The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-03-27
SCHOOLS OF SOMERSET COUNTY
BY ]. b wHIrKEY.

What is now known as Somerset
county formerly constituted part of
Bedford county, and consisted of but
four townships. In April, 1895, an
act Of Assembly wes passed making
all that part of Bedford west of the
crest of the Allegheny mountains to
the top of Laurel Hill mountain, new
county, which was named Somerset.
The boundary was afterwards chang
ed on the southeast by the addition
of Southampton township, which has
since been divided into five different
districts, viz: Allegheny, Ncrthamp.
ton. Lsrimer, Greenville and South
ampton The frst settlement in this
county was made in that part now
known as Lower Turkeyfoot town
ship; but the precise time at which it
was made is unknown. There is
tradition current among the people of
the southern part Of the county, that,
after Roger Williams, who was the
founder of the Baptist church in
America, bad abandoned his church,
part of bis congregation left Provi-
dence, Rhode Island, and travelled
west. After rambling around through
the wilderness for two summers, they
finally settled in this county, about
the wear 1850, near where is now the
borough of Ursina. The colouy con-
sisted of FIVE men and few women
and children. The names Of the men
were Willis, Collins, Abrams, Great.
house and McNeal This tradition
appears to be in some degree plaus
ible from the fact, that house of wor-
ship was erected by this sect, in the
same place where the colony is said
to have settled, as early as IVA.
This is known as the Jersey church.
and beyond doubt was dedicated
Eve or six years prior to that of any
other church in the county. This
colony brought but two books, one
copy of the Bible and psalm book,
which were the only books in the
colony for period Of one hundred
years. The children were taught
the alphabet in early times from let
tiers which were made on a clapboard
with charcoal. As Turkeyfoot town.
ship was the first settled, it is probable
that the first school organized in the
county was near Ursins; but when,
or by whom, is not known. 1t is
known, however, that a school was
taught at the Jersey church as early
as l776.
Abous the year 1900, an old, d.
lapidated dwelling, that stood near
the church, and had been vacated for
a number of years, was deemed good
enough for school-house, aud hap
py were the boys and girls whose
good fortune it was to attend a
school even in this hovel. The
school was taught by an Irish pro-
fessor, whose name is lost to history,
and even tradition fails to mention
the quality of his work This state
of affairs was not to last always, and
a better dav dawned about the year
1928, when Mr.. Cox and David Rod
erick commenced to teach in Turkey
foot The first school-house in Low
er Turkeyfoot was erected near the
old jennings farm, by Henry Col
Inns, in the year 1880, and David
Roderick, who was considered an ef-
icient teacher in his day, taught the
first school in the new house. The
people accepted the common schools
in 1886. Henry l.. Holbrook and
Abraham Collins were members of
the school board at the time the new
system was adopted. In lS4S the
township was divided into two parts,
and named Upper aud Lower Tur-
keyfoot townships. Among the most
proficient teachers who taught in the
township up to the time of its divi-
sion, were Hugh Connolly, Elijah
Younkin, John Lichliter, jackson
Mitchell, aud A. ] Colborn Among
the most energetic and influential
men who brought about the accept
ance of the common school system in
Turkeyfoot, were Moses Jennings,
William Hickson, John c. King,
Hugh Connolly, aud John Rush. In
1885, there were six schools in Tur-
key foot; within the same territory
there are nineteen at present. A
school was taught near Kingwood in
Upper Turkey foot, by John Drury,
in 1912.
A school was organized IN q pri-
vate house near Paddytown, by Will
liam Fitzpatrick, in 1915. The first
sehool-house in the district was built
near John Cramer's in 1920. and its
first teacher was. Bernard Connolly.
After the adoption of the common
schools by Turkeyfcot, Bernard
Connolly and Henry l.. Holbrook
were appointed an examining CON-
mittee, aud oiliciated in that capacity
for several years In 1901, all that
part Of Turkeyfoot lying on the south
and east side of the Casselman river,
was formed into new township,
and named Addison, in honor of
Judge Addison. The first school in
this township was taught in a pri-
vate house, near where Petersburg
now stands. in 1892
The frE: school ouse was built
near the Casselmau River, in mead
ow now owned by William Hanna,
in 1900; and Adam Bowlin, whose
knowledge of bunting was far superb
or to that Of teaching, was the first
to domineer over the little urehins
who attended this school. The
sehool-houses were used for church
purposes, in early times, and 50 far
ag can he ascarfainad aducotion M q