USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 94
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 94
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 94
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According to the account above referred to, the names of the sufferers by this fire and the losses sustained by each were as follows :
Davis, McCoy & Co $20,000
Somerset House, Mrs. E. A. Flick, proprietrece 20,000
Francis E. Weimer. 4,000
Ezra Griffin 6,000
C. & G. Holderbaum 12,000
Herman L. Baer 13,000
George R. Parker 10,000
Solomon Baer. 5,000
H. A. Flick 10,000
Flick & Kreger 3,000
Valentine Hay 15,000
John H. Uhl. 12,000
Dr. Henry Brubaker 4,000
Barnet House, B. Picking, owner 12,000
John Cessna, Esq . 2,500
J. W. Patton 5,000
Barnet Picking, dwelling-house 5,000
Mrs. Emily Ogle 4,000
Besides those mentioned, there were a con- siderable number of others who lost personal property of much value. However, the dis- trict last burned over has been largely rebuilt, and spacious hotels, elegant private residences and stately business houses have now taken the place of nearly all spaces made vacant by the fires of 1872 and 1876.
* From the Somerset Herald, May 10, 1876.
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HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
BANKING.
About 1853, John T. Hogg, of Fayette county, established the first banking-house in the town of Somerset. William Roddy, who still resides at Petersburg, in this county, was the manager. This house continued business some five or six years, and then closed up its affairs without loss.
George Ross & Co. started another banking institution about the year 1860. After two or three years Michael A. Sanner & Co. succeeded to the business, who failed in 1877.
Tredwell (M.) & Schell (Henry F.) also started a banking-house about 1860. After some time Mr. Schell sold out his interests to Tred- well. Finally the latter was robbed of an amount claimed to be $20,000, which ended his career here as a banker.
In 1866, Schell (Henry F.) and Kimmel (John O.) established a banking-house, which was afterward conducted by John O. Kimmel & Sons. This firm likewise met with reverses, and failed in 1878.
The present Somerset County Bank, Capt. Charles J. Harrison, president, and Milton J. Pritts, Esq., cashier, was established by Capt. Harrison, October 1, 1877. This house is now doing a business of about $80,000 per annum.
Capt. Harrison is a native of Wheeling, West Virginia. Before removing to Somerset he resided for some years in Cumberland, Mary- land. During the war of the rebellion he served over three years in the 6th W. Va. Vols., under Gens. Kelly, Schenck and others, in West Virginia, Maryland and the valley of Virginia. He came to Somerset from Cumberland, Mary- land, in 1872, and subsequently married a daugh- ter of Michael A. Sanner.
SECRET ASSOCIATIONS.
MASONIC.
About the year 1819, a masonic organization, known as Somerset Lodge, No. 84, A. Y. M., was organized in the town of Somerset, of which, at one time, the following named gentle- men served as officers : Chauncey Forward, W.M .; - Ankeny, S.W .; John Patton, J.W .; Harmon Updegraff, S.D., and Jacob Graft, Tiler.
For years, or until the inauguration of the powerful anti-masonic movement throughout the country, this lodge flourished and owned a
property in the borough, on Union street, * worth more than two thousand dollars. Just before so much bitter feeling had been aroused against the Masons, a prominent resident of the borough sought admission to this lodge as a member, but without avail, for he was black- balled. He then endeavored to become a member of lodges at Greensburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, and at Washington, D. C., but again failed, being rejected at all points. As a result, he became terribly incensed against all Masons- those composing the Somerset Lodge in particu- lar. Therefore, taking advantage of the excite- ment attendant upon the disappearance of Morgan in Northwestern New York, he rode through the county of Somerset inciting the people to arise and disperse the lodge in their midst. Soon after, on a regular night of meeting, the lodge-rooms were surrounded by a body of about three hundred men (armed with guns, knives, pistols, pitchforks and clubs), who had assembled with the avowed intention of break- ing up the lodge and maltreating its members. It is related by the only survivor of the original lodge, Frederick Gilbert, that but one of the crowd outside (an intoxicated individual) essayed a forcible entry, and he, being very warmly received, was soon glad to retire. The major portion of the assemblage seemed to con- tent themselves in making the night hideous by shouts and threats against the Masons. Finally (with the exception of a few who secreted themselves and attacked individual members of the lodge on their way home) the crowd retired without attempting any very extreme measures. Yet the demonstration had its effect. The feeling against the masonic fraternity became very bitter and intense. They were ostracized socially, and those opposed refused to do business with them. At last, though they maintained their organiza- tion, t they ceased to work, and finally disposed of their property for some $2,200.
