The most tragic and pathetic event in all the long history of the old Stone tavern at Scenery Hill was the death of Lieutenant Colonel Roger S. Dix, while on his way from the battlefields of the Mexican War to Washington, D.C., to settle his accounts as army paymaster. He then expected to join his wife and children in Baltimore.

The late Dr. Homer L. Clark, son of Dr. Byron Clark, wrote an interesting account of Colonel Dix's death and burial which he published in a small book edition in 1905. For years before his death death in 1915. Dr. Clark was a member of the editorial staff of he Observer a very accurate writer. Two contemporary accounts of Colonel Dix's death and burial were published, in The Reporter on January 10, 1849, and in The Examiner on January 13. The Reporter says that he had been unwell coming up the Ohio River and felt worse after leaving Wheeling. When he reached Washington on Saturday, January 6, 1849, he was unable to eat his supper with the other passengers but continued on when the stage left. The coach reached Hillsborough about 8 o'clock
in the evening and when the horses had been changed he said to one of the passengers that he had the cholera and could not go on. He was removed to the Stone Tavern, then kept by Samuel Youman and at the colonel's request a Justice of the Peace was summoned and drew up his will. The Reporter says that he was accompanied by several army officers, but their names were not given. However, Dr. Clark names a Major Anderson, and says that Drs. Joseph W. Alexander and Winston
Rogers, of near Canonsburg, were summoned. The Reporter account mentions four physicians, but names are not given. They agreed that he had cholera, and did ill that was humanly possible to save him. The Reporter account says that "he lingered in great agony until Sunday morning about 2 o'clock, when he died." He was the first victim of the cholera epidemic that swept Western Pennsylvania in 1849.

Colonel Dix was buried at 7 o'clock that Sunday morning of January 7, in the little graveyard on the hill with brief services conducted by Major Anderson. Dr. Clark states that the next year his brother, Timothy Brown Dix, Esq., of Boston erected a plain marble slab at the grave
with this inscription:
Lieut. Col.
Roger S. Dix
U.S. Army
Died Jan. 7, 1840

His grave may still be seen in the cemetery on the hill, but the storms of more than a century have weathered the headstone until the inscription is hard to trace. Years ago while it was still legible, the grave was photographed, and Dr. Clark published this picture.

One day during the past summer I searched in vain for the grave and at last appealed to C. E. Wonsettler, the village watchmaker who lives just across the road from the cemetery. He conducted me to the grave with its weathered headstone on which I could barely trace the name of Dix.
Neither Dr. Clark nor the contemporary newspaper accounts give the first name of Major Anderson. However, the National Archives sent the information that he was Major Nathaniel Anderson of the Tennessee volunteers. In the Archives is the original letter written by Major Anderson, reporting the death. It is short, but it gives all the information:

Washington City January 15th, 1849

General I regret to have the painful duty of announcing to the death of Bvt. Lt. Col. R. S. Dix, paymaster USA -- I was traveling with him in an Extra which left Wheeling, Va., on Saturday morning the 6th – We stopped in the evening about 5 or 6 O. C. PM at a village in Penn. On the National Road called Hillsborough, when he was violently attacked with cholera and died between 1 & 2 O. C. A. M. in the morning of 7th of this month – I remained until I saw him buried & then came on -- His Clerk M. T. S. Goddard took charge of his trunks & Official papers which he brought to this City.

I have the honor to be, Genl. Very Respectfully Yr obt servt.
Nathl. Anderson
Major & Qr M.
Brig. Genl. USA
Adj. Genl. USA
Washington City D.C.