The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
THE HISTORY OF SOMERSET, o.,
One of Our CuriOns and Interesting
Old Towns.

SOMERSEI, TERRY CO-s va may ~, -
It is only fifty seven years since Perry
County was organized and the county
seat established, vet during that period
Somerset sprang into existence, flourish
ed in the greenness and promise of a
growing village, and lap<ed into de-
cay from which it seems hopeless TO ex-
pect renewal Of life. The period of
decline was marked by the transfer of
the county seat to New Lexington in
1859, and the bitter feeling engendered
by the act of the Legislature that effect
ed the change exists yet. There is a
population of between 400 and 800.
The region of country is singnlarly
blended with agricultural and mineral
resources, and, although it was covered
by dense forest within the memory of
most of the old residents, it has always
been remarkably healthful country.
Somerset was the seat of Il Convent OF
the Dominicanz, with an academy, but
the structure was destroyed by ire in
1866, and has never been rebuilt. 1t is
related that an original Van Dyke was
destroyed during the fire.
PROSPECTS AND PERSONS.
The Catholic community speak of re-
building the convent, just as the COM
mnnity at large talk of recovering the
county seat, and leaving New Lexington
to taste the gall and bitterness in which
this place has lived since the former
wrested from her bosom the ancient and
vested rights belonging to the county
records. Perhaps there is something
threatening in the peculiar inscription
/ over the entrance to the old Courthouse,
but at all evens it is noteworthy, if only
for the new way it puts an old ex-
preston. The inscription reads:
/ Let justice be done,
! If the heavens should fall"
But Somerset is village peculiar for
peculiarities, and those best posted in its
history have ceased to either wonder OF
laugh at them, because they are part OF
it and inseparable from it. One of Its
peculiarities was newspaper with a
very peculiar name and 4 very peculiar
editor. II was a sheet twelve by twenty
that is, about the size of a pane of glass
published in 1920, by General John
Leidy. who obtained his military prefix
in the War of 1912, and gave to his in.
tellectual offspring the characteristic
title of "The Western World and Polit
ical Ticker" 1t was principally devo,
ted to personal abuse of the editors po
litical opponents, and that was where
the tickle come in. 1t bore big cut o
the globe on the title page, and seem.
to have died under the load. Genera
Leidy was a member of the Constitu
tional Convention of 1852, and died on
ly a few years ago. But times have
changed even in primitive Somerset
and it now supports a weekly that al
least echoes the big world outside, and
keeps its rural readers posted on the
Brooklyn scandal.
The Straitsville Division of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad, in operation
about four years, has benefited The place
as ever so little of a railroad usually
does, but it has not infused that degree
of vigor enjoyed before the triumph o
New Lexington. If the military Sheri
dams were civilians, duly bound to maks
their home as noted as themselves. tn,
prospect for a reviviication of S0mer
set would brighten; but in the service o
the country they have ho ambition o
that sort, an6 John Sheridan, Esq.
formerly attorney at law, has of late
been directing his attention to mining
in the far West, although compelled tC
abandon it temporarily and return hom'
by severe attack of rheumatism from
which he is at present recovering.
The General took hand at coal lanC
speculation in 1870 or III, and sold on
his interest few weeks ago, clearin;
over eight thousand dollars cash by rh
operation.
The fame of Longworth as a crap
grower warmed few modest hillsid
owners of Somerset into ambition, an,
seven or eight years ago few vineyard
were set out with surprising success.
was found that the soil was peculiarl
adapted to the development of the Ca
tawba, Delaware, and Clinton varieties
and some very excellent wine was pro
duced, but the growers lacked exper
fence in wine making and the art of put
ting the product on the market, henc
the most profitable results were not al
tanned. Last year, however, the bes
wine year the West has known for
considerable period, about fifteen thou'
and gallons of wine were realized, and
now lies here waiting for a market. Th
Clinton wine is specially fine; it is grape
and rich with fine bouquet that fl
the room. \ good article of Concor
and Ives seeding was also produce,
but of the latter variety the growers
not appear to apprehend the value an
Importance. In fact, the whole busine
of wine growing here is new, and thel
! has not been brought to it that degree
experience necessary to make it prot
table success, but the possibilities of II
. locality will undoubtedly be more pra,
tically and profitably appreciated in tt
future, when experts become INTEL
gent on the subject.
!, And speaking of these possibiliti'
generally, it is the hope of the count
seat recoverers that your Judge Viii
men shall abandon the ardnous labors
his profession in Cincinnati, and tai
up his abode among the green slopes
Somerset. When the Judge travele
the old circuit of Perry, Fairfield, Mu
kingum and Ross, he was very popula
lar here, and his friends believe that
he would only come here to reside Il
New LexingtUnians must yield the cou
3 ty seat with a shrek of despair. judi
N Whitman made his appearance in La
rs caster, Ohio, about 1910 or al, and was
m the time a fullfiedged Yankee, fresh fro
Connecticut. He had seen service as
oi clerk during the Van Buren administr
ie ton, and wore his wonderful growth