Somerset Lodge, No. 858, F. and A. M., was organized September 20, 1865. Its first W. M. was Andrew J. Colborn. His successors have been : N. P. Kerr, W. A. Garman, Will- iam H. Sanner, A. Thomson Ankeny, Elias Cunningham, Frank Stutzman, Henry C. Beerits,
* The lot upon which the masonic building stood is now occu- pied by the Lutheran parsonage.
t It is stated that Joseph Garman took the original charter with him when he joined the army ; that he became a prisoner in Libby, where the charter was lost.
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BOROUGH OF SOMERSET.
Lewis C. Colborn, Jonathan H. Fritz and Will- iam J. Baer.
The present officers are : James L. Pugh, W.M .; Charles P. Holderbaum, S.W .; Edward E. Patton, J.W .; Lewis C. Colborn, Treas .; John Bills, Sec'y ; Martin H. Hartzell, S.D .; James A. Nichols, J. D .; John R. Scott, S.M.C .; George M. Holderbaum, J.M.C .; William S. Morgan, Chap .; Henry Keister, Purs .; Frederick Gilbert, Tiler.
One hundred and forty-three have become members of the lodge since its organization in 1865. The present members (eighty-five in number) hold regular communications Tuesday evenings on or before the full moon. Their names at the commencement of the present year were as follows : Geo. W. Benford, Henry Brubaker, Wm. J. Baer, H. C. Beerits, John Bills, Albert Barnes, A. J. Colborn, Elias Cunningham, A. H. Coffroth, John Cole, L. C. Colborn, Charles Caldwell, L. J. Coleman, C. B. Colborn, J. M. Cover, Park Dayton, E. F. Earl, W. P. Foust, J. H. Fritz, H. J. Friedline, John Friedline, R. Lee France, C. H. Fisher, Fred- erick Gilbert, J. Q. C. Gorsuch, Frederick Grof, J. S. Hartzell, W. W. Hartzell, M. H. Hartzell, Albert Heffley, G. M. Holderbaum, C. P. Hold- erbaum, H. H. Kuhn, Edmund Kiernan, Henry Kiester, H. F. Knepper, W. W. Knable, J. P. Kimmel, S. P. King, Edgar Kyle, N. B. Lichli- ter, R. C. Landis, S. H. Lichty, Wm. H. Miller, J. R. McMillen, Wm. S. Morgan, R. S. McMil- len, S. J. McMillen, S. W. Miller, E. D. Miller, H. D. Moore, J. A. Nichols, J. L. Pugh, J. W. Patton, E. E. Patton, S. W. Pearson, J. C. Postlethwaite, John Roberts, John Reilly, Henry Schlag, Frank Stutzman, W. H. Sanner, J. F. Stanton, George M. Saylor, George Snyder, John R. Scott, G. J. Schmutz, G. W. Turney, G. H. Walter, J. R. Walter, Crampton Will- iams, W. H. Wilkinson, E. D. Yutzy, Jacob J. Zorn, J. H. Zimmerman.
I. O. O. F.
Somerset Lodge, No. 488, I.O.O.F., was first chartered June 10, 1851, and at the first elec- tion, which occurred on the lot of July follow- ing, John D. Roddy was elected N.G .; Robert P. Cummins, V.G .; John H. Cunningham, Sec'y, and A. J. Long, Treas. In 1861 many of the members joined the Union army as volun- teers, and as a result, the sessions of the lodge were discontinued and its charter surrendered.
On the 4th of January, 1871, a reorganization took place, and a firm, unshaken interest has been maintained to the present time. The officers of today are : Harry S. Kimmel, N.G .; Ed. L. Will, V.G .; A. C. Davis, Sec'y ; William H. Berkey, Asst. Sec'y ; William H. Welfley, Treas., and E. E. Patton, P.G.
