1796 Assessment Tax Somerset Co., Pa.
1796 Elk Lick Assessment
(From Laurel Messenger Feb. 1984 page 105)
Elk Lick township was formed in 1785, the fifth township carved out of Brothersvalley Twp., Bedford County. It was one of the six townships which formed Somerset County when it was erected in 1795. The 1796 assessment record follows:
Clement and Michael Angle (Engle), Benj. Ashmead, Wm. Albricks, James Agen, James Noyd, Christian Borntrager, Christophel Barnhouse, John Burkholter, Simeon Blewbaugh, John Burger, Michael and Jacob Breniser, Peter Bedford, George Barkley, Adam Brittle, Montjoy Bailey, Jacob Crickler, Jacob Cover, John Christner, David Cryder, John and Andrew Clink (Klink), Solomon and Adam Clotfelty, Benj. Codington, John Drusel, Michael Domer, George & David Dickey, John Dorice, Henry Deal, Shaphat Dwire, Casper, Jacob & John Dust (Durst), James Ervin, John Eighleberger, Adam Easter.
Abraham Sr., Henry & Joseph Flory, Jacob, Joseph & Peter Forney, Daniel & Jacob Flick, George Folk, John Fike (sawmill), John Fike Jr., Christian Fike, Adam & Peter Faidley, Abraham Foutch, Adam, Samuel & William Findley, Philip Firebaugh, Samuel Foust.
John & Henry Garlets, Ebenezer Griffith, Esq., John Griffith, (sawmill), David Griffith, Chas. Grandsman, John Graham, Michael Hansel, John Sr., David, Henry, Joseph, Christian, and Jacob Hostettler, Andrew & Samuel Haslet, (tradesman), John Hershberger, John Hoover, John & Andrew Hendricks, John Hall, John Holterman, Anthony & Henry Haines, John Infield.
James, Benjamin, Roger, Baker, Thomas Sr. & Thomas Jr. Johnston, Christian & John Knagey, (Gnagey), John Kagey, George Klingaman, Maurice & Robert Kennedy, Christian Livengood, Peter Livengood Sr. & Peter Livengood Jr., John Lape, Joseph, Christian & Peter Leighty, John Little, Honical Long.
Christian, Jacob & Joseph Moyst (Maust), Daniel Martin, Matthias Marker, John, Henry & Michael Miller, Jacob Miller (taylor), Matthias, Jacob, Joseph, Peter and John Markley, Goerge Moyer Sr., John Moyer, Philip Mullard, John Olinger.
Widow Pare (Sarah), Christian Perkey, Abraham, Peter Sr. & Peter Jr. Peachy (Beachy), Jacob Peck, Stephen Pearson, Elias Rumspiker (Romesberg), Adam & Matthias Ringer, George Ringer, Michael Role, Michael Ripple, John Reames, Abraham Tichart, John Riley, Jacob Roads, Jacob & Peter Smith, John Smith (fidler), John Sr. & John Jr. Schrock, Jacob Saylor, John Saylor, Sr., George Sweet, Michael Sterner, Patrick Solovin (Sullivan), Henry Stom, Henry Stonborough, Matthias Swatsel, John Swek, George & Peter Sheckley, Wm. Strating, Mary Simpson, Isabelle Somerville, Sinclair, John Simkins.
John Tipnor, John Teets, Christophel & benjamin Thomas, William Tissue, Richard, Jacob & John Thomson, James & Henry Tate, Henry Teal, Thomas Vickroy, James Wilcocks, Michael Wence, Michael & Jacob Wilhelm, John Welch, Martin Weimer, Christian Weriman, Henry Werts, Henry Yoder, Isaac Youler and Yost Zuck.
In 1796 there were 2,824 acres of cleared land, 197 horses, 298 horned cattle, and 118 houses in Elk Lick township. The highest tax payer was David Griffith. His tax was $7.76 cents on 550 acres, 50 cleared, 3 horses and four cows. Next highest was John Fike with 51 acres, 50 clear of 552 acres. He had a sawmill, 4 horses, five cows and tax of $7.46. Patrick Solovan (grandfather of Jeremiah Sullivan Black), was taxed $6.71 and Yost Zuck with 350 acres, 50 cleared was taxed $5.71. Total levy for 1796 was $401.81. John Hendricks was the assessor, Shaphat Dwire and John Griffith, assistants.
