History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 91

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967

USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 91
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 91
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 91

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The first paper published in Meyersdale was the Dale City Record, started in 1879 by Henry R. Holsinger, who continued its publication until August, 1878. Mr. Holsinger also published a religious newspaper called the Christian Family Companion, which attained a circulation of about six thousand copies. At the date given, Suhrie & Smith purchased the Record for one thousand dollars and combined it with the Salis- bury Independent. The journal thenceforth appeared under the name of the Valley Indepen- dent. At that time there was a bitter factional fight as to what the town should be called. The Independent espoused the name Meyersdale, which was finally adopted. In 1874 Suhrie & Smith made an assignment to J. O. Meyers, who published the paper until January 1, 1875, when the stock was sold to the Independent Printing Company, consisting of Col. M. D. Miller, J. O. Meyers, Dr. W. H. Meyers, G. D. and E. M. Lichty. Under this management L. A. Smith was editor and business manager. The paper was enlarged to eight columns, and its name changed to the Meyersdale Independent. In May, 1877, Mr. Smith retired from the editorial man- agement and was succeeded by George H. Suh- rie, who continued in charge until the following

September. The establishment was then sold to Tillman Hawes, and the publication was dis- continued until February, 1878. It was then revived and continued until the following May. Mr. Hawes then went to Connellsville to estab- lish the Connellsville Chronicle, and the Inde pendent ceased to exist.

In 1846 the Berlin Republikaner, a German newspaper, was established in Berlin. It was a small six-column folio, and its publisher and editor was Samuel J. Row, now of Indiana, Pennsylvania. It had a circulation of about eight hundred, but its publication was con- tinued only three or four years.

The Berlin Bulletin was published by H. R. Holsinger during the political campaign of 1878. Afterward the material was merged into another paper published by Mr. Holsinger.

The first number of the Times, a new Somer- net county journal, with central office at Rock- wood and permanent agencies at Somerset and Meyersdale, was issued October 20, 1888. It is published every Saturday by a stock company consisting of prominent business men of Somer- set, Meyersdale and Rockwood. In size it is a standard sheet of twenty-eight columns. Non- partisan in politics and furnished to subscribers at the rate of one dollar per year, it started out under the editorial management of Edward H. Werner, with a subscription list approximating one thousand names.

CHAPTER LV.

THE SCHOOLS OF SOMERSET COUNTY."

A General View of the Educational Interests of the County - The Past Condition of Schools Contrasted with the Present - Illiteracy in 1880 - A School in Turkey-Foot in 1776 -General History of the Schools in each Township and Borough - Log Schoothouses -German Teachers -Opposition to Free Schools -Friends of Education - Statistics.

W HILE schools were maintained only by subscription the cause of education made but little progress. Many people were compelled through poverty to let their children grow up without education. Others were op- posed on principle to more than the simplest elementary training. According to the United States census of 1830, there were about three

*This chapter is mainly from an article in the report of the state superintendent of public instruction for 1877, by J. B. Whip- key, county superintendent.

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HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

thousand five hundred persons in Somerset county, or about one-sixth of the entire popula- tion, who could neither read nor write. Four years later the state made provision for the maintenance of free public schools. The law was bitterly opposed, and in several townships of the county the enemies of popular education were in a majority and prevented the adoption of the system. On the other hand, liberal- minded and wise citizens worked earnestly in behalf of the cause, and at length convinced their opponents of their error. Today the public schools throughout the county are gener- ally wisely managed and almost universally befriended. As a consequence, Somerset county will compare favorably in point of intelligence with other sections of the state.

The earliest school in the county, so far as can be learned, was conducted under the auspices of the New Jersey settlers in Turkey-Foot township as early as 1776. Probably the Bap- tist settlers of that neighborhood supported a school in connection with the church which they founded in 1775. About the year 1800 an Irishman, whose name is lost to history, taught a school in an old, dilapidated dwelling, which stood near the Turkey-Foot church. About 1828 Mr. Cox and David Roderick commenced teach- ing in Turkey-Foot. The first schoolhouse in Lower Turkey-Foot was built in 1830, near the old Jennings farm, and David Roderick was the first teacher in the new house. The free- school system was accepted in 1830. Henry L. Holbrook and Abraham Collins were members of the first school board. Up to 1848, when the township was divided into Upper and Lower Turkey-Foot, Hugh Connelly, Elijah Younkin, John Lichliter, Jackson Mitchell and A. J. Col- born were efficient teachers.