Until the fire of May 9, 1872, meetings were held in the third story of William B. Coffroth's building. Subsequently several meetings were held in the " Academy building," after which the lodge secured the garret of the old Lutheran church on Union street, and there held its meetings until late in the year 1872, when it rented a hall in the Baer block, which is still occupied.
The first charter was destroyed by the fire of May, 1872. Another was issued June 1 of that year. To date two hundred and eighty-four members have joined this lodge. Its present members number sixty-nine, and hold regular meetings every Monday evening.
Somerset Encampment, No. 113, I.O.O.F., was chartered April 12, 1852. The officers first elected were : Robert P. Cummins, C.P .; William Roddy, H.P .; Alexander Stutzman, S.W .; John D. Roddy, J.W .; H. P. Snyder, Scribe ; C. F. Beam, Treas., and William B. Coffroth, Guide. This encampment went down, but no data have been furnished of the time.
On the 30th of April, 1872, on the application of Patriarchs Alexander H. Coffroth, Josiah Keller, William B. Coffroth, William S. Har- rah, John H. Uhl and Charles A. Kimmel, the encampment was reinstated. At the same time Alexander H. Coffroth, Jr., A. C. Davis, Ed. W. Rhodes, F. C. Sampsell, Jacob Fleck, H. J. Picking, H. F. Knepper, F. A. Smith, M. A. Rulter and George M. Holderbaum were ini- tiated. The present membership is forty-one.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
R. P. Cummins Post, No.210, G. A. R. (named in honor of Col. Robert P. Cummins, of the 142d regt. Penn. Vols., who, while in command of his regiment, was mortally wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1, and died July 2, 1868), was organized June 16, 1881, by comrade George F. Randolph, of Emory Fisher Post, No. 30, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
The first officers elected and installed were : Col. John R. Edie, Commander; Capt. William M. Schrock, S.V.C .; John Bills, J.V.C .; R. R.
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HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
Sanner, Chap .; George H. Tayman, Q.M .; A. C. Davis, Adjt .; Charles J. Harrison, O.D .; J. B. Tredwell, O.G .; George M. Holderbaum, S.M .; John H. Huston, Q.M.S.
Their successors, the present officers, are: Capt. Charles J. Harrison, Commander ; Capt. Wm. H. Schrock, S.V.C .; H. G. Cunningham, J.V.C .; J. M. Cook, Chap .; A. C. Davis, Q.M .; F. F. Koontz, Adjt .; John H. Huston, O.D .; Michael Kiefer, O.G .; Alexander H. Huston, S.M .; John Griffith, Q.M.S.
Since its organization the following named gentlemen, who served as officers and enlisted men in various companies and regiments during the war of 1861-5, have been enrolled as mem- bers of the post. A. C. Davis, George H. Tay- man, C. C. Orton, John C. Pile, Chas. J. Har- rison, George M. Holderbaum, Solomon Uhl, H. G. Cunningham, Moses Trent, Isaac Jones, S. R. Pile; D. S. Knee, John R. Edie, F. F. Koontz, D. J. Horner, W. H. Sanner, John Bills, R. R. Sanner, William Heilman, William H. Schrock, John H. Huston, Michael Kiefer, George Snyder, H. F. Knepper, Wm. P. Huston, Daniel Trent, J. M. Cook, A. H. Huston, James E. Pugh, James B. Tredwell, Edgar Hyle, Charles Hoffman, A. J. Spangler, W. P. Foust, C. F. Rhoads, W. H. Ber- key, Abraham Faith, John A. Griffith, Jerome Bowman, W. Frank Gaul, A. F. Dickey, Jacob Zigler, J. J. Hoffman, Cyrus Shaulis, S. A. Deitz, Wm. S. Mountain, Rudolph Ferner, Andrew Buick, Hiram King, John S. Wilkenson, John A. Friedline, C. A. Brant, Wm. M. Hochstetler, Abraham Howard, Joseph Stull, Elias Stutzman, Mesheck Beam, John Zufall, Henry Stutzman, Martin F. Seigle, M. V. Sorber, Noah Keefer, Solo- mon Lenhart, C. H. Miller, Ed M. Shaulis, W. H. Tayman, W. W. Davis, Irwin W. Pile, Jeffer- son Spangler, Frank Bennett, George Hemmin- ger, Heter Pritts, Jacob Will, F. A. Bullman, Adam S. Shaffer, A. J. Saylor, Henry Fisher, Valentine Rapp, John D. Baker, John Winters, D. P. K. Lavan, John Pew, John J. Spangler, Olive Knepper, A. W. Knepper, George H. Love, Jacob Ross, Franklin Barnhart, George H. Smith, J. L. Berkey, Herman Stahl, Ludwick Gardner, Wm. H. Bowman, Peter Auman, H. F. Barnett, Chas. T. Hunter, Tobias Yoder, Henry Atchison, Jacob Shown, David Dunmyer, Fran- cis Hoover, Noah S. Miller, Henry Lambert, Joseph Tressler, William Beard, Samuel Bald- win.