John Smith was the only resident of Somerset County taxed as a Fidler in 1796. He had 47 acres of land with 3 cleared and a house. His assessment was $50 and his tax was 25 cents.
You will note that many names are still familiar ones in the township and county. Others are holders of unseated land who did not reside in the township and often held the land for speculation and later profit.
Mount David, the highest land elavation in Pennsylvania 3213 ft. above sea level is located on Negro Mountain in Elk Lick township. A fine picnic area is close by. From microfilm records of the original assessment record books. --Compiled by Marguerite L. Cockley.
1796 Milford Tax Assessment
(Laurel Messenger, November, 1983, page 95)
MILFORD was the fourth township erected in Somerset County. It was formed in 1780 from parts of Brothersvalley and Turkeyfoot townships. Much of the land which is now Somerset Borough was then part of Milford Township and many of the assessments are for one or more lots. Watch for changes in spelling names.
Peter Ankeny had 775 acres of land with 100 cleared and was the highest taxpayer. Amount $9.10. His brother, Christian Ankeny had 1,082 acres with 110 cleared, with a saw mill and a grist mill. His tax was $8.64. Other Ankenys assessed were George, David and Henry.
Other taxables were Adam Adams Sr. and Adam Adams Jr.; Henry Atherton; James Allen; John Althouse; John Armstrong; Enoch Abrams; Jacob Barkman; Henry Brner; Paul Barnet (a trader); Joseph and Jacob Brindle; Archibald Bole; Jacob Barkman Sr.; William Brooke; Daniel Beare; Conrad Beemer; Daniel Baer; Jacob Baker; Abraham Brand; Peter Bolon; Andrew Baker; Benjamin Brown (tailor); Jacob Bonnett; George Burcker; Richard Brown; Emaniel Brawlier; Samuel Benford and John Biddle.
Thomas & Robert Cox; Peter & Jacob Copp; Adam Carrup; Henry Crossen; John Corpenning; Wm. Critchfield; Adam Creemer; John Campbell; John Dull; John & Ezekiel Driver; Nathaniel Davis (storekeeper); Joseph Douglas (blacksmith). Josiah Espy, Esq.; Thomas & Abraham Faith; Adam & Ludwick Flick; Ernest, John & Ludwick Fisher; Hugh & James Fulton; Conrad Frank; Samuel & George Friend; Peter, George & Ludwick Friedline; Joseph Frances; Wm. Findley; John Gross; Henry & John Grindle; Henry Grove; John Gephart; Jacob Gushwa; David Griffith; Matthias Goshett; Gillian & Peter Gary; Frederick Hensel (trader); George Henry; John Herring; Ludwick Hart; Casper, Jacob & John Harbaugh; Adam Hurraw; Nicholas Hull; Jacob Haynes; Andrew & John Heminger; Conrad Hopany; Simon Hogh; Walter Hews; Jacob Hoover; Alexander Holmes; George Hilter; Peter Hess; Jacob Heighler.
Jehu Jones; David Jones (sawmill); Wm. Jones (mason); Wm. Jones (grist & sawmill); John Wells Jones; Thomas Jolly; Nathan Justice; Casper Kroop; Jones Kline; John Kooser; Herman Krieleigh; George, Michael, Wm. & Philip King Esq.; Adam Koondle; George Kinder; Jacob Knable; Casper Kitzmiller; John Koons; David Kimmel; Adam Keffer; Conrad Kizer; Mary Kooser.
John Lower (Lohr); Jacob Lenhart; Jacob Lamer; Widow Logwood; Henry Layman; Christian & Henry Lint; John Leech; Gillian Lighteberger; Jacob Lowry; Hugh Linn; Frederick Lange (Long) (Minister); Jacob Jeremiah Miller; John Miller (stiller); Frederick Mittock; Samuel Morrison; John Marteeny; Wm. McCarty; John Miller Sr. (grist & sawmill); John Miller Jr.; Peter Moneigh; Daniel Moore; Peter Millhouse; Abraham Miller (tanner); Wm. McDermett; Geo. & Thomas McCall; Gotlip Mittock (joiner).
Adam Nigh; Abraham Nafe; Henry Omwake; Andrew & John Oyler; Martin & George Jr. Phillips; Frederick Pitcher Sr.; Nicholas, John, George & Philip Parrone (Barron); John, Casper, Jacob & Michael Pyle; Francis Phillippi; Sarah, David & Isaac Penrod; Moses Packer; Wm. Pergher; Andrew, John & Peter Putman; Geo. & Samuel Pritts; John Philips; Henry Painter; John Prinkey; John Pricker.