John Drury taught a school near Kingwood, in Upper Turkey-Foot, in 1812. William Kil- patrick taught in a private house near Paddy- town in 1815. A schoolhouse was built near John Cramer's in 1820, and Bernard Conrad was the first teacher.

The first school in Addison township was taught in a private house near Petersburg, in 1792. The first schoolhouse was built in 1800, near the Casselman river, on land now owned by William Hanna. Adam Bowlin, a better hunter than teacher, was the instructor. The township promptly accepted the free-school law in 1834, and under such earnest school direc-

tors as Gen. Ross and Judge Hanna, the schools soon became efficient.

Ursina borough has one of the best school- buildings in the county, and supports a well graded school. Confluence also has a prosper- ous school, well graded and wisely conducted. Both Ursina and Confluence are new towns, built since the opening of the Pittsburgh & Connellsville railroad.

The town of Berlin maintained schools from a very early date. The Reformed and Lutheran congregations each had schoolhouses and schools as early as 1780. The schoolhouses were built of round logs ; the benches were made of slabs and the tables of rough boards. A stone school- house was built near the Reformed church in 1825, and about the same time a new frame build- ing took the place of an old schoolhouse which stood on the present site of the Lutheran Sun- day-school building. Berlin formed an inde- pendent school district in 1836, and the follow- ing year adopted the free-school system. School- houses have since been erected in 1837, 1857 and 1876. The present schoolhouse is of brick, of ample size and provided with the best furni- ture. Philip Smith, Rev. John Brubaker and I. F. Rodabaugh were efficient teachers in this town, and brought the schools to a standard unsurpassed by any in the county. An old church was converted into a seminary in 1858, and was kept open five terms.

In Brother's Valley township German schools were taught very early. The people were op- posed to the free schools, and did not accept them until 1849. Prior to that time few build- ings were erected solely for schools, and in 1850 but six schools were maintained in the township. Steady progress has attended the schools, and they are now thriving and prosperous.

In Summit township the early schools were taught in private houses and deserted dwellings. A schoolhouse was erected on the Kensinger farm as early as 1795, but it is not. known that a school was ever taught in it. 1 German school was taught in an old dwelling on the Harrick farm in 1796. Common schools were adopted with great difficulty in 1844. Guns were loaded to shoot the tax collector. Fortu- nately no blood was shed, and the schools became popular.

A schoolhouse of round logs, furnished with benches made of split logs, was built, where Meyersdale now stands, in 1812. William

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THE SCHOOLS OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

Shocky, Peter Engle and others were early teachers. In 1822 a larger school-building was erected, and in 1842 it was refitted. Gen. William H. Koontz, C. G. Stutzman, George Knee and C. C. Musselman were among the teachers in this house. The present school- building was erected in 1861. (Further notice of the schools of Meyersdale is given in the history of that borough.)

Peter Fahrny taught a German school in Elk Lick township in 1794, in a log house on the Christopher Garlitz farm. ' Jackson Griffith probably taught the first English school in 1810. The schoolhouse was an old dwelling which stood on the present John J. Keim farm. After- ward a man named Turney taught here. The old house had no desks, and the citizens made a few of rough boards and placed them in the room ; but when the teacher came, he was in- dignant and threw the furniture out, stating that desks had a tendency to make lazy pupils. The first schoolhouse was built on Samuel Lichty's farm, about 1830. Free schools were accepted in 1844. There has since been good progress.

In Salisbury, a round-log schoolhouse was built on a lot of land donated by Joseph Markley, about 1800. The first teacher was named War- field ; McConnell was his successor. Peter Welfley taught several . terms successfully. Jost J. Stutzman was the next teacher, and on account of his proficiency in grammar he was called the " Grammar King." 'His home was in Salisbury, and under his efficient management the school of the town attained a high grade from which it has never fallen .. Mr. Stutzman devoted forty-five years of his life to the teacher's profession. L. A. Smith and J. D. Meese have also been efficient teachers in the town.

The people of Quemahoning township gave little attention to education until 1840, when the free-school system was adopted. Early private schools, both English and German, were main- tained by English and German settlers for the benefit of their own families. A few school- houses were built as early as 1825. The town- ship now stands among the first in the county in the number and character of its schools.

