December 5, 1909. A disastrous fire occurred about 1AM in Trainor’s Hotel, one of the oldest hostelries in this town. The fire originated in the barn and spread rapidly to the hotel. The wind was blowing hard at the time and the fire department, which responded quickly, rendered valuable services in protecting adjoining property, and immediately in the rear are a lumber yard and sawmills. The fire department was at a disadvantage by not being able to get water as there is no storage system in the town. The damage is estimated at about $20,000, which is partly covered by insurance.
Trainor’s Hotel was where Katies Bar is today (145 West Main Street). The foundation is the same as its was then.
Brooklyn Eagle 12-6-1909 and mild reference in the Smithtown FD 100th Anniversary book.
Some history of Trainor’s from the website www.maggieblanck.com:
| Next to the train station on Main street, was the Trainor Hotel owned by John/James Trainor. It can perhaps be glimpsed behind the trees in the 1907 postcard image above. The hotel burned to the ground in 1909.In March 1891 Herman T. Smith et al transferred a lot on the north side of the highway in Smithtown to “James Trainor” for $230.In August 1892 John Trainor was forced to muzzle his immense dog who was frightening passers by.By the spring of 1893 Trainor’s hotel was already a popular resort for anglers – drawing men from Brooklyn and Manhattan for the trout fishing.In October 1893 10 former employees of Mr. Russett came to Smithtown to decorate his grave. They were wined and dined so well at the Trainor hotel that nine of them missed the train back to the city and were forced to spend the night.John Trainor was the proprietor of the Trainor Hotel in Smithtown in 1894 when he was mentioned in Forest & Stream Volume 43. He was also mentioned in March as J. H. Trainor, the proprietor of a popular Smithtown fishing resort, who hosted a 4 o’clock breakfast to “jolly party of anglers” at the start of trout season.In June 1896 a meeting was held at the Trainor Hotel in Smithtown regarding a suit to take place in Brooklyn for the false arrests and destroying of nets used in shad fishing in the Nessequogue River.John H Trainor of Smithtown “Near Railroad Station” held a liquor license in 1898 (Directory of liquor tax certificate holders)The 1900 Federal Census listed on Main street in Smithtown: John N Trainor 39, born Ireland, hotel keeper, Catherine Trainor 28, 4 children 3 living, James Trainor 6, son, Mary Trainor 4, daughter, Catherine Trainor 6/12, daughter, Philip Mcgenity 42, brother in law, assistant at hotel, Rose Mcgenity 30, sister in law, Ellen Conway 32, servant, cook, Herbert Brunba 45 hostlerMrs. “John” Trainor of Smithtown Branch died August 19, 1901. She left her husband, John, proprietor of the Trainor hotel at Smithtown Station, and two small children. She was buried in the Catholic Cemetery. In June 1902 a young engaged couple found themselves stranded in Smithtown after the last train left for New York. Miss Florence Anne Wigton, an 18 year old blond, and her fiance, William H Feldtman, an employee in a linen store in Brooklyn and the manager of a baseball team who had come to play in Smithtown, were engaged to be married on August 6th. The Trainor hotel refused to let a room for the night to the still single Miss Wigton. So the couple eloped and were quickly married by a local justice of the peace. Having proven their marriage they were granted a room for the night.”James” Trainor owned land on the north side of Main street near the Smithtown train station in 1904. On December 5, 1909 a disastrous fire occurred at 1 A. M. at the Trainor Hotel. The blaze originated in the barn and was quickly spread by the high winds to the hotel. Due to a shortage of stored water the fire department could do little more than protect the nearby train station building, a lumber yard and a sawmill. No mention was made of injury or loss of life in any of the news stories covering the event.The damage was estimated at $20,000 with partial insurance coverage.The 1910 Federal Census listed on Main street in Smithtown: John H Trainor 51, widow, hotel proprietor, born Ireland, James B Trainor 17, apprentice plumber.“James Trainor and wife” transfered property near the Smithtown R.R. to Maurice E. Hodgekinson, Main County road adj. land of the L. I. R. R. co. Smithtown in November 1911 for a nominal amount.(In 1910 Maurice E. Hodgkinson, age 40 grain dealer, and his wife, Addie age 39, and sons George 17 and Carlyle age 9 were listed in the census a few families away from the Trainors. Mr. Hodgkinson was also know as M. Elliott Hodgkinson.)In 1911 George Morsing was beginning the construction of a large fire proof brick building to be used as a butcher shop and general store. In 1910 George Morsing, age 36, single, born Denmark, salesman, grocery store, live on St. James Road near Landing ave., Smithtown.In December 1913 George Morsing and ex-Postmaster Howard M Brush planned to open a grocery store in a newly erected brick building near the train station at the site of the former “James” Trainor Hotel which had been destroyed by fire.The 1915 census listed on Bellmead ave near Main street, (no house number) Howard M Brush 32, grocer, Myra F Brush 32, wife, Howard M Brush 6, son, Elizabeth Wherler 60, mother in law, Beatice L Wheeler 23, sister in law, Geo Morsing 30, partner, born Denmark grocerIn 1931, J. Barbieri gave G. Morsing of Smithtown Branch a Mortgage of $11,500 for “lot n. s. Main st. adj. land LIRR, Smithtown BranchIn October and November of 1939 George Morsing of Smithtown Branch was listed under Bounded and Described Property:”Store, office building and land bounded north and west by L. I. R. R. east by M. E. Hodgkinson south by main street. 1-16 acre, $179.76.” http://maggieblanck.com/Land/SmithtownTS.html |
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