Somerset

   TOWNS�SOMERSET, first called Middletown, because it was the halfway point between Zanesville and Lancaster, was laid out in 1810, by John Fink and Jacob Miller. Fink owned the land and kept a tavern at the east end. Miller owned the land and also kept a tavern at the west end. These taverns were in existence several years before Somerset was laid out, and before there was any village. It was nearly all woods between the two taverns, bears would sometimes prowl, and wolves howl and gnash their teeth, in the woods between these taverns, and elsewhere in the vicinity. There was a noted wild turkey roost near where the Western Square now is, where many a good fat turkey was obtained to grace the tables of the two taverns, as well as other early settler's tables.
     An aged gentleman, now residing in Noblesville, Indiana, upon being requested to give the appearance of Somerset when it was a small village, replied that his first recollections of the place were before there was any town; "Only a couple of Dutch Taverns in the woods, situated about half a mile distant from each other." These were the taverns of John Fink and Jacob Miller, for these men were both of German descent, spoke the German language in their families, and many of those who were accustomed to frequent the taverns were also German.
     It is not known to a certainty who erected the first cabin on a lot of the platted village, but it is probable that several persons built during the same season. The place grew slowly enough at first, for Overmyertown (now New Reading) was a rival, and an older town, and there was, at that time, nothing in the nature of the locality or surroundings, to cause villages to grow with any great rapidity. Edward Danison, now in his eighty-eighth year, a citizen of New Lexington, has a very clear remembrance of Somerset when it contained only five or six houses. Mr. Danison was a youth of seventeen or eighteen years at that time, and lived with his parents in Madison township. He says the little village of Somerset, for several years, is easily described, as it consisted of a couple of taverns and a few straggling log houses and cabins, with more or less stumps and brush in the streets.
     David Beckwith brought on a stock of goods and opened a store. John Skinner built a blacksmith shop, one of the Reams opened a tailor shop, another Ream opened a hatter shop, a man by the name of Trout started a crockery establishment, other shops were set up, and thus the village began its humble career of growth, which continued steadily until about 1844.
     An old and well known citizen, who knew Somerset well in the times of which he writes, contributed a number of articles to the Somerset Press, which seem to give a better idea of Somerset and surroundings in the early times, than any thing that could be prepared at present, and no apology need be offered for making liberal extracts from them. The writer referred to, over the non de plume "Senex," says:

     "I will go back a little while to a time that the 'oldest inhabitant' will not be able to reach, except by tradition. The first cabin erected in the village�or rather the territory comprised within the present limits of Somerset, for the town had no existence then�was built by John Fink, who had emigrated from Pennsylvania. It stood on the right hand side of the turnpike, about midway between the school-house and the mill. It was built in 1806, and was built of unhewed logs, and it answered all the purposes of a 'lordly palace' in the lone wilderness, and many were the hospitalities shown by its venerable occupants to the bold adventurers who afterward were seeking homes for themselves and families in the neighborhood. Father Fink's house was a kind of headquarters, not only for those who were locating lands, but as well for those who, on foot and horseback, were working their way further west. (Perry county at this time had no existence, as it was not formed until the first of March, 1818-the territory comprising it being taken from Fairfield, Muskingum and Washington-and was named in honor of the hero of Lake Erie-Commodore O. H. Perry.)
     "Mr. Fink entered a half section of land, and he, with Jacob Miller, who settled in the west end of the village, or where the village, now extends, afterwards laid out a portion of their land into town lots, and the village began to spring up. The first buildings were nearly all log cabins. Afterward a few hewed log buildings, and now and then a small frame were erected. These, for the first few years, were scattered half a dozen rods apart, and the town, of course, had a decidedly "clapboard' appearance. Afterward many of the hewed log buildings were weather-boarded, and a number of them stood the wear and tear of the times until within the recollection of many of your readers. I am not certain but there are a few of the old dwellings still standing, the logs, chinking and mortar being hidden by a cloak of weather-boarding.