About the year 1798 Henry Staufer taught a school in a church which stood near the old cemetery at Stoystown. He also taught in an old dwelling in 1808. A round-log schoolhouse was erected in 1810 and torn away in 1828.

The third schoolhouse on the same site was erected in 1860. Henry Staufer and Samuel Pearson were among the best teachers prior to the opening of free schools. Stoystown borough was incorporated in 1838 and adopted free schools the same year. Prof. Frederick Grof had charge of the borough school for several years, and raised it to a high standard of excellence.

In Milford township log buildings were early erected, which served both as churches and schoolhouses. A Mr. Wilkinson taught in an old church near Jacob Critchfield's present resi- dence, in 1807. There were few schoolhouses until 1884, when the free-school system went into effect in the township. Col. Will, of Mil- ford, a member of the legislature when the act was passed, was much censured for voting for the bill. The free schools, however, soon became popular, and under good directors and efficient teachers have been most successful.

A schoolhouse was built where New Centre- ville now is, in 1998. A small house joined to it served as the temporary residence of the teacher. Here Jacob Weimer resided and taught the school for several years. The third school- house on the same site was completed in 1874. It contains two large and well furnished rooms. The school has been under able management for several years, and is in a prosperous con- dition.

An Irishman named James Kennedy was the first teacher in Somerset township. He had been bought by Herman Husband, at Baltimore, for money to pay his passage-fare across the ocean. It seems that he had escaped from an Irish monastery, and knew little of the outside world. After it was found that his services as s laborer were of no value, it was decided to make him a schoolmaster. Accordingly he was set to work in an old cabin in 1777. He tried to teach his pupils the Catholic doctrine, and failed. He also utterly failed as an instructor, and left his school, declaring that it was use- less to attempt to teach children who knew nothing. A schoolhouse was built near the present site of Samuel's church in 1798. Israel Bailey taught frere in 1804 .. A teacher named Youngman opened a school in the same house in 1805, but died before finishing his term. Schoolhouses were built at Casebeer's church and near Will's church early. The greater number of the early schools were held in

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HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

private houses. Free schools were accepted by only a small majority in 1841. Among the most efficient teachers prior to that time were Robert Laughton and Dr. Patterson.

The first schoolhouse in the town of Somer- set was built on the southwestern corner of the Lutheran cemetery. A Frenchman named Cos- tell, a fine scholar, was the teacher. The sec- ond school-building was erected on the lot where the Union schoolhouse now stands. This lot was donated to the town for educational purposes by Peter Ankeny, one of the origi- nal proprietors. The schools of the town are six in number, and have ample accommo- dations. Sylvester Collom, F. J. Kooser and William H. Sanner were efficient teachers of the town. The schools have generally been well conducted, and their condition is highly creditable to the citizens.

About 1812 Gen. Alexander Ogle, then state senator, succeeded in getting a state appropri- ation of two thousand dollars for the erection of a county academy at Somerset. The build- ing was erected the next year, and Mr. Costell, a master both of German and French, was placed in charge. Mr. Blood was afterward principal, and organized the first Latin class ever taught in the county. Henry L. Holbrook, a faithful and popular teacher, was principal from 1826 to 1838. Col. J. R. Edie, while principal in 1842, introduced the first black- board ever used in the county. Subsequently the academy building was devoted to the use of the common schools. In 1882 the old acade- my was torn down, and in its place a public school-building, costing about ten thousand dol- lars, has been built.

A school was taught in a private house near Bakersville, in Jefferson township, in 1801. James White, an inebriate, taught in 1815. William Scott and Henry Weimer were later teachers. Jefferson township was included in Somerset until 1847.

Middle Creek was a part of Milford until 1853. The first schoolhouse was built near Barron's church, in 1815. David Tedrow, George Tedrow and George Lenhart were early teach- ers. Jesse Moore and John Boucher were active and energetic members of the first school board. Josiah Pile and Evan Scott were among the best qualified teachers when the township was formed.

A few German schools were taught in Cone- maugh township as early as 1800. Education, however, received little attention. After the common-school law was passed, it was evaded by electing directors who refused to enforce it. This state of affairs continued until 1869, when the friends of the common-school system made complaint to the court and the directors were made to discharge their duties. Since then the schools have made good progress and opposi- tion has died out.

In Jenner township, Moses Fream taught the first school, in his own house, in 1804. The first schoolhouse was built in 1814. A second was erected near the Quaker church in 1816, and in it Samuel Boyles taught school. The schools are now well conducted and efficient. Jennertown borough has maintained a good school since its incorporation in 1874.