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The Somerset County Agricultural Society was first organized in 1853, and the first fair was held on September 25 and 26 of that year. The following year three and one-half acres of land were purchased and five hundred dollars expend- ed in buildings, and fairs were held until 1861. From that time until 1873 the grounds were unoccupied. On February 18, 1873, the society was reorganized and a charter obtained, and a very successful meeting was held in the autumn of that year. The following year (1874) was also highly successful, and six acres were added to the grounds and five hundred dollars expend- ed in improvements. The fairs of 1875, 1876 and 1877 were unsuccessful, owing to unfavorable weather, and as a result of this unfortunate con- dition of affairs, the grounds of the society were sold in February, 1882. In July, 1883, & stock company was formed with a capital of two thousand dollars, and the society is again in a flourishing condition.
CHURCHES.
The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, of the town of Somerset, was organized prior to the year 1800 by Rev. Frederick Long. Among the original members were Adam Snyder and family, John Kurtz, Sr., Frederick Neff, Sr., George Pile, Sr., Frederick Beigle, George Chorpenning, Jacob Snyder, Henry Snyder and families.
The first house of worship, a log structure, stood on a corner of the cemetery grounds. It was torn down about 1810. The next, a frame building, below the parsonage on Union street, was burned about 1824. A brick church was then built on or near the same site - below the par- sonage. In 1857-8 a church edifice was built on Kreiger's corner lot, which was occupied un- til its destruction by fire during the conflagra- tion of May 9, 1872. The present handsome brick structure was commenced in 1874, and cost about twenty-one thousand dollars.
It appears that Mr. Long officiated as pastor for a number of years. His successors have been, Ernst H. Tiedeman, during the years 1813-18 ; John Rebenach, 1819-20; Peter Schmucker, 1821-4; C. F. Heyer, 1824-8; D. Heilig, 1829-31; C. F. Heyer, 1832-6; Peter Reizer, 1838-47 ; William Uhl, 1848-52 ; Augustus Babb, 1852-6; Charles Witmer,
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BOROUGH OF SOMERSET.
1857-9; Graft M. Pile, 1860-1; Leonard Gerhart, 1861-6 ; J. P. Hentz, 1866-71 ; J. A. Tomlinson (supply), 1871 ; A. M. Whetstone, 1872-81, and J. B. Shearer, the present pastor, since 1881. Present membership about two hundred.
St. Paul's Reformed Church of Somerset was organized by Rev. Henry Giesey* in 1810. Michael and Elizabeth Hugus, the Ankenys, George Shaver and Rosanna his wife, Daniel Stahl and wife, Peter Huston and wife, and Henry Keller and wife were among the original members.
In 1810 a union church edifice, a stone build- ing, was erected by the Presbyterian and Re- formed congregations upon a lot donated by Peter Ankeny. This was torn down and replaced by the present building in 1855.
Among other early pastors were Rovs. D. J. H. Kiefer, H. G. Ibbekin, D. B. Ernst and C. F. Hoffmeier, but there are no records, and no com- plete list can be given. . Rev. Hiram King is the present pastor of a congregation numbering sixty-six.
Salem Reformed church at Lavansville, with about eight members, and Ursina, a recently formed congregation, are parts of Somerset charge.
