The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-12-06
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.
The Men Who Have Served, the
Salaries They Have Received,
and Il Brief Sketch of Each.

lie school system should be more
effective, the office of county su-
perintendent was created by Act
of Assembly, May s, 1854; and it
may be interesting just now to
glance at the men who have held
that position in this county.
Fulton county's first County
Superintendent was Rev. Rob
ert Ross. He was elected in 1854,
he served three years, and in
May 1857, he was reelected.
Mr.. Ross was q Methodist
preacher; and, besides officiating
as pastor Of the congregation at
McConnellsburg, and other Full
ton county appointments, he
preached at Loudon.
He was a native of Virginia, and
good citizen. With his family
he lived several years in the
house now owned and occupied
by John Linn, and several years
where Michael Lehman lives.
Besides being a good preacher
and a good superintendent, he
was crack Shot with a rifle and
very fond Of hunting; and when
he went out for game, he usually
brought some in.
He used to tell a story about
hunting down in Virginia. One
day he was making his way qui-
city through a dense forest, when
the indistinct form of an animal,
high in tree, half hidden by the
the foliage, attracted his atten-
tiOn. His trusty rifle was brought
to his shoulder-a moments
aim-and the report of his gun
was drowned by most unearth-
ly scream! and at the same time
there came something crashing
toward him from the tree top.
Had he not instinctively stepped
to one side, he would have been
crushed beneath the weight of a
monster panther which he had
shot and which fell dead at his
feet.
Yes, Rev. Ross was a good fell
low; but it is remembered of him
here that he would persist in
greasing his buggy on Sunday.
AS has been stated, he was re-
elected county superintendent in
1867; but as the salary attached
to the office during his incumben-
cy thus far had been but one
hundred dollars a year, it is not
surprising that he should look
for something better; and in the
fall of 1857, he went into the fight
for the office of Prothonotary &c.
and defeated VIM. G. McNulty by
% votes.
Notwithstanding the fact that
the school directors at his
second election had voted him the
eXtravagantly large salary of 5000
a year he resigned, and John S.
Robinson, an attorney, was ap-
pointed; but after serving about
a year he concluded to go to Vir-
ginia, resigned, and George A.
Smith, who was then young law
student, became the third person
to fill the office. In 1860, Will
lam A, Gray was elected and
served one term. Mr.. Gray was
born in 1922, at the McIlvaine
place, on Rays Hill, and after
wards grew to manhood in the
home of an aunt in Wells Valley.
His salary was $500 a year. He
afterward went to the army and
is now a resident of Nebraska.
At the fourth triennial election
in May 1868, John Il. Davis of
McConnellsburg was elected and
the salary fixed at $500 year.
After serving about half the term
he resigned, and went to Will
iamsport, Pa, and Rev John A.
Woodcock of Wells Valley was
appointed and served during the
remainder of that term.
In 1866 the contest was be-
tween Amos Smith, an attorney
and brother of Geo. A., and Hi
ram Winter of Brush Creek
Smith was elected. For reasons
best known to himself, he resign
od and Winter received the COM