The early schools of Stony Creek township were German, and were generally taught in pri- vate houses. A schoolhouse was built on the Joseph Glessner farm in 1795. Henry Stauffer taught near Shanksville, in 1807. A school- house was built at this place in 1820. Free schools were accepted in 1838. The schools are now in excellent condition.

The first schools in Shade township were taught in private houses by Caspar Statler, William Nool, Samuel Pearson and others. A schoolhouse was built near the present home of Samuel Statler, in 1810. Prior to the accept- ance of the free schools in 1837, there were few schools in the township, and some pupils were obliged to walk six miles to attend.

The first school in Paint township was taught by M. Seese, in a private house on the Jonas Weaver farm. The first schoolhouse was erected on the A. D. Weaver farm, and here a teacher named Schultz taught both English and German. The present school system was ao- cepted in 1861 through the earnest efforts of Joseph Lehman, Peter Berkey and other friends of education. There were but four schoolhouses in the township prior to 1861.

Henry Zufall taught a school near Wellers- burg, in Southampton township, in 1796. The first schoolhouse was built a short distance south of Wellersburg in 1802. John Knox McGee taught an English school in 1803. Peter Wilhelm and Jacob Ketring taught Ger- man schools at different times. The township

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BOROUGH OF SOMERSET.

adopted the present system in 1885. Wellers- burg has a graded school, which is well con- ducted.

A school was taught at Shaffer's church, Allegheny township, by Mr. Appleman, in 1810. Early schools were held in private houses. Little attention was then paid to education. Free schools were adopted by the township in 1835.

At New Baltimore the first school was organ- ized in the Catholic church, in 1880. A school- house was built in 1868. S. M. Topper was the first teacher in this building. The citizens of the borough generally are interested in the school.

Peter Engel taught the first school in Green- ville township, in the old Greenville church, in 1810. The present system was adopted in 1835.

Hiram Finley, Esq., and Peter Engel were members of the first school board, and deserve much credit for their labors in behalf of the schools. Solomon Engel was also an efficient member of the school board for many years.

In Northampton township Charles Peterson taught a German school in 1796, in the house of Philip Poorbaugh. The first schoolhouse was built on the Valentine Bridigum farm, and in it a German school was taught in 1816. The township (then included in Southampton) adopted the free schools in 1885.

The first school in Larimer township was taught at the White Oak church in 1824, by Daniel De Haven, who was then pastor of the congregation. At the time of the adoption of the common-school system in 1885, there were but two schools within the present limits of the township. The citizens have since shown com- mendable interest in school matters.

In early times debating societies were sup- ported in many neighborhoods with good results. They have long since passed away, but in their place almost every township has organized literary societies, which have been most successful. The first teachers' institute was held in 1855. The sessions of this institute have since been under the control of the county school superintendents, and have had an im- portant influence in improving methods of instruction.

The following statistics from the last report of the state superintendent show the present condition of the schools of the county :

TABULAR STATEMENT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDING JUNE 5, 1882.

Districts.

No. of schools.

Average No. of

months taught.

No. of male

teachers.

No. of female

No. of pupils at-

tending school.

Total expendi-

tures.

Addison ..

227

$1,891 45

Berlin

1,582 07

Brother's Valley

288

1,728 87

Conemaugh

278

1,670 88

Confluence

948 80

Elk Lick.

265

2,888 87

Greenville

144

1,585 99

Jenner

8H0

2,469 28

Jennertown

159 09

Larimer

587 86

Middle Creek

104

670 65

Milford ..

889

2,741 27

Meyen dale

289

2,026 28

New Baltimore.

144 44

New Centreville

204 62

Northampton

165

1,585 27

Paint ...

195

1,678 85

Quemahoning

218

1,602 40

Salisbury.

117

781 87

Shade .....

1,524 72

Somerset borough.

268

1,477 61

Somerset township.

644

4,822 56

Southampton

609 78

Stony Creek

1,740 96

Stoystown.

....

862

2,866 84

Turkey-Foot, Upper.

210

1,218 26

Turkey-Foot, Lower

724 80

Ursina ...

8,848 10

...