Methodist Episcopal Church, of Somerset .- The date of the organization of the Methodist Episcopal church in Somerset cannot be ac- curately ascertained. Its first members were Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Elder, Mrs. Phythian and Mrs. McCarty, who held their meetings in private houses for several years. Their first preachers were Revs. Tudor and Little. Their immediate successors were Revs. Coleman and Keismiller.
The first quarterly meeting ever held in Somerset was about the year 1823. Rev. Mon- roe was the presiding elder on that occasion. Revs. Tudor and Little were then the preachers in charge. This quarterly meeting was followed by a revival, during which a considerable num- ber of persons were added to the society. This meeting was held in the old stone church which was owned jointly by the German Reformed and Presbyterian churches. The mode of con- ducting the revival not suiting these churches, the Methodists were excluded, and moved their
meeting to the court-house. Subsequently they worshiped in the Masonic Hall for some years. After the fire of 1833, when the great part of the town was destroyed, the first Methodist Episcopal church edifice was erected, in which they continued to worship until 1876, when a new building was erected, the old one having been sold to the Evangelical association. Rev. Thorne was the preacher at the time of the fire. The society, before the fire of 1833, had attained a degree of prosperity which it has never had since. It was then a station, now & part of what is called Somerset circuit. The records of the church having been destroyed by the fire of 1872, and all the older members deceased, it is impossible at this late day to obtain anything like an accurate history of the church, or the regular succession of its minis- ters.
Somerset Presbyterian Church. - Matters of the early history of this organization, by reason of the lack of records, are vague and unsatisfac- tory. It appears that some Presbyterian ministers preached here and at Jenner (then called Que- mahoning) as early as 1797. It also appears that the Presbyterian and Reformed people, act- ing together, built a stone church edifice in 1810, yet Rev. John Ross (the first pastor of whom we have definite knowledge) was not installed until in July, 1817. It is probable, therefore, that an organization of the Presby- terian church in Somerset did not take place until about the time of Mr. Ross' installation.
Among the early members of this church were : Andrew Stewart and Jacob Glessner elders; John Armstrong and Abraham Morrison. Messrs Stewart, Morrison, Ross and Mrs. Ogle organized a sabbath school in 1817.
As mentioned in the sketch concerning the Reformed church, the Presbyterian and Re- formed organizations built a union house of worship in 1810. This was torn down soon after 1850, and about 1854 the Presbyterians completed a building of their own at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars. The latter was destroyed by the fire of May 9, 1872. In 1876, the present church edifice was built. It cost about seven thousand dollars, and is one of the neatest structures of the kind in the county.
Mr. Ross continued as pastor until October, 1819. Various ministers then exercised their office here until July 7, 1830, when Rev. S. Howell Terry was ordained and installed pas-
.Mr. Giesey preached here for several years before an organi- zation was effected or a house of worship was built. He had served as chaplain and surgeon in a Hessian regiment during the revolutionary war.
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HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
tor. He continued such until some time in 1833. Thereafter, until 1861, the church was supplied by members of the Presbytery (among them Revs. Finley, Hassinger, B. F. Myers, Baine and Agnew), when Rev. L. Y. Graham became pastor. He remained until 1866. His successors have been Revs. William Edgar, S. S. Bergen, C. B. Wakefield, and the present incumbent, C. C. B. Duncan.
The membership of this church has at times reached almost one hundred, and again and again been much reduced by death and removals. The present members number only thirty-nine, yet, with their beautiful church building and auspicious surroundings, its best friends still entertain hopes that this small congregation will yet become a large, vigorous church. Messrs. George W. Benford, William Stahl and C. N. Boyd are the present ruling elders.
The history of the Jenner church is very similar, except individual names, as both have always been under the same pastors. The present ruling elders there are : Abraham Biesecker, William Kline and W. F. W. Pick- ing. They have a house of worship worth one thousand dollars.
The Disciple or Christian Church of Somerset borough was organized as a Baptist church in the summer of 1817, by Dr. Estep, of Mount Pleasant, and Prof. Charles Wheeler, of Washington, Pennsylvania. As a Disciple church in 1829, by Thomas and Alexander Campbell.