     After the nucleus of the village was laid, and Mr. Fink had his farm partly opened, and began to have things abundant around him, he built the house that has been in use as a school building at the east end of town. This was a large log cabin, and was afterward weather-boarded. Here, let us stop awhile, and make a description of the venerable old mansion, as it looked during the decade between 1820 and 1830.
     At that time there was no turnpike to deface old landmarks. The road was located near its present site, but it was then on top of the ground, leaving a large open space between it and the house. The large capacious barn stood on the south side of the road, opposite the house, or a little east of it, if any thing. During these years there was a constant emigration from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and other Eastern States, and as Mr. Fink had gone into the hotel business in earnest, in his fine new mansion, he had about all the customers he could provide for. In addition to the traveling public, teaming was one of the prominent occupations of those days, as the goods purchased in the East had to be hauled out to the small stores and groceries in the Western country by wagon. Most of the teams following the road, always made it a point, if possible, to reach Fink's Tavern by sundown, even though the poor horses had to expend a little extra muscle to reach there. Many a time have I seen that large yard literally covered over with wagons�some going east, others west, laden with products for the east, or goods for the west. There are few residents in Somerset, who are able to form any idea of the business done at that hotel, or the constant activity going on there in those days. This house was the general headquarters of Somerset for many years, and nearly its whole activity was centered there. The monotonous silence which now lurks in that vicinity, except in school hours, is a fair type to represent the death of an individual after an active life."
     After a rest of a week, "Senex" continues: "I am now, as I promised you last week, proudly walking down Main street. I have all the elasticity and nimbleness of a boy. In short, I am young again. On either side the forests edge up close to the village, and these abound with squirrels and other game, and a mile or two out I hear the crack of a rifle of the huntsman, who is engaged in furnishing the few dozen of villagers with venison. Perhaps the young reader will say, 'what a simpleton that old fellow must be, who is writing such silly stories. Do you suppose such stories ever took place here?' Yes, young reader, it is quite true. Many a saddle of venison was served up at Fink's Tavern, that had been slaughtered just south of St. Joseph's Church, and many a 'saddle' found a cheap market in the very early history of the village that was captured in the very suburbs. How wonderfully times change, and we change with them! The scenes and circumstances we are called to pass through in young life, as well as the place in which we had our birth and raising, seem to be nothing to us at the time. They become so commonplace as often to disgust us. But let us recede from them half a century, and then for the first time we begin to know their value. Our hearts begin gradually to cling to them. Memory awakens afresh to our innocent childhood days, and what seemed to us so dry and irksome, now begins to form a halo of glory in our very inmost souls, and affords us enjoyment we love to cling to with the tenacity we cling to life itself. But now for that down street march.
     "The large two-story brick building on the corner of Main and High streets, west of Fink's Tavern, was quite a business house in its early day. The first newspaper Somerset ever had was printed within its ancient walls. It was used for various offices, and was in the heart of the business portion of the early village. It was anciently known as the Ruch House. The brick, if I mistake not, were laid by Henry Sterner, who has long since gone to his reward. Although it has always been represented as being only a nine-inch wall, the masonry has preserved remarkably well, showing that it was a good, honest job. It is one of the oldest standing bricks in the town, and was built with the design of showing the people what could be done in the wilderness, in the way of a magnificent building. It may stand for some years yet, and it is worthy of having its picture taken for preservation.
     "At the time I write of, half the lots between High street and the Square were in commons and unfenced. The log cabins and small one-story frames were scattered along on each side of the street, and a little beaten path on either side marked the sidewalks. Jonathan Babbs owned and lived in a little, long, one-story frame that stood where stands the C. L. Griner house, now John Huston's. Then came a vacant space; then there were two two-story log houses, weatherboarded�one on the lot where Mrs. Chilcote lives, and the other on the next lot west of it. The latter building was one of Somerset's first hotels, and was afterward used by Ensor Chilcote for a carpenter shop. On the opposite side, between Dan Mohler's blacksmith shop and the east end of the village, there were, in 1824, only some three or four houses, some of them log. A few years later, Dan Mohler carried on blacksmithing in a shop where the present brick stands, and next lot west of it, his brother-in-law, David Church, followed the same business.