John Rone; George Ray; Wm. & Moses Rambow; George Rhoads; Cornelius, Joseph & Stephen Riley; Christian Rice. Michael Stoudenhouer; Christian Speight (trader); Henry Shaver Jr.; Jacob Shaver; John Sutton (trade); Michaelk Shultz; Michael Stern; Jacob Stout; Jacob Shaver (cooper); Henry Shaver (gist & saw mill); Theobold Snyder; David Stootsman; John Singleton; Rudolph Slyers; Jacob Sr. & Jacob Jr. Snyder; Abraham Stooky; John Shofe; Christopher Speight; John Seighman; Michael Sanders; Henry Solomon; Benjamin Stiers; William Seibert; Jacob & Nicholas Switzer; Adam Stull; William & George Sample; Henry Stull; Jacob Swarts; John Stickel.
Michael Tedrow Sr. & Michael Tedrow Jr.; Reuben Tedrow & Geo. Tedrow (tanner); Yost Teats; Geo. Thom; Henry Tarr; Matthias Tern; Thomas Vandoren; Christian Umburn (potter); Rudolph Urich.
John Sr. & John Jr. & Jacob Weimer; John, Henry & Abraham Whipkey; Jacob Williard; Henry & David Weimer; Thomas, David & Samuel Wright; Philip Wallick; John & Michael Waggoner; James & Thomas Wilson; Jacob & Michael Weldy; George Weimer; John Wells & James Wells, Esq.; George Ludwig & Jacob Young Jr.
Adam Keefer was assessor for the township and the total tax levy was $770.78. David Jones and David Wright were assistant assessors and Gillian Gary was the tax collector. Gillian Gary was also third highest taxpayer with 796 acres, 80 of which were cleared, with three horses and three cows and a house, the tax was $6.64.
1796 Turkeyfoot Twp. Assessment
(Laurel Messenger, May, 1983, pg. 80)
Turkeyfoot Township was the second township formed in what is now Somerset County, Pa. In July 1773, when part of Brothersvalley Township became Turkeyfoot the new township comprised almost all the western half of the present county, and extended frrom the Maryland line into a corner of what is now Cambria County. By 1795, when Somerset County was formed, Turkeyfoot had been reduced in size and included what is now Addison, Upper and Lower Turkeyfoot. The township received its name from three streams which unite at the site of the present borough of Confluence and form what resembles a turkey's foot. George Washington is said to have visited this area. It is a historical fact that there were settlers in this area as early as march 1768. They were visited by the Rev. John Steele head of a Commission appointed by Governor Penn to go into the country west of the Allegheny mountian and explain that this land belonged to the Indians. The settlers were here illegally and were warned to leave. Names of nine have been recorded: Henry Abrahams, Ezekiel DeWitt, James Spencer, Benjamin Jennings, John Cooper, Ezekiel Hickman, John Enslow, Henry Enslow, and Benjamin Pursley. Settlement became legal after the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, Nov. 5, 1768. It is possible that these men had come from Virginia and may have thought that they were living in Virginia country.
In the spring of 1770, a group of 18 or 20 families came from New Jersey and settled in what became known as the Jersey settlement. In 1775, they established the Jersey Baptist Church, one of the oldest congregations in the county.
John Nickloe was the assessor for 1796 taxes for Turkeyfoot township. His assistants were James McMillain and Lewis Mitchell. John Mitchell was the first tax collector. There were 4,372 acres of cleared land, 222 horses, 255 horned cattle and 161 houses in the township. Alexander McClintock had 436 acres with 100 clear and was the highest taxpayer. His tax was $6.30. William Tissue with 429 acres of land with 61, cleared was second highest taxpayer with a tax of $6.18. Thomas Spences and David Ream followed closely with tax of $5.85 and $5.76 respectively. Many thousand of acres were held by non-resident persons, some were land speculators, such as Wilcox and Chew of Philadelphia.
