The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-06-16
THE OLDEN TINES.
Early Recolleetions Continued.
Number II.

Number IL.
Up ill 1S26-2S, or thereahont, Colnm-
bns street, running from the Square
north. had fair representation Of email
buildings. mostly one-story frames. The
only brick on the entire street WAS one
that stood where the three-stury trIck,
b-Ionging TO d. NJ. Mathews, stands:
This WAS huiIt by Dr.. Louis }. Moelirr'
and was considered great ornament To
the village Abont the time this was
constructed the comfy erected a neat
and substantial brick in the place where
the Jail stands. The old building was
an oruamen. to the town. The unconth
structure that took it. place was. from
the beginning, a disgrace, not only t"
the village. bat to the blockheads who
drafted il. The old stone house, north
Of the alley. on the lot adjoining Fred
erick Mains, was built by Mr.. Mains in
1913. On the opposite 81 'sof the street,
on the grounds occupied by the old
brick building where Judge Hood for
many years kept his dry goods store,
there was a long row Of frame built
ings. usually occupied by taiiors, shoe
makers, and the like. In one of these
John l.. Williams set up his first shop,
after landing in Somerset in 1886. In
one of the buildings was situated III
1929 the printing Office at which was
then published The Peoples 41deoc1te." "
John (. Linn had a tailor ennp IN Il
small frame building on the sonihwe-t
corner Of Columbus and North streets,
on the vacant space between the two
story log house, weatherhoardeoi, which
constituted his residence, and North st.
On the corner lot across the street. Occu-
pied by Mrs Burns, old Mf Trout own
ed a crockery establishment, where he
turned out an immense amount OF dishes,
cfocks, &c. The kiln in which this
ware was burned and prepared for the
market stood upon the same lot. This
was carried on for some wears, between
1920 and 1928. 1t may have been in
existence at an earlier date. The brick
in which Mrs. Burns resides was built
by Henry Trout, not far from the year
1890 A few scattering buildings. most
ly of an InkrIOr class, were standing
in 1880, farther north, many of which
have since been supplanied by other
buildings not much superior in size or
style. The house that Mrs. Shirley re-
sides in was owned and built by John
Arndt. The next house north was a
small brick owned by Mrs. Nancy Ream.
the noted taiioress of her day. For ma
nv years she carried on tailoring there,
and did larger business than any tailor
in the village. John Orwig owned and
lived in the house now occupied by II.
S. Doubleday. The opposite side of the
street was ali in commons" On an
acre or so of the land comprising the
lot and adjoining lots where Joe Reaver
lives, there was large hrickyard car
ried on by Felix Gull, who made most
of the brick used in constructing the
earlier brick buildings. The vacuumS
where the earth was dug from would fill
with water in the winter season and
freeze, and here the young men-such
az James Shirley, r. z. Cassel, Henry c.
Filler. George Beeman, George Goodin,
George Drummer, s. H. McAfee, Jona-
than w. Ream, Joe Elder, and all that
class of boys. graduated in the art OF
skating. The only time the writer OF
this ever had r pair of skates on his
feet was at one of these ponds in the
winter of 1886. Buckling on pair OF
skates one evening, and rising TO my
feet, attempted to make q grand gyra
tion and cut pigeon wing" "a it was
called, ,"-supposing it to be an easy thing
done. The ice flew up and took me on
the head, and felt unwell for a month
succeeding. / never attempted to skate
afterwards
On the lot occupied by B. Whitmer' s
residence, and some distance back from
the street, stood the "old Academy"
This was the "HIgh School" of Somer-
set The building was large one, but
waa never fully completed. 1t had been
imperfectly constructed, and after stand
ing for many years, being part Of the
time in use, the lot was purchased by
Thomas MagiuniS. and the building was
taken down. Immediately north Of the
Academy. extending from the road AT
Nrs. McNutt's residence, westward,
there was an eight-acre wood lot that
was cleared about the year 1889.
have been minute in recounting these
old landmarks, which may be of liule
interest to many, simply because they
exist in my minds eye" ! see them
as plainly now as when used to walk
along the streets thirty y-fve to forty five
run back fifty years. What is strangely
true, and uDaccountable upon natural
principles, is, that many Of my recol-
lectlons Of forty to fifty years back, are
more distinctly marked in my mind
than those that have occurred in later
years.
In my next will take in South CO.
lumbua street, and then, if ] conclude to
continue these communications, l shall
resume the thread of history which the
last few letters seem to have somewhat
disturbed.
NoTE.-You will please make the fol
lowing corrections in article No. IL, pub.
lished last week:
You have me saying: "The large
brick east of Fink s tavern" 1t should
read lCest.
2@"Do you suppose such stories ever
took place should read things
3. "The brick were made by Henry
S'erner," shonld read laid.
f. Samuel AIIwine-should read La,c
renee.
There are a few other errors Of minol
importance. but the intelligent reader
raaIiIy norraof