Among the charter members, in 1829, were Chauncey Forward and William H. Postle- thwaite, elders; Jacob Graft and Samuel Trent, Sr., deacons ; Mary Ogle, Mary Morrison, Mary F. Graft, Jacob Graft, Isaac Husband and wife, Sarah Leichtenberger, Mary Strain, Kate Carr, Susan Stuart, Sally Plowman, George Probst and wife, Barbara Loehr, Clarissa Loehr, James Younkin and wife, Eleanor Bruce, Julia John- ston, Katie Tantlinger, Nancy Carson, Adeline Stahl, Samuel Trent and wife, Alexander Hunter and wife, Jacob Criley and wife, Charlotte Ogle, David Plowman, Miss Eliza Plowman, Samuel Stahl, Miss Mary Husband, Miss Margaret Foust, Mrs. Chauncey Forward, Charles Ogle and Emily, his wife, Jane Carson, Horatio Weigley, Miss Julia Weigley, Mary Ann Postleth waite, Cephas Gillet, Alexander Fleming and wife, Dr. Norman M. Bruce, William Philson and wife Agnes, Samuel Huston, Peter Huston and wife Bettie, and John Hamilton and wife Bettie.
As a Baptist church it had only occasional preaching in the court-house by the organizers and a few others. As . a Disciple church, Hon. Chauncey Forward, one of the elders, and a law- yer, did the regular preaching for a number of years, being relieved on special occasions by such traveling ministers as Wesley Lamphear, Dr. Young, David S. Burnet, Samuel Church, Pool, Harrison Jones, James Lamphear, David Kintner and others, including the Campbells. The first settled pastor from abroad was Prof. L. C. Loos, for a term of years in the thirties. Later came Leroy Norton, in the fifties. About 1867, James Darsie located here and remained several years. In 1870-71, Peter Vogel officiated as pastor. He was succeeded by L. F. Bittle, and the latter in turn by W. H. Woolery. Peter Vogel returned in April, 1883, and now serves as pastor in charge.
The first house of worship was built in 1845. It was of brick, and cost four thousand dollars. In 1871, its walls were considered dangerous, and the whole structure was torn down. The present church edifice, also of brick, was erected in 1873, at a cost of six thousand dollars. A fine frame parsonage is now under construction. It will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 1883, and will cost about two thousand dollars. The lot was donated by Judge Jeremiah S. Black, who continued as a member of this congregation until his death.
The present members of this organization number two hundred and fifty. The sabbath- school attendants one hundred and seventy- three.
The Evangelical Association of North Amer- ica have an organization and house of worship in the town of Somerset, in charge of Rev. D. K. Lavan. Its history, however, as well as that of the other churches forming the Somerset cir- cuit, will be found in the chapter relating to Somerset township.
HERMAN HUSBAND.
This pioneer, the first permanent settler west of the Negro mountain, was of English extrac- tion. His parents came from England to this country during the time that Penn was coloniz- ing his domain. They probably first settled in the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia, where Herman was born in 1711. He was educated at Baltimore, Maryland, where he was married to a Maryland lady, by whom he reared a family
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Samuel Snyder
JUDGE SAMUEL SNYDER.
Judge Snyder was born January 29, 1884, in Brother's Valley township. His great-grand- father, Dewalt Snyder, was of German birth, and settled in Turkey-Foot township about the close of the revolutionary war. But little is known of his history further than that he was a man of sturdy habits and a thrifty and suo- cessful farmer. His eldest son, Michael, was born in Turkey-Foot in 1787. He removed to Brother's Valley, where he died in 1871. He married Catherine Hay ; two sons were born to them, Peter and George. Peter was born in Brother's Valley, in 1811, where he died in 1836, at the age of twenty-five years. His wife was Elizabeth Meyers. They reared a family of four children, the eldest of whom was Samuel, the subject of this sketch. At the time of his father's decease Samuel was a lad of five years. He was reared by his paternal grandfather, Michael Snyder, with whom he remained until he was seventeen years of age, when he was apprenticed to the trade of a blacksmith. In 1853 he removed to Frieden's, where he now resides, and established himself in business.
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