The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-07-03
A GLIMPSE OE PIONEER LIFE,

A hllMTSt Ut TlUHttn llft,
Some of the Hardships and Privations
the First Settlers of this Region
Endured.
In the issue of the HERALD of April
17th-the one hundredth anniversary
of the passage of the Act of Assembly
creating the county of Somerset-was
published an article briefly setting
forth all of the recorded data relating
TO the organization of the county, the
various townships and boroughs, and
such other authentic information as
could be collected relating To the set
tlement of this region.
With the exceptions above noted, the
early history of Somerset county can
he as faithfully and concisely written
as was the historical treatise on
s'Snakes in Ireland :-"There is no
snakes in Ireland"
1t is true that newspapers were es-
tablished in Somerset few years fol-
lowing the erection of the county, but
reference to them fails to reveal much
of local historical interest. Their col
umns were filled principally with for
eigu intelligence three or four months
old and with the proceedings of the
general assembly of the common
wealth and of the congress of the
United States.
From its earliest days Somerset coun-
ty has been one of those tranquil locali-
ties that furnish very little of historical
incident. Its growth has been gradual as
is the case with all agricultural regions,
and we believe that the facts warrant
the statement that the development of
the county has been greater since it
was penetrated by railroads $50 years
since) than took place iii the previous
half century.
Present indications, however, point
To even more rapid development of
our hidden mineral resources, and it
will be surprising indeed if the next de
cade does not witness more startling
changes in the character of our indus
trial and social conditions than any that
have heretofore taken place.
In strictly historical sense the lives
of those who preceded our immediate
forefathers i'm this locality are entitled
to little consideration. They contrib
uted but little to the civilization ofthe
generations following them and left but
little that to-day can be regarded rs
worthy of imitation.
The time is opportune, however, for
taking retrospective view of pioneer
life in this region in order that it may
be contrasted with the manners and
customs prevailing in these latter days
of the nineteenth century,
An early settler says in the AD'cr'-
can Pioneer: "A more intelligent,
yirtuous, and resolute class of men
never settled any country, than the
first settlers of Western Pennsylvania;
and the women who shared their suf-
ferings and sacrifices were no less
worthy. Very many of the early set
tiers were professors of religion. IL
was common for families to ride from
ten To fifteen miles To meeting. The
young people regularly walked five OF
six miles, and in summer carried their
stockings and shoes, if they had any,
i'm their hands. | believe that ne
houses of worship were erected in the
, country until 1870. Even in the win
ter the meetings were held in the open
air. A grove was selected, a log pulpit
was erected, and logs furnished tho
: audience with seats. Among the men
who attended services in the winter ter
, were obliged To substitute "A blanket ol
coverlet for great coat, when one en-
loved the luxury of that article. -
great was the destitutiou of comforta
ble clothing that a highly respectable
!, citizen, whose presence was required a
a magistrate, could not attend cour
|
er breeches from an equally respectable
neighbor who was summoned on tn
grand jury. The latter lent them, and
having no Others, had to stay at home
The scarcity of clothing will not seen
surprising when we consider the con
dition of the country at that time, an'
that most of these settlers brought bu
. a scanty supply of bedding and cloth
: ing with them. Their stock could no
be replenished until flax was grow
p and made into cloth.
The labor of all the settle rs was great
ly interrupted by the Indian war. A
though the older settlers had som
sheep, yet the increase was slow, an
the country abounded with wolves.
was therefore the work of time To secuf
:. a supply of wool. Deer-skin was sui
stitute for cloth for men and boys, bu
" not for women and girls, although the
were sometimes compelled to resort
il. The women had to spin and gel
erally to weave all of the cloth for the
families and when the wife was fe'
BILE, and had large family, her utmo:
efforts could not enable her to provid
- them with any thing like comfortab
clothing. The wonder is-and sha
never cease to wonder-that they di
not sink under their burden.
Rev. John Doddrige, who was one
r. the pioneers of western Pennsylvania
and whose son Philip (said to ha'
been born in Stonycreek TOWNSHIP
Somerset County, was in later yea
the pride of the Western bar, tells tn
rn- story of the hardships the pioneers e
dured:
'The acquisition of the indispens
ble articles of salt, iron, steel, and cas-
n | srraaf diffiefIltips IN III