The O'Neal Genealogy
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TOGA NEWS
Volume IV,
Issue 02, February, 2004

The Sweetroot Inn is no more
I was deeply saddened today to learn of the demise of an historic O'Neal landmark in Chaneysville, Pennsylvania last Sunday night. Below is an article sent to us by TOGA member Glenn Nave. It's from the Bedford Gazette.............
Fire destroys old Chaneysville Hotel

Six fire companies answered the alarm Sunday evening but were unable to save what was apparently the oldest building in Chaneysville. The log hotel was built in 1837, according to current owners Roger and Leila Trail. One person was living in a part of the hotel when the fire broke out; he escaped safely.

In 2002 cousins Kenneth O'Neal, Bev Crowe and my wife & I visited the Hotel and learned a lot about it's history, it's subsequent changing of hands, and current history. We were given a tour inside the Hotel and were given free rein to walk the property and  take all the photos we cared to. 

The tragedy of this fire is not so much in losing the building, but in the loss of the contents. The current owners had refurbished much of the cabin and had built a small but thorough museum inside. There were literally hundreds of framed & hung photos adorning the walls of the old "ballroom."  The original plank topped bar was sanded down and held a multitude of old time trinkets from the hotels illustrious past.  Here's a recap of  our report from the 2002 TOGA Expedition.

The O'Neal Genealogy Association Expedition 2002,
Day Two, The Sweet Root Inn

The Sweetroot Inn     After the James O'Neal Cemetery dedication ceremony we decided to do the Bedford County Tour. Kenneth O'Neal graciously volunteered to lead us around, and off we went. We visited Cleareville, Everett, Chaneyville and most likely visited a few towns that never had the honor of making it onto a map. We found lots of new headstones in various cemeteries, took photos and will begin cataloging and posting them on the web site as time permits.
     Probably the most unexpected find of the 2002 TOGA-Xpedition was what we unearthed at the Sweet Root Inn in Chaneyville. Family History says that Bernard O'Neal built a Hotel in Chaneyville. (See Endnote.) We've known about this hotel for some time now, but have never had the time to investigate further. As we approached the old hotel we noticed that there was a family living in it and they were having a yard sale.