Jonathan and Angelina Peyton arrived in San Felipe de Austin in the summer of 1822. Like many early settlers in Austin’s colony, the Peytons became merchants shortly after arriving in San Felipe. In 1827, the Peytons purchased four lots in Commerce Square and established the San Felipe Inn, which also became known as Peyton’s Tavern. Many residents of San Felipe dined at the San Felipe Inn. In 1832, meals at Peyton’s Tavern cost 25 cents for breakfast or supper, and dinner cost 37 ½ cents.
Since the late 1960s, archeological investigations at San Felipe have discovered many artifacts from the tavern including an intact fireplace footing and evidence of the dishes and eating utensils used in serving the guests. Archeology there has also revealed some evidence of the kinds of foods consumed at the tavern including a peach pit, a pig snout, and cow and chicken bones.
In March of 1836 as the citizens of San Felipe de Austin were evacuating the town ahead of the advancing Mexican Army in what came to be known as the Runaway Scrape, virtually the entire town, including Peyton’s Tavern, was burned to prevent the Mexican Army from acquiring anything that might be of use to them. After the citizens were allowed to return home to San Felipe, Angela Peyton found “the place bare of everything but the ruins of all my things burnt up…[many] told me afterwards all hated to burn my tavern where they had eaten so many good meals.”