About the time that Church quit business, C. Poppe was manufacturing spinning wheels, etc., but the business of manufacturing wearing apparel at home, has been done away with, and with it went Poppe's business. The few houses between this point and the Square, were mostly one-story frames, used as residences; but they gave way gradually from year to year for the present buildings. The brick now known as the Russell house, was one of the first permanent structures on this
street. At a later day it was purchased by John Humberger, who kept a grocery in the corner room next the alley. He died about the year 1832, and his widow afterward married William D. Harper. The house across the alley, occupied by George Coolman as a residence, and the one west of it, may be termed pioneer buildings; and I seriously suspect that one of them, or perhaps both, are log houses. The corner room of the Coolman house was, in early days, used for a grocery store by George Sanders. Both those buildings played a prominent part in the trade history of Somerset. The old Johnny Lentz property on the opposite side of the street, afterwards occupied by Ned Keenan, outstrips my years in age. At least it has been in existence as far back as my memory can reach, and it was not a new building then. This was, for a number of years, the real headquarters for dram drinking. Many a disciple of Bacchus took his first lessons in "taking on the whisky appetite" in this building; and many were the persons who have stepped out of the door, next to Ream's bank, fancying themselves "monarchs
of all they surveyed," provided, always, they were able to survey anything. A small one-story frame building stood on the corner of the alley where now stands a part of the hotel building, which was "used, in my first recollection, by Joel Beckwith as a store-house. It was afterward used by different parties, Beckwith having removed his goods to a new house he built on the corner of the square, where Dr. Skinner has his drug store, and which was burned down a few years ago. One of the Darsts, I believe, built the east part of the brick hotel building, or at least lived there awhile, if he did not build it. The large frame between the corner brick and the hotel, was owned by John Murray, where he carried on the hotel business for many years. On the corner lot, on the opposite side, where John Beckwith was engaged, for many years, in the dry goods business, there stood two two-story log houses, weatherboarded, in one of which�the corner one�Beckwith began his mercantile operations. His residence was on the lot next east, and constituted half the brick now standing there.
     All around the square there stood almost a continuous row of one-story frames, which constituted the business houses, and the stock of goods corresponded with the buildings. The Peter Dittoe house, now in possession of Martin Scott, is among the ancient brick relics. Dittoe kept the post office with his dry goods store, in the corner room, for many years. On the corner, on the opposite side, was a one-story frame, and next door west of it was a weatherboarded, two-story log house. It was used for a hotel, and the first landlord I can recollect of doing business there, was Benjamin Eaton. He had two sons-children then-named Ben and Joe; the latter is dead, and the former is mail agent at Crestline, Ohio, but is growing old and decrepid. A series of small buildings were standing on both sides of the street, west of this hotel, to the Brechbill alley�the only respectable house being old Billy Beard's, and more recently occupied by Dixon Brown as a residence. The old frame, still standing on the alley, on the north side of the street, has a historical record. In the corner room, next the alley, Patterson printed, in 1827-28, the Perry Record, a paper which took the place of the Western World and Political Tickler. On the casing of the front door, if it has not been removed, may be found a hideous ax mark, which was cut by an ax which John B. Orton threw at Bob Henderson, the publisher of the Record, in a quarrel that resulted from the famous Mills and Orton war, that had been in progress in the village for several years prior.
     "There are a good many of the old buildings still standing in the town, in which more thrilling transactions took place, than the philosophy of your present innocent generation is capable of dreaming.