221 60

Total

2861/2

5.06

208

6.078

$48,504 02

Average wages of male teachers, per month, $28.92; female teachers, 828.75; number of male scholars, 4,789; female scholars, 4,158; average per cent of attendance, 79; state appropriaton, 86,277.69 ; total receipts, 854,- 988.82.

CHAPTER LVI.

BOROUGH OF SOMERSET.

Its Location and Population - Fragments of the History of this Vicinity Prior to 1795 - Made the County Seat - Name Changed from Brunerstown to Somerset - Original Limits- Names of its First Inhabitants - Made a Borough - Its In- habitants at that Time - Gradual Progress - A Church and an Academy Built -Residents of 1814-Prominent Citizens in the Years 1820, 1890, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1883 - Borough Officers-Conflagrations of 1888, 1872 and 1876 -Bankers - Secret Associations-Churches.

T THE borough of Somerset, with a population of about twelve hundred, is pleasantly situated in the central part of the county, of which it has been the seat of justice since Sep- tember, 1795. It also enjoys the proud distinc- tion of being the highest county-seat in the

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Allegheny.

205

1,815 09

152

....

122

849 44

Jefferson

....

188

....

462 06

Summit .

....

Welleraburg.

.. ..

teachers.

444

HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

commonwealth of Pennsylvania." By reason of the great period which has intervened since its establishment, the disappearance of its founders and first settlers, and the disastrous results of conflagrations, which by thrice sweep- ing across its site have destroyed all, or nearly all, records, books, newspaper files, etc., bearing upon its early history, he who now essays to chronicle the important events of the past one hundred years will necessarily labor under many and peculiar disadvantages.

Prior to the beginning of the revolutionary war, this vicinity, then forming part of Quema. honing township, of Bedford county, was sparsely settled. But before the conclusion of the long struggle for independence, nearly all of the widely scattered inhabitants of Quemahon- ing were driven by Indians, under pay of the British government, into the more thickly popu- lated districts at Bedford, Conococheague and Ligonier. Immediately after the cessation of hostilities, many of the original settlers returned to their "claims." At the same time their num- bers were rapidly increased by the constant flow of immigration pouring westward over the Allegheny mountain.

The men of Quemahoning, of that period, lived lives of great toil and hardship, and un- complainingly endured many privations, yet the names of but few of those who settled in the vicinity of the site of Somerset prior to the year 1795 have been preserved. Among them, however, were John Penrod, a hunter, Harmon Husband, Henry Bruner, George Bruner, Ulrich Bruner, Jonathan Buck, Peter Ankeny and Adam Schneider. It appears that Husband was the original owner of part of the town site. At an early day he transferred one hundred acres to the Bruners, who, before the year 1787, laid out town lots, streets, etc., and named the locality "Brunerstown." Subsequently Adam Schneider became the owner of Brunerstown. Respecting the transfer from Husband to Bru- ner, and from the latter to Schneider, the trans- actions are partly explained in the following copy of an old document which was found sev- eral years ago among papers in the possession of Adam Schneider's heirs :

Articles of agreement made this 24th day of Sep- tember, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, between Woolrickt Bru-

* Its altitude is nearly 2,200 feet above the sea level.

t Doubtless a misspelling of the name Ulrich.

ner, of Milford township, in Bedford County and State of Pennsylvania, of the one part, and Adam Snider, of Washington County, in the State of Maryland, of the other part. Witnesseth : That the said Adam Snider hath agreed with, bought and bargained with the said Woolrick Bruner, for a certain tract and par- cel of land whereon the said Woolrick Bruner now lives, containing two hundred acres of land and up- wards by estimation, be the same more or less; it being that part of the said Bruner's dwelling-place which lays on the north side of a big road" along the main street of a town which the said Bruner laid out into lots some years ago, which said whole land in- cluded about one hundred acres that the said Bruner bought of Harmon Husband, with another survey of about three hundred acres warranted in the name of George Bruner, and patented to him the said Woolrick Bruner, that part of which whole land being before sold to one Jonathan Buck, which lays south of the said big road and Main street of the said town lots; and for which said two hundred acres of land the said Adam Snider agrees to pay him, the said Woolrick Bruner, the sum of one hundred pounds current money of the State of Pennsylvania, in money, and one house and lot in Baltimore town, on Howard street, joining the widow Bankles, and occupied by Jacob Reader; and pay the said sum of one hundred pounds in two payments, that is, fifty pounds on the first day of October next and fifty pounds more on the first day of May next.

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History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 91

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 967

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967