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Paddy Meagher and the Bell Tavern

The Bell Tavern was actually the second bar in Memphis, the first having gained little notoriety.  Although it went through a series of owners over the years and the actual building stood for almost a century, the establishment is most often associated with Paddy Meagher and his daughter Sally.  It has been said that Andrew Jackson was especially fond of Sally Meagher and Paddy boasted of his long and everlasting relationship with Old Hickory.  Recent historians such as James Roper have shown that Jackson spent little if any of his time on the bluff.  He did encourage his troops to settle there after the War of 1812, but did not maintain close relationships with them.

Paddy Meagher eventually drank himself to death and Sally's fortunes were totally ruined by virtue of marrying a gambler who likely believed the rumors that Sally would inherit from Andrew Jackson one day.  She did not.

The most entertaining and least reliable account of the Bell Tavern comes from the Old Times Papers.  That account may be found here.