     "The old Brechbill Hotel is an ancient building, and has been successively run by more landlords than I care to undertake to enumerate. John Mains, Jacob Brechbill (after he quit teaming on the road), and Abraham Hamisfar, successively run it. Henry Clay, Thomas H. Benton and other celebrities, have dined in this house. On the lot next to this there was a frame house occupied by Everett Richman; and Caleb Atwater, the antiquarian of Ohio, lived either there or on the lot adjoining.   On the opposite side of the street, where the Dan Kelley brick stands, but back from the street a rod or two, there was a famous drinking house kept by old John Opp. As we go a little further west, on the left hand side, next to the alley, there is an ancient two-story brick, now owned by Joseph Walker. This was erected by Jacob Brunner, but was left in an unfinished condition for many years. The next lot west, across the alley, was where Jacob Noles had his blacksmith shop and residence. The residence part is an old building, but the eastern part is a newer structure, which took the place of the old wooden shop. On the opposite side was the cigar and tobacco factory of George Brunner, who carried on this branch of business there for many years.
     Up till 1826-28, or thereabout, Columbus street, running from the Square north, had a fair representation of small buildings, mostly one-story frames. The only brick on the entire street, was one that stood where the three-story brick, belonging to D. M. Mathews, stands. This was built by Dr. Louis J. Moeller, and was considered a great ornament to the village. About the time this was constructed, the county erected a neat and substantial brick in the place where the jail stands.
The old building was an ornament to the town. The uncouth structure that took its place, was, from the beginning, a disgrace, not only to the village, but to the blockheads who drafted it. The old stone house, north of the alley, adjoining Frederick Mains, was built by Mr. Mains in 1813. On the opposite side of the street, on the ground occupied by the old brick building, where Judge Hood for many years kept his dry goods store, there was a long row of frame buildings, usually occupied by tailors, shoemakers and the like. In one of these John L. Williams set up his first shop, after landing in Somerset in 1836. In one of the buildings was situated, in 1829, the printing office at which was then published The People's Advocate. John E. Linn had a tailor shop in a small building on the southwest corner of Columbus and North streets, on the vacant space between the two-story log house, weatherboarded, which constituted his residence, and North street. On the corner lot, on this street, occupied by Mrs. Burns, old Mr. Trout owned a crockery establishment, where he turned out an immense amount of dishes, crocks, etc. The kiln in which this ware was burned and prepared for the market, stood upon the same lot. This was carried on for some years, between 1820 and 1828. It 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 1830. A few scattering buildings, mostly of an inferior class, were standing in 1830, farther north, many of which have been supplanted by other buildings not much superior in size or style. The house that Mrs. Shirley resides in, was owned and built by John Arndt. The next house north, was a small brick owned by Mrs. Nancy Ream, the noted tailoress of her day. For many years she carried on tailoring there, and did a larger business than any tailor in the village. John Orwig owned and lived in the house now occupied by Mr. H. S. Doubleday. The opposite side of the street was all in commons. On an acre or so of the land comprising the lot and adjoining lots, where Joe Reaver lives, there was a large brickyard, carried on by Felix Cull, 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 as James W. Shirley, R. Z. Cassell, Henry C. Filler, George Beeman, George Goodin, George Brunner, S. H. McAfee, Jonathan W. Ream, Joe Elder, and all of that class of boys, graduated in the art of skating. The only time the writer of this ever had a pair of skates on his feet, was at one of these ponds, in the winter of 1836. Buckling on a pair of skates, one evening, and rising to my feet, I attempted to make a grand gyration and cut a pigeon-wing, as it was called, supposing it to be an easy thing done. The ice flew up and took me on the head, and I felt unwell for a month succeeding.
     "On the lot now occupied by B. Whitmer's residence, and some distance back from the street, stood the old Academy. This was the High School of Somerset. The building was a large one, but was never fully completed. It had been imperfectly constructed, and after standing for many years, being part of the time in use, the lot was purchased by Thomas J. Maginnis, and the building was taken down. Immediately north of the Academy, extending from the road at Mrs. McNutt's residence, westward, there was an eight-acre wood lot that was cleared about the year 1839."