Following are the names of resident taxables in Turkeyfoot Township in 1796: Peter Augustine, David Ankney, Gabriel Abrams, Anthony and Jacob Brandebery, Widow Briminham, Joseph Biggs, Henery Bumbershime, Stephen, Jacob and Michael Bruner, Wm. Baker, George Barnet, Peter Bradford, John and Benjamin Bailey, John Cunningham, Robert Cockerton, James & Patrick Conner, John Collins, James Campbell, Robert Colburn, Lawrence Carney, John Clark, Oliver Drake, Isaac Dwire, Hugh Donley, Nathaniel Davis, John Drury, Henry and Peter Everly, Samuel Francis, Widow Forsha, Elias Flate, Richard & Thomas Greene, David Goodwin.
Jacob Hartzel, Esq., Henry & Nicholas Hartzel, Thomas Huff Sr., Thomas Jr., Abraham & Caleb Huff; John & Charles Hayett, Geo. Hinebaugh, John Hoover, Widow Hall & James Hall, Peter Helmick, Edward Harnet, Michael Harmon, John Hamble, Andrew & John Harrider, Isaac Heston and Martin Hileman, George Iseminger is the only I.
Benjamin Jennings, Amos and Wm. Johnston, John & James Jones; Edward Kamp Sr., John Kamp Sr., John Jr. Stephen, and Wm. Kamp; Christopher, David Thomas, Moses and John King; John Kirkpatrick, John & Michale Keever and Jacob Knave. There was James Lafferty, James Love, Elisha Lloyd, Nehemiah Letts, Wade & Jonathan Loughberry and John Lighliter.
Robert & Alexander McClintock, James Sr., John & Wm. McMillen, John Morton, Peter Marks, James Moon, John McClean, Daniel McCarter, Jacob Miller, John, James Thomas & Lewis Mitchell; John Melick, Garret Methews, henry Sr., & Henry Myers, Joseph Mountain, Wm. McCloud, Samuel McLean, Matthias McGinnis and Burkett Minor.
Hugh & Robert Nicholson, Henry Nail, John & henry Nichola, Jacob Nave and Patrick Nelson; William Ogg (wife Catherine Livengood d-o Peter); Peter Penrod, John Pringey, John Peck, James & John Porter, Bedwell Parnel, Wm. & Richard Pinkerton, Widow Ruple, Jacob & Nancy Ruple; Jacob, Henry, Benjamin Reed, Michael Racoway, Henry Ridgly, Samuel Rugg and Joseph Ringer, Robert Skinner Sr., Robert Jr., Samuel & Nathaniel Skinner; Thomas, William, James & Jesse Spencer; Jacob, Philip & John Smith; Daniel & Jacob Storm; Jacob Snider, John Sink, Conrad Silbaugh, Isaiah Strawn and Vaughn Sampson; William Tissue, George Turney and William Tannehill.
Finally, we have Conrad Wable, Vachel White, James & John Wright, David & Samuel Woodmancie, Frederick Sr., & Frederick Jr., Weimer, Widow Wilkens, David Work and Jonathan Woodside; Frederick & Jacob Younkin and John Youman.
Many of these family names, with sometimes slightly different spellings are still well known in this area of Somerset County and elsewhere in the United States.
The occupation of most of the early settlers was that of farming. Other occupations listed are of interest. Joseph Biggs, Geo. Hinebaugh, James Love, James McMillen Sr., and George Pringey were Weavers. Tailors were James Conner and Tobial Ream; coopers were Thomas Huff Sr., and Jacob Nave. Oliver Drake and John Jones had grist and sawmills. David King had a gristmill and Henry Hartzell & Daniel McCarter had sawmills. Peter Everly, Henry Rush, Samuel McLean and James Jones were blacksmiths. George Camp Sr., had a smith shop and sawmill; George Iseminger and Jonathan Woodside were wheelwrights. John King and Michael Bruner were tanners; Peter Marks and and Richard Pinkerton were shoemakers; John McLean was a surveyor, Peter Penrod was a mason and John Smith a joiner (carpenter). There was indeed an interest in education for Robt. Cockerton and John Youman were listed as schoolmasters. The Braddock Road, later the National Road, passed through what is now Addison Twp. And was one of two main routes for travelers going to settlements westward even as early as 1796.
The valuation of real estate and personal property was $69,366 and the tax collected amounted to $396.83 somwhat short of the amount of $487.75 which had been levied. Abstracted from microfilm copies of first assessment list and from History of Somerset and Bedford Counties, pub. 1906, Vol. II. -- Compiled by Marguerite L. Cockley.
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