HO-343 Disney's brick building (Curran-Bierly House)
HO-557 "Mount Misery"
HO-51 Courthouse
Image - 1840 map of George Ellicott’s division of real estate from HO-82
Image - 1860 Martenet’s map of Howard County
Image - courthouse, from the 1850s print by Sachse
Image - horses Howard County Historical Society
Maryland Gazette. Feb 23, 1837
Md Land Records: Grantor/Grantee Index 1840-1983 State Archives.
©2020 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD
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