     After a suitable breathing spell, "Senex "continues his old-time recollections, as follows:

     "My earliest recollections come in before either of the brick buildings on the southeast and southwest corners of the Public Square were built. On the lot where stands the building in which the Press is published, Joseph Brown had a hat manufactory, and, on the opposite corner, where stands the storehouse now owned by Isaac Yost, there stood a one story hewed log house,
that was used by Benjamin Ream as a hat factory. Hatting business was good in those days, as there were none imported from the East, as now, to compete with the home manufacturers. This house gave way before 1830, and the present brick building was erected in its place by Henry Dittoe. One story frames lined the street south of the square to the bridge and beyond, with here and there an unoccupied lot. Benjamin Huff had a chair manufactory in a one story hewed log house, that stood on the spot where Dittoe & Hull's grocery now stands. Some of the first Protestant services ever held in Somerset were held in that building. William D. Harper had his residence on the hill where the Nunnery was located. He had his carpenter shop in a small building that stood nearly opposite the old residence of Patrick McDonald. In still earlier days, Lawrence Curran, one of the first butchers of Somerset, had his slaughter-house about the same spot. A few of your readers may remember 'Old Larry,' the Irishman.   He had his peculiarities, like other men, one of which may be worth relating. In disposing of his meats he had to trust a good deal, but always made it a duty to set apart a special day for collections, and he did it so adroitly that it rather pleased his delinquent customers than annoyed them. He would place himself on some corner of the Public Square, in the morning, and watch for his delinquents. When he saw one of them, he would hasten in advance of him and remark, in his
good natured Irish brogue, 'An' is it me ye are huntin' afther!' The customer always knew what Larry was after, and never failed, if he had the money, to shell it right out. And so he would continue till his collections were made.
     "Of course, many of your readers remember the old jail, situated nearly opposite the residence of Dr. Magruder. The first story was built of dressed sandstone, and the second story was carried up with brick. The courts were held in this house for many years, and until the new Court House upon the Public Square was erected. On the south side of this building there was a ball alley, where the young men used to while away many hours in playing what is termed 'alley ball.' Indeed, for years, the place was a daily resort for all classes of middle-aged men, young men, and boys. If the men were not there, the boys were sure to be. Afterwards the ball alley was removed to the Academy building, in the north end of the village.
     "The ground covered by Dr. Magruder's residence was where George Beckwith had his dwelling, when he occupied the tanyard afterwards run by Law & Moeller, and later by John Law. The old brick Methodist Episcopal church stood on South street, nearly opposite the residence of Colonel Spencer. On the corner of the alley, next west, stands a small brick, where John H. Binckley used to reside in an early day. The Methodists used to be a little noisy occasionally, and Binckley, living so near the church, felt himself annoyed somewhat, and so gave to this thoroughfare the name of 'Happy Alley,' a name by which it is known to this day. Between the church and the corner brick was a two story hewed log house, in which John H. Binckley and Samuel Binckley had a paint shop and chair factory. Samuel Binckley was one of the pioneer young men of Somerset, but left, shortly after his marriage, and located at Xenia, Ohio. He is still at Troy, Ohio, hearty and hale, at the age of seventy-six years."

     In a subsequent letter, "Senex" discourses further of old-time Somerset and vicinity:

     "As early as 1805, thirteen years before Perry county was organized,the reader may well imagine there was no Somerset, and no other town, in the county. New Reading antedates Somerset by a few years, and was called, by the Pennsylvania Germans, 'Overmyerstettle,' and by those who preferred to speak it in English. ' Overmyertown.' I recollect hearing an old lady, who but recently departed this life, often relating an incident of her getting lost on the ground near the heart of the town, in 1807. She lived with her father in a new cabin, a mile or so north of the town, and was sent after the cows toward the close of the day. When she arrived at about the place where the Public Square is located, she became entangled in the underbrush, which was grown over so densely with wild pea vines that she could not see a rod before her. When she had extricated herself, she found that she had lost her bearing, and it was only by a fortunate circumstance that she was enabled to reach her home that evening.
     "The old men who are in the county, and are able to recollect back forty-five to sixty years ago, cannot help to bring to mind one of the singular changes that has taken place in the streams. At that time they were all running full of water, at least nine months in the year. Now they are nearly all dry most of the year, and not enough water running in them at any time, except in times of flood, to water a drove of cattle. Many will remember that, half a mile north of Somerset, was situated Grandfather Parkinson's' saw-mill, afterwards run by Billy Larue. The water that was gathered from the ravine starting on the summit in the town, with that gathered by a race from the west branch, run this sawmill, fifty years ago, nine months in the year. It cut a great deal of timber, and, being so near the then growing village, it furnished much of the lumber that was called for. The dam in which the water was collected was the 'swimming hole' for the boys of the village, and for many years it was a favorite resort. Below this, about half a mile. Judge Hood had a gristmill�'corn-cracker,' it was called in that day�at which he accommodated his neighbors with corn meal, and also furnished a fair article of flour. This mill was a two story log building, situated on the south bank of the creek, near where the road now crosses above the railroad trestle. The Judge also run a stillhouse in connection with the mill. The water for turning the mill was collected by races. The race for conducting the water, on the south branch, started in some four or five hundred yards below the steam mill, following the west bank of the hill; and the one on the west branch started just below Parkinson's saw-mill, and run along the south bank of the creek. The faint outlines of these races may be seen in places yet, but they have been mostly defaced. At the confluence of
the Somerset branch and the Berkey run, there was, at one time, a sawmill, the water likewise being conducted by races. About half a mile below this there was a grist-mill, and farther down, Darsham's grist and saw-mill. So that, from 1814 to 1830, there were no less than five mills on that little stream, between Somerset and Jonathan's Creek, all running by water nearly through the entire year. The stream used to run a large volume of bright, clear water, and it used to abound in fish of pretty good size. It was a great resort for the 'town boys,' even so late as 1840. Many a time did the boys of that day�Dan and John Parkinson, P. H. Binckley, Walter C. Wood, and others-pull out 'chubs' and 'suckers' that weighed a pound.
     "If I were to undertake to trace out all the 'old landmarks;' or, in other words, to give the early settlers of lands around Somerset, I should never get through with these letters. But I will mark out, say, a mile square, on either side of Somerset, and give the occupiers of land from about the year 1820 to 1830.
     "On the north side, Judge Hood was, at that time, a permanent fixture on the farm he so long occupied. The next farm north, now owned by Andy Leach, was entered by a man named Miller. The next farm north of that was the 'Stoker farm,' and the farm still north of that was the Funderburg farm. We will go back, now, and take another tier. The farm west of Judge Hood, afterwards constituting part of the Gongloff farm, was occupied by John Deal, on the north side of which stood a stillhouse, run, from 1812 to about 1820, by a man named Shunk. Next east, the farm of Conrad Snider, was owned by his father, one of the first settlers. Next east, the farm long owned and occupied by David Church, was owned by David Boyce. On the south side of town, about the year 1825, the farm of John Moore was tilled by Joshua Green, afterwards purchased by John F. Moeller. The Thomas Scallan farm was owned by John Trout. The farm farther south�afterwards the Caywood farm�was owned by James McDonald, and a little before that time by Leonard Ream.   The farm west of this was the farm of Michael McKinney. The tract of land east of the Scallan farm, on which Mrs. Scallan now resides, was owned by John Beckwith. There were still earlier proprietors of most all of these lands, but my recollection cannot reach them."
     The foregoing extracts from the highly interesting articles of "Senex" give a good description of Somerset and surroundings, from 1820 to 1830, and also contain a number of facts of interest, both earlier and later than these dates. As early as 1844 Somerset was compactly and neatly built up, in a great measure of brick, and was one of the handsomest towns of its size in Ohio. It just about held its own, in population and business, from 1844 to 1857, when the Seat of Justice was removed to New Lexington. This did not prove as much of a calamity as was feared, though it had a depressing effect for several years. When the railroad was built, in 1871, the old town revived to a great extent, and quite a number of new and costly buildings have been erected, among them several fine private residences.
