Somerset Borough

Somerset County, Pennsylvania

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Somerset Borough Hall is located at 340 West Union Street, Somerset PA 15501.
Phone: 814‑443‑2661.

Beginnings [1]

The town was laid out by Adam Schneider and Peter Ankeny, September 12, 1795, with Josiah Espey the surveyor. The old town called Milfordstown, however, was laid out by Woolrick Bruner and Peter Ankeny. Part of three different surveys appeared to be within the limits of the town proper. Peter Ankeny owned all that part of the town south of Main street, and from Rosina street west he owned it on both sides of Main street. Bruner owned the land on the north side of Main street as far west as West street (now Edgewood avenue) also the north corner of the present borough, he having bought about 100 acres of the land covered by an agreement from Harmon Husband. Woolrick Bruner had purchased the rights of George Bruner in the survey of 300 acres warranted to George Bruner, that lay on both sides of what is now the main street of Somerset borough. In 1787 Woolrick Bruner entered into an agreement with Adam Schneider for the sale of such part of lands that he still owned. The agreement, which is still in existence is in the possession of the family of John Snyder, in Dayton, Ohio. The old agreement throws much light on the early settling of Somerset and reads: "Articles of agreement made this 24th day of September in the year 1787 between Woolrick Bruner of Milford township, in Bedford township and the state of Pennsylvania on the one part, and Adam Schneider of Washington county in the state of Maryland, of the other part, witnesseth that the said Adam Schneider had agreed with, bought and bargained with the said Woolrick Bruner for a certain tract and parcel of land whereon the said Woolrick Bruner now lives, containing two hundred acres of land and upwards by estimation, be the same more or less, it being that part of the said Bruner dwelling place which lays on the north side of the big road along the main street of a town, which the said Bruner laid out in lots some years ago, which said whole land included about 100 acres that the said Bruner bought of Harmon Husband, with another survey of about 300 acres warranted in the name of George Bruner and patented to him, the said Woolrick Bruner that part of which whole land being before sold to one Jonathan Buck, which lays south of the said big road and main street of the said town lots, and for' which said 200 acres of land the said Adam Schneider agrees to pay him, the said Woolrick Bruner, the sum of 100 pounds current money of the state of Pennsylvania, in money and one house and lot in Baltimore town, on Howard street, joining the Widow Vankle's and occupied by Jacob Reader and pay the said sum of 100 pounds in two payments, that is 50 pounds on the first day of October next and fifty pounds more on the first day of May next. ...

  1. Hause, Mary, A Somerset County Historical Notebook,
  2. 1945, compilation of Newspaper Columns; Somerset County Historical Society, Sesqui-Centennial Publications, Somerset, PA

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