     Somerset was visited by a destructive fire in the latter part of the year 1873, which is thus described by the Somerset Press:

     "About one o'clock on Wednesday morning, the cry of fire was raised on our streets, and by the time those of our citizens living in the vicinity of the conflagration had reached the scene, the long roof of the building on the northeast side of the square was enveloped in flames, and the contents of the rooms were being rapidly destroyed. Such headway had the flames made that by the time even a few of our citizens got upon the ground, it was impossible to enter the more extensive business rooms of the block, for the purpose of removing the stock, and all that could be done was to exert every effort to confine the fire to the block in which it had originated. For a time this seemed to be a hopeless work, as the wind was blowing briskly to the eastward, and in the direction of some greatly exposed buildings. Hard work was required to prevent the fire from communicating with Gallagher's building, and this being the 'key' to the whole situation, our citizens labored with admirable success to stop the progress of the flames at that point. Had the fire got under headway in that building it is likely that all that part of Somerset lying east of the square would be in ashes to-day. From the drug store building, the flames spread rapidly into the large frame building on the north, and adjoining the three-story brick residence of D. M. Mathews. From this building the flames soon reached the roof of Mr. Mathews' residence, and that too would have soon been destroyed, but for the indomitable energy of that portion of the volunteer brigade, who held this part of the field. Long ladders were placed against the building, and a number of daring men soon took position upon the roof and ladders, and gave the devouring elements the best licks they had in the shop. And their efforts were crowned with success. Mr. Mathews' residence was saved, and the fire was confined to the block in which it had broken out. This was totally destroyed, entailing losses about to the amount of $15,000. This block was owned by D. M. Mathews, Dr. C. J. Skinner and Dr. E. R. Magruder,and was valued at something like $8,000.
     The block was occupied by the following firms: Skinner & Brother, stock destroyed valued at $3,000; M. Bowman, grocer, stock destroyed valued at $1,800; J.W. Graves, boot and shoe dealer, stock saved; Mrs. Burns, milliner, stock destroyed valued at $300; H. A. Schwartz, photographer, stock destroyed valued at $1,000; Snow Fork Coal and Mining Company, loss in books, maps, plats, stationery, etc., valued at $500; T. Spencer Stillman, notary, etc., loss in books, stationery, etc., about $200; George Price, Justice of the Peace, H. P. Lentz, real estate and insurance agent, N. L. Brunner, boot and shoe maker�effects removed without damage.
     "There are various opinions about the origin of the fire. Those who were first on the grounds, say that the fire originated in the office of the Snow Fork Coal and Mining Company."

     Again in 1875, the town was scourged by the fire fiend, a number of houses burned, and the whole eastern part of the village narrowly escaped destruction. The following account of the fire is from the Somerset Press:

     "Our village has again been scourged by fire, this time entailing a loss of property to the amount of $25,000 or $30,000, and rendering homeless a number of families, and throwing out of employment a number of workmen. The story is briefly told. About eleven o'clock, Monday night, Mr. Russell, proprietor of the Russell House, discovered that that part of the planing mill of Bowman, Johnson & Mautz, where the boiler was located, was on fire, and at once gave the alarm. But owing to the vast amount of highly combustible material in the immediate vicinity of the furnace, the flames had made such frightful headway by the time of the arrival of persons upon the scene, that such a thing as extinguishing them, with the means at hand, was at once an apparent impossibility. An entrance was forced into the show-room of the establishment,where there was a large amount of finished work, buggies, wagons, carriages, etc., and an ineffectual effort to save it from destruction. But the moment the entrance was made, a fiery column swept from about the furnace through the building, driving the rescuers from the room. Repeated efforts were made to re-enter the building, but the intense heat rendered them all futile, and it became plain to all that the large planing mill and carriage factory, with all its contents, was doomed. As the fire spread, and got fairly under way in the large and higher part of the building, the flames roared with a fierceness and rose to a height that appalled the powerless spectators, and at once created fears for the safety of the town. That the fire originated from the furnace, there seems to be little doubt.
     "The flames rapidly spread to the buildings immediately east and west of the factory, and the scene became alarming in the extreme. Then presently Mrs. Filler's house, on the opposite side of the street, took fire, and the unorganized and excited people hardly knew how or where to commence the fight; but that a commencement must be made somewhere, and quickly, too, if the town was to be saved from total destruction, was very manifest to all, and keenly appreciated by all. Determined bands of men therefore bent their energies at four different points, to arrest the progress of the fire.
     One point was Coolman's frame building across the alley west from the Russell House; another was the frame house owned by O. T. Mohler, and occupied by George Nichols, on the south side of the street; the third was the German Reform Church, on the same side, and the fourth was Mrs. Chilcote's house, on the north side, and across the alley west from the large frame structure known as the O'Keefe House.
     "In the area bounded by the buildings named, the devouring element had things pretty much its own way, and in that space, and with in an hour or so, it laid in ashes eleven buildings, and caused a greater loss of property than was ever before felt in Somerset.
     "At the points named a desperate effort was made to master the fire, and, though it proved successful in the end, there were times during the progress of the struggle,when it seemed that all efforts would prove unavailing.
     "The women came to the rescue, when assistance was greatly needed, and rendered noble service in the matter of carrying water, etc. Their determined labors had also the effect to cheer the men who were standing up manfully to the work, and shaming, just a little, the few who were 'too feeble' to do more than stand by and gaze upon the frightful scene and the determined workers it had called forth.
     "The houses destroyed were the planing mill, the dry house, the old exchange, the Russell House, Mrs. Filler's and Mrs. Cody's residences�both the latter on the south side of the street�Mr. John Mautz's residence, Mr. Shower's residence and Mrs. Chilcote's residence, and Bowman & Johnson's blacksmith shop, and Mr. Shower's stable. The occupants of most of the dwellings saved only a portion of their household effects, and some lost about all they possessed of that kind of property."
     Nearly all the space made vacant by these fires has been built upon, and most of the buildings destroyed have been replaced by better ones. With these two exceptions, Somerset, during its entire existence, has been very fortunate regarding fires.
     Somerset is very pleasantly situated on the high grounds that separate the waters of Muskingum from those of the Hocking. The rain that falls on the north and east end of the town flows into the Muskingum, while that which falls on the south and west parts finds its way into the Hocking. The site of the town is elevated, broad and commanding, and much of it affords a good view of the surrounding country.
     Somerset, at present, has a postoffice, one telegraph office, one railroad depot, one newspaper, one union school house, one female academy, four churches, one convent, one hotel, one music hall, four dry goods stores, two hardware stores, two jewelry stores, two drug stores, two furniture stores, two shoe stores, one photograph gallery, one carriage and buggy shop, one planing mill, one tannery, two harness and saddle shops, two tailor shops, one clothing store, one coverlet weaver, seven groceries, four physicians, five lawyers, one job printing office, three millinery stores, two meat shops and two tin shops.
     The Hippodrome war, the trial and execution of David Work, the Centennial Celebration, and many other notable events connected with the history of Somerset, will be found in other appropriate chapters of this volume.
     In view of the immense strides which the iron business is making in Perry county, and its probable future, it is worth while to contemplate the initial workers and the small beginnings of the industry. Somerset had the first foundry in the county. It was established by Joseph Simpson, who, in his lifetime, was well known to many of the people of Perry county. The reader of this volume would naturally like to know something of the original foundry and iron man of the county, therefore the following sketch is inserted: [n/a]
     Joseph Simpson settled in Somerset in 1843, having come direct from Newark, Licking county, but from Halifax, Yorkshire, England, two years previous. He purchased a large tobacco warehouse on Happy alley, about midway between Columbus street and the Logan road, and converted it into a foundry. For many years he conducted a successful business. Mr. Simpson spent much of his time in exploring the great mineral region of Monday and Sunday Creeks, and often predicted its future wealth and greatness. He was well known throughout the county, and became somewhat famous for his plows. He will be well remembered by the old settlers. He may be ranked as the pioneer of the iron interest of Perry county. Mr. Simpson died in Newark, in 1856.�

                                Text taken from �History of Perry County� transcribed by Timothy Fisher at
                                    his website: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~tfisher/tefishermain.htm

                                        Copyright �1999-2001 by Timothy E. Fisher; all